The Visual Snow Initiative (VSI) is excited to announce a new partnership with the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation, bringing Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to individuals with Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) through the launch of the new Oxford Mindfulness App.This collaboration is part of VSI’s mission to provide a diverse array of accessible and scientific research-backed treatment options to people affected by VSS worldwide.
VSI Founder and CEO, Sierra Domb, reached out to Oxford Mindfulness in order to make this valuable resource accessible globally and free of cost to anyone with VSS who is interested in participating.
Founder of VSI, Sierra Domb, worked with Oxford Mindfulness to ensure the module, Mindfulness for Visual Snow Syndrome, found within the app, is available globally and free for anyone with VSS. Sierra Domb reflects on the purpose of partnering with Oxford Mindfulness and the importance of creating resources available to people affected by VSS around the world.
About the Module
Available within the app, this innovative module titled Mindfulness for Visual Snow Syndrome, is derived from Dr. Sui Wong’s MBCT protocol for Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS), which itself is grounded in the mindfulness curriculum developed by the University of Oxford through Oxford Mindfulness. Dr. Wong’s research–featuring neuroimaging studies, objective fMRI brain scans, and participant reports–demonstrates the potential of MBCT to modulate dysfunctional brain networks and provide symptom relief. (For further details on her findings, please access the Treating Visual Snow: MBCT for Visual Snow Syndrome page on the VSI website.)
Available Worldwide
The Oxford Mindfulness App is accessible in over 170 countries across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Thanks to Sierra Domb and the Visual Snow Initiative team, the Mindfulness for Visual Snow Syndrome module (within the Oxford Mindfulness app) is entirely free and accessible in 170 countries, ensuring everyone with VSS who is interested has the opportunity to access this resource.
How to Access the VSS Module
The app is now available on the App Store and Google Play.
- Download the App
Search for “Visual Snow Syndrome” or “Oxford Mindfulness Foundation” on the App Store or Google Play. - Install and Log In
Look for the Oxford Mindfulness logo, download the app, and create or log into your account. - Access the VSS Module
Navigate to the VSS-specific module in the menu to explore MBCT for VSS, free of charge.
App Features
The Oxford Mindfulness App offers more than just the VSS module. Additional features include:
- Guided Meditations: A library of mindfulness exercises.
- Self-Paced Courses: Build mindfulness skills at your own pace.
- Progress Tracking: Interactive tools to monitor your growth.
- Community Content: Podcasts, research, and news.
- Resources for Practitioners: Materials for graduates and mindfulness teachers.
Sierra Domb shares:
“When I first developed Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) in 2015, I was devastated by the lack of knowledge about VSS, available resources, effective treatments, or even guidance to help manage the condition. It was a time of uncertainty and frustration that I know many people and their loved ones affected by VSS have also experienced. Our ultimate goal is to find a cure for VSS, a journey that is complex, time-consuming, costly, and resource-intensive. While we work towards this long-term solution, we recognize that many people around the world with VSS are enduring challenges due to their condition right now. We want them to have a chance to improve their symptoms and feel better in the interim if possible. This is why we are also committed to identifying methods supported by scientific research that can potentially help individuals impacted by VSS with managing or reducing their symptoms and improving their quality of life, as well as making these methods more accessible whenever possible.
VSS presents uniquely in each individual, influenced by factors such as symptom types, intensity, onset, and medical history. For many, local access to physicians knowledgeable about VSS and its complexities is limited. In collaboration with Oxford Mindfulness and Dr. Sui Wong, our new program, Mindfulness for Visual Snow Syndrome, is accessible globally through a computer, tablet, or mobile device–and free. VSS affects millions of people from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.
It is important to my team and I to ensure that cost, time constraints, or a lack of qualified local providers are not barriers to care.
The newfound expansion of available, diverse, and viable treatment options for VSS enhances our ability to effectively accommodate the various needs, symptoms, and preferences of the global VSS population. Visual Snow Initiative research efforts are led by experienced, diligent, and passionate VSS researchers who conduct comprehensive studies exploring various aspects of the condition. A broad focus across multiple areas is maintained to optimize global research and ensure accessibility to potential treatments, both pharmacological and noninvasive. Throughout these endeavors, it is important to remain vigilant about the range of symptoms and prioritize the safety and wellbeing of individuals with VSS.
While we work towards a cure, advocating for and creating access to various types of treatment options, such as MBCT, are crucial so that patients, who have reported VSS is negatively impacting them, can experience relief from symptoms and/or improved quality of life. Individuals can make informed decisions regarding their health by choosing treatments aligning with their symptoms, comfort, and needs until a definitive cure for VSS is found.
On behalf of the entire Visual Snow Initiative team, I would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation team, including Sharon Hadley, Makeda McKenzie, and Dr. Willem Kuyken, as well as Dr. Sui Wong, the developers at Light-It, Marton Varo, and all of VSI’s incredible supporters; we deeply appreciate all of your efforts and hard work to help support our cause.
We hope you find the app to be a valuable resource in managing your Visual Snow Syndrome. Thank you for your continued support!”
– Sierra Domb, Founder, Visual Snow Initiative
How You Can Support
Help VSI and the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation grow this valuable resource:
- Download the App
Explore its resources and experience the benefits. - Leave a Review
If you’ve had a positive experience, leave a 5-star review to help others discover the app. - Share the App
Recommend it to friends, family, and colleagues or post about it on social media using hashtags or tags like #mindfulness, #VisualSnowSyndrome, #VisualSnow, @visualsnowinitiative, @oxford_mindfulness_foundation - Introduce the App to Your Workplace
Suggest it as a tool for employee wellness or part of a mindfulness program. - Join as a Mindfulness Teacher
Contribute your practices to expand the app’s resources. - Provide Feedback
Share your suggestions with the team at [email protected] to help improve the app.
In the words of VSI’s Founder, Sierra Domb, we hope you find the app to be a valuable resource in managing your Visual Snow Syndrome. Thank you for your continued support!
Additional Information & Related Resources
The Visual Snow Initiative | Oxford Mindfulness
A new communications programme and app supports the Oxford Mindfulness mission
