Children living in contexts of intergroup conflict often develop fragmented autobiographical memories, emotional dysregulation, and difficulties with narrative coherence. While psychological interventions for trauma traditionally rely on verbal processing, emerging evidence suggests that combining embodied experience, creative expression, and environmental cues may facilitate memory integration. This pilot study introduces an innovative applied framework that uses Virtual Reality (VR)-based spatial memory relocation integrated with neuro-art therapy to support emotional processing and autobiographical specificity in conflict-exposed children.


Twelve children (ages 10-14) from marginalized communities participated in a single-session VR intervention consisting of three symbolic environments: a conflict-coded space representing distress, a safe relational space, and a future-oriented space emphasizing resilience. In each zone, children engaged in creative expression using VR drawing and sculpting tools, visually mapping memories, emotions, and self-identity. Quantitative measures included autobiographical memory specificity tasks, perceived safety, emotional regulation scales, and presence ratings. Qualitative interviews explored subjective experience, symbolic meaning, and feelings of agency.


Preliminary findings indicate increased specificity of autobiographical recall, reduced overgeneral memories, and heightened sense of safety upon transitioning into the safe and future-oriented VR spaces. Children described the virtual relocation as "leaving the bad place behind," "drawing what I couldn't say," and "seeing myself in the future." The framework was feasible, engaging, and culturally adaptable, with no adverse emotional reactions.


This study offers initial evidence that virtual relocation combined with art-making may help children reorganize traumatic memory into a coherent, self-authored narrative in a controlled and emotionally safe environment. The results lay groundwork for larger controlled trials and suggest a scalable tool for schools, community centers, and post-conflict mental-health programs. The framework contributes to applied, community-focused psychology at the intersection of trauma, technology, and creative healing.