10150692EmbodyXR - Researching Immersive Mental Health Solutions for Young PeopleActiveCollaborative R&DInnovate UKMercurial Dance is building a future where young people effortlessly manage their mental and physical health. We're achieving this through EmbodyXR. EmbodyXR is an XR immersive-led wellbeing and anxiety management game that enables young people to choreograph their mind-body connection, helping them to understand and navigate their mental health through movement and dance. It will have broad application and be targeted at a key pressure point within the mental health ecosystem, offering: \*Young people who are waiting for clinical services something to help manage their anxieties \*An additional educational toolkit for pastoral professionals (e.g. teachers) to help them support vulnerable young people \*The potential to reduce the demand on more clinical services through preventative early intervention EmbodyXR uses creative movement content and immersive soundscapes to reduce the physical manifestations of the Flight/Fight/Freeze response (FFFR). The App will reduce anxiety by softening the FFFR cognitive-behavioural response chain at a physical level. It will feature a suite of tools that will draw upon choreographed movement, high performance management, kinesthetic energy and cognitive behavioural techniques. End users will be able to practise the tools at home and use them as 'in situ' interventions on their mobile phones where they are concerned about their anxiety or are experiencing symptoms of heightened anxiety. The App will be primarily targeted at young people and adults who have been identified as having mental health needs, and included as part of the toolkit offered to these people and pastoral professionals who support them. It will offer a preventative measure to reduce the likelihood of anxiety escalation, and an immediately accessible anxiety management tool for those awaiting referral to mental health specialist services. The project will be led by Mercurial Dance in partnership with Professor S. Smith (Director, Games and Creative Technologies, UCA), contributing to the research and experimental development. The development of EmbodyXR will be researched throughout the development period with a diverse user testing group from Mercurial Dance's partner educational organisations, including schools, university partners and mental health charity. Summer 2024, we toured a 25 min immersive VR experience to universities, libraries and key stakeholders in Coventry and Warwickshire, undertaking a user testing and adoption process. This project builds on the learning and development to date, and key phases advance us towards scale. This application will specifically support experimental development including validation towards adoption within the mental health ecosystem.