Reported by The New York Times, a clinical psychologist at the Department of Veterans Affairs says that virtual reality is “ready for prime time to treat civilian trauma.” For almost a decade, the department has used VR to ease the dangerous, long-term effects of wartime trauma. VR’s potential to treat anxiety disorders has gathered momentum, as the technology has improved and headsets have become more affordable. JoAnn Difede, a psychology professor at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York said the headset used for research with Sept. 11 survivors cost $25,000 at the time. Now, an average headset retails under $300.