CBT therapists' attitudes toward virtual reality use in psychotherapy: a brief report from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Virtual reality (VR) is an increasingly accessible technology with strong potential to support cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), particularly through virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET). However, real-world uptake remains limited, and there is a lack of knowledge about implementation needs in specific regions. This convergent mixed-methods study explored the attitudes, perceived benefits and barriers, and desired functional and training requirements of Czech and Slovak CBT psychotherapists regarding the use of VR. Thirty-three therapists completed an anonymous online questionnaire combining Likert-type ratings and open-ended questions. Overall attitudes toward VR were positive (M = 4.09, SD = 0.72), while perceived acceptance among colleagues was moderate (M = 3.39, SD = 0.80). Perceived risk of detracting from the therapeutic alliance was low-to-moderate (M = 2.09, SD = 0.84) and differed by practice length, with the lowest risk in mid-career therapists. Key perceived benefits were client safety and controllability of exposure; the dominant barrier was financial cost (60.6%), followed by training and technical concerns. Therapists prioritized safety controls (e.g., stop button), flexible exposure adjustment, biofeedback, and structured protocols, with a strong preference for online training with practical demonstrations. Findings suggest readiness to adopt VR, contingent on affordable infrastructure, standardized guidance, and clinician-centered tool design.