A Quebec university is using computer wizardry to treat mental illness while forging Canada's reputation as a leader in the emerging field of cyber-psychology.

The lab at the University of Quebec in Outaouais first used virtual reality techniques to study and treat simple phobias like the fear of flying.

A decade later, its researchers are targeting everything from pathological gambling to schizophrenia and, soon, post-traumatic stress disorder in Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan.

They're collaborating with therapists, clinics and hospitals across Canada and internationally and their lab boasts the only fully immersive virtual reality room dedicated to clinical psychology.

The lab is led by award-winning clinical psychologist Stéphane Bouchard, who says the technology is proving practical for treating more disorders than researchers had ever thought possible.