UNAM Offers Free Online Psychotherapy, Incorporating Video Games and Technology

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is providing free, confidential online psychotherapy services to address issues such as anxiety, depression, addictions, post-traumatic stress, and related disorders. María Georgina Cárdenas López, founder and coordinator of the Virtual Teaching and Cyberpsychology Laboratory at UNAM's Faculty of Psychology, announced the initiative.

While online psychological consultations gained prominence during the pandemic, UNAM has been exploring the intersection of psychotherapy and technology since 1997. The Virtual Teaching and Cyberpsychology Laboratory, established in 2004, researches and applies technological tools from computing, psychology, and neuroscience to understand and treat human cognition and behavior. Technologies like virtual reality are used for phobia treatment, and video games are employed for childhood eating disorders and obesity.

“

In this space, the first of its kind in Mexico and Latin America, as a research laboratory, we test new approaches between psychotherapy and technology, which we systematically apply and evaluate.

Cárdenas López noted that online therapies can facilitate patient expression, particularly on sensitive subjects like addiction, sexual behavior, HIV-AIDS, eating habits, and suicidal ideation. She stated that the computer can act as a buffer, allowing some patients to communicate more freely than they might in a face-to-face setting. The effectiveness of these internet-mediated psychological treatments is backed by years of scientific evaluation.

The program has a history of successful implementation, including a pilot project in 2005 with the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs to provide psychological support to migrants in consulates across California and Texas. This initiative even reached individuals who were illiterate, using digital tools for communication with therapists. UNAM's commitment to leveraging technology for mental health support demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to accessible and effective care.

“

Sometimes, in an online session, the computer helps the patient express themselves more freely than they would speaking in person with the therapist, especially on topics like alcohol and drug addiction, sexual behavior, HIV-AIDS, eating habits, and suicidal thoughts.