October 21, 2025

Episode #52: Integrating Music into Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): Creative Approaches to OCD Treatment with Desiree Untch, LISW-S

54 minutes

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Episode Summary: Music can comfort us, move us, and even help us heal — but for some people, it can also provoke anxiety or fear.

In this episode, host Shaina Siber, LCSW, explores the intersection between music therapy, exposure-based interventions, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with guest Desiree Untch, LCSW — an independently licensed clinical social worker with advanced training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Shaina and Desiree discuss how music — a powerful activator of memory, emotion, and physiology — can become both a trigger and a pathway to healing. Desiree shares how she integrates music into ERP to help clients with moral and religious scrupulosity, a form of OCD characterized by intrusive fears of sinning or moral failure. Together, they explore how sound and rhythm can enhance emotional regulation, deepen exposure work, and transform avoidance into connection.

Whether you specialize in OCD or not, this conversation offers creative, evidence-informed ways to bring music, embodiment, and emotional resonance into therapy — especially for clients who avoid sadness, shame, or grief.

If you’re new to ERP or OCD treatment, start with our self-study webinar:
🎓 An Introduction to Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
🔗 https://shaina-siber-sanderowitz.mykajabi.com/offers/LadRw3dq/checkout

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Topics Discussed:

The neurobiological and emotional effects of music on the brain and body

How moral and religious scrupulosity can lead to avoidance of music and environments where music is played

How music can be used as an exposure stimulus within ERP

The overlap between music therapy and modern exposure learning theory

Creative ways to use sound and rhythm to reduce experiential avoidance and enhance engagement

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About Our Guest: Desiree Untch is an independently licensed clinical social worker specializing in anxiety disorders, OCD, and related conditions. She has received extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and completed the International OCD Foundation’s Pediatric Behavioral Therapy Training Institute (BTTI).

Desiree is a professional member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and serves as Vice President and Social Media & Public Relations Chair for OCD Midwest, where she also contributes to the Education Committee. Driven by a passion for helping individuals manage intrusive thoughts and anxiety, she empowers clients with practical, evidence-based tools to reclaim their lives and live fully in the present moment.

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Connect with Desiree:

Email: [email protected] www.aspireanxietysolutions.com https://www.instagram.com/Aspireanxietyandocdsolutions https://www.instagram.com/desireeuntch/

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Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The host, Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, is the Founder of Affirm Mental Health, an accredited CE provider. She receives financial compensation from Affirm Mental Health for the development and delivery of continuing education content. There are no other conflicts of interest to disclose.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for clinical training or treatment. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, please reach out to a licensed professional.

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By Shaina Siber, LCSW

4.6

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