Digital Healing Gardens and Metaverse for Wellness

Abstract: In exploring the intersection of phygital experiences—where the physical and digital realms converge—this paper investigates the transformative potential of healing gardens within the context of psychological wellness. Healing gardens, traditionally green spaces aimed at promoting mental and physical well-being through interaction with nature, have long been established in urban settings. However, their integration into indoor counselling environments, particularly in educational institutions, remains a largely unexplored territory. This gap in research offers a valuable opportunity to understand how such spaces can be leveraged in digital forms to enhance psychological health.The role of phygital experiences—where physical and virtual spaces are intertwined—is central to this concept. The idea of creating digital healing gardens for university campuses taps into the power of technology, particularly virtual reality (VR), to offer an immersive, multi-sensory engagement with nature. By doing so, this approach aims to extend the restorative benefits of outdoor green spaces to indoor settings where students often seek psychological support, such as counselling centres. The importance of this integration lies in its ability to create therapeutic environments that promote healing and wellness, addressing not only the emotional and psychological dimensions of well-being but also the relational, social, and environmental aspects.The phygital experience is at the heart of these therapeutic digital gardens. VR offers a dynamic, immersive space where users can experience the calming effects of nature in a virtual context, creating a bridge between the physical absence of a garden and the sensory experience of one. This fusion of reality and digital environments helps to deepen the connection between students and nature, thus promoting emotional and psychological healing even in the absence of a physical garden. It is within this framework that the potential of the metaverse becomes apparent—offering a scalable and adaptable solution for various therapeutic settings, particularly in university counselling spaces.By focusing on university campuses, the paper emphasizes the specific benefits for students, a group often under significant psychological stress. The phygital healing garden approach enables students to access nature's healing properties without needing to leave the space they occupy for counselling or therapy. Through the MOEBIUS PRO-BEN project, the research demonstrates how the metaverse, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), can facilitate the creation of virtual environments that are not just passive but also responsive to the needs of the users, offering tailored experiences that optimize well-being outcomes.The exploration of digital healing gardens further emphasizes the role of VR as a tool that can help scale therapeutic experiences, making them adaptable to different institutional and social contexts. The research showcases how VR can be integrated into counselling strategies, allowing for a broader, more accessible reach to students. By processing qualitative data within the metaverse, the design process for these environments becomes more precise, ensuring that each space is personalized to its users, thereby improving the therapeutic efficacy of the environment.In conclusion, the integration of phygital healing gardens into university counselling areas offers a compelling vision for the future of psychological wellness. It highlights the importance of combining the benefits of nature with the latest advancements in digital technology to create environments that nurture students' mental and physical well-being. By harnessing the potential of VR and AI within the metaverse, these digital gardens not only extend the therapeutic possibilities of green spaces but also ensure that they can be accessible, scalable, and tailored to meet the diverse needs of individuals seeking psychological support

Keywords: human centered design, healing gardense, phygital henvironment

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006361

Cite this paper:

​