If you are in crisis
TheraJoy is not an emergency service. If you or someone you know is in acute distress or danger, please contact a licensed clinician or call your local emergency line:
988 (US & Canada),
116 123 (UK & Ireland), or 112/911 for immediate emergencies.
What TheraJoy is.
TheraJoy is a consumer wellness application. It generates a rhythmic, alternating left-right stimulus — visual (on screen), haptic (via your phone's vibration or paired controllers), or audio (through headphones) — at a frequency you control. That is the entire function of the software.
Many people find a slow, rhythmic cue useful for self-regulation, grounding, or winding down before sleep. Some clinicians integrate this kind of cue into structured trauma-focused work; see our research notes for how we read that literature.
What TheraJoy is not.
- It is not a medical device. TheraJoy is not registered with the FDA, EMA, or any other regulator as a medical device, and we make no medical claims.
- It is not a treatment. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition — including but not limited to PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression, insomnia, or any trauma-related condition.
- It is not a substitute for therapy. If you are working with a clinician, please tell them you're using TheraJoy. If you're not, and you think you might benefit from that kind of care, please reach out to a licensed professional.
- It is not a crisis tool. In an emergency, please call your local emergency line.
When to not use it.
Please do not use TheraJoy, or consult a clinician before using it, if any of the following apply:
- You have a seizure disorder, photosensitive epilepsy, or have been advised to avoid flashing or rhythmic visual stimuli.
- You have a history of dissociative episodes or depersonalization/derealization.
- You are currently in an acute trauma response, a manic episode, or an otherwise destabilized state.
- You are working through specific traumatic material with a clinician and they have not cleared self-directed bilateral stimulation between sessions.
- You are pregnant in the first trimester and have been advised against strong haptic vibration by your physician.
If something comes up.
Bilateral stimulation is gentle for most people, but it can occasionally surface feelings or memories that need support. If you notice anything unsettling — a wave of strong emotion, an unfamiliar body sensation, a memory that won't settle — please:
- Stop the session. Tap the orb or press your device's home button.
- Place your feet on the ground, name five things you can see, and take several slow breaths.
- If the feeling persists more than briefly, reach out to a licensed clinician. The EMDR International Association has a free therapist finder.
A note on self-use
We recommend TheraJoy, for solo use, only for resourcing and grounding — strengthening felt access to calm. We do not recommend solo reprocessing of traumatic material. That is the work done with a trained clinician, in a full protocol.
Children.
TheraJoy is for users 13 years of age and older. Users under 18 should have parent or guardian supervision. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13; see our privacy notice.
Questions, corrections.
If you're a clinician, researcher, or simply a careful reader and something on this page needs to be sharper or more accurate — please write to us. We'll update it, and we'll thank you for the note.
Last updated March 10, 2026. See the changelog for product-release notes, or terms of service and privacy notice for the other legal documents.