The Auburn Police Department in Auburn, Washington began piloting VRenity's Treehouse Retreat in June 2025, a virtual reality wellness application intended to help officers and civilian staff decompress from work-related stress and support their mental health. Users put on a VR headset and move through a calming lounge area, a nature walk, a sound room and portals into 360-degree natural environments, accompanied by a conversational AI guide that can narrate hiking trails, lead guided meditations or simply listen. VRenity, a Seattle studio founded in March 2023, ran the Auburn pilot alongside a parallel pilot at the Pacific Science Center and released the app on the Meta Store in August 2025. FOX 13 Seattle reported in August 2025 that the department was already using the experience, and the department's wellness programme designer describes using it to disconnect from daily stress and reset.
Quotes
“VRenity is more than just a VR experience—it's a peaceful escape. From the moment I stepped into the calming lounge area, I felt like I was stepping into another world. Other features including a nature walk, a sound room, and beautifully designed portals helped me to relax and reset. It allowed me to disconnect from my daily stress and decompress.”
