Strabane student wants to help people overcome their phobias

A STRABANE student has landed a major international grant to tackle a global issue – one phobia at a time.

Liam Harte, a 20-year-old Computer Science and Virtual Reality student at Queen’s University Belfast, has been awarded over $25,000 for his mental health startup Rephobia, which uses immersive VR technology to help people confront and overcome their fears.

His innovative project was named one of just ten global winners of Unity Technologies’ prestigious 2025 Unity for Humanity award – an accolade that celebrates creators using technology for social good. Impressively, Liam’s was one of only two student-led teams to receive the honour.

Rephobia offers therapist-led exposure therapy in lifelike virtual environments, allowing users to gradually and safely face phobias – from the comfort of home and without the high costs often associated with traditional treatment.

“The programme puts clinically guided exposure therapy into a virtual headset so people can face phobias gradually and affordably,” Liam explained.

“The idea came from my own OCD treatment. After seeing how expensive and difficult it was to access help, I set out to create a more accessible, at-home alternative.”

A former pupil of Holy Cross College, where he first dreamed up the concept, Liam plans to use the grant to expand development and bring a clinical psychologist onto the team to further strengthen the therapeutic framework behind the product.

Unity Technologies praised the project for its powerful blend of personal experience and social impact.

“We love this applicant’s personal connection to the issue he is solving through Rephobia – helping others who struggle with phobias find affordable mental health treatment,” a Unity spokesperson said.

With the grant secured and development underway, Rephobia is set to bring real-world relief to people facing their fears – virtually.