Insurance Plans Accepted
11+
*11-17 years old parental consent required
Why Plutonic Virtual Therapy
Plutonic's evidence based therapy services are built to help you
Safely Express Yourself
Research shows the numerous benefits of using an avatar in a virtual environment. Digital representations of you can create a sense of comfort and allow you to safely express your feelings and experiences. One Australian study found that over 25% of people prefer to speak about negative experiences during therapy in virtual reality versus face to face.¹
Effectively Address Your Needs
Research shows virtual interactive spaces for counseling can be just as effective as in-person counseling. Studies also show cognitive behavioral therapy using virtual spaces facilitated by licensed mental health professionals can be just as effective as therapy in real life.² Our virtual spaces are designed with therapeutic qualities in mind as you receive your therapy session.
Stay Actively Engaged
Tired of standard virtual therapy and meetings? We all are. Studies show we are more actively engaged and retain information better in immersive environments.
Our Care Team
MENTAL HEALTH | TECHNOLOGY
James Shu,
Founder and CEO
Your go to mental health advocate. I’m James, a healthcare entrepreneur, developer, and virtual spaces builder on a mission to build technology that helps you heal. With a background in early stage healthcare innovation, I launched Plutonic from personal experiences as I see a great need for tech enabled mental health services to reach digitally native people.
Justin L. Enggasser, Ph.D.
Lead Clinical Advisor
Justin Enggasser, Ph.D. is a Harvard Medical School instructor and Clinical Director at VA Boston. A leader in digital mental health, he co-created VetChange, a tool helping veterans with PTSD and alcohol use. He’s led clinical innovation at Pear Therapeutics and published widely on tech-driven care.
Stephanie Branom, LCSW
Therapist Provider
Stephanie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 7 years of experience. She has dedicated her career to assisting individuals in comprehending the effects of trauma on their lives. Her goal is to provide support and guidance to help individuals navigate the current challenges that they are facing. Stephanie specializes in trauma, anxiety, addiction, depression, mood disorders and PTSD.
Jeanette Gurr, LPC CPCS
Clinical Supervisor & Lead Therapist Provider
Jeanette is a Georgia-licensed therapist with 20+ years of experience helping clients navigate trauma, anxiety, self-esteem, and depression. An LGBTQ+ ally, she creates a safe, empowering space for individuals, couples, and young adults—no matter how complex the challenge.
Magy Seif El-Nasr
Scientific Advisor
Magy Seif El-Nasr is a Professor and UC Presidential Chair at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she directs the Game User Interaction and Intelligence (GUII) Lab. Seif El-Nasr’s work and expertise focuses on developing tools and techniques for authoring, adapting, and personalizing virtual environments, including interactive narratives, virtual AI characters, and serious games. Throughout her tenure, she published several books including: the first book on the subject of: Game Analytics, called Game Analytics: Maximizing the Value of Player Data, Game Data Science outlining the standard methods used for data science within game research and industry, and Nonverbal Communications in Virtual Worlds outlining methods used for effective virtual character development that includes non-verbal communications, gestures, etc.
Plutonic Pulse
Our personalized blog and company news
1. Realistic Motion Avatars are the Future for Social Interaction in Virtual Reality
2. Comparing counseling outcome for college students. Treatment of social anxiety disorder using online virtual environments in Second Life.
3. Some avatars are from ReadyPlayerMe.
4. Some virtual spaces are hosted on 3rd party platforms
Plutonic Sponsors the Out of the Darkness Campus Walk at Georgia Tech
Plutonic is honored to be one of the sponsors for the Out of the Darkness Campus Walk at Georgia Tech on Saturday, April 19th, 2025, in support of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). We believe in walking the talk when it comes to mental health and this event is a powerful reminder that no one has to struggle alone.
CRISIS RESOURCES
