The Affirming Minds Podcast

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  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.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/9f1d89d0-dae4-44dc-b3c9-2b5caef21b5a 

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In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW sits down with Shruthi Nair, MHC-LP, a New York–based mental health counselor whose work centers on the experiences of South Asian and other BIPOC individuals navigating identity, family dynamics, and mental health stigma.

Together, they unpack the complex layers of shame, guilt, success, and family reputation that shape the mental health journeys of South Asian communities. Shruthi shares how historical and cultural forces—like colonialism, collectivism, and generational trauma—continue to influence help-seeking behaviors today.

Whether you’re a therapist seeking to build cultural competence or someone personally navigating these themes, this episode offers powerful insight, validation, and tools for growth.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/4ddd4a4e-6eac-4014-9d39-dd25ab2c9ce2 

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. 

 Sleep is one of the most fundamental human needs—and yet, so many of us struggle to get enough of it. In this episode, Shaina sits down with Dr. Sarah Silverman, a Stanford-trained sleep psychologist and insomnia expert, to unpack the modern sleep crisis and explore what’s really keeping us awake.

Together, they explore the biological, psychological, and cultural factors that shape how—and how well—we sleep, from stress and technology use to our individual chronotypes and nervous system responses. Dr. Silverman shares practical, science-backed tools for improving sleep naturally, including insights from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), the gold-standard, drug-free treatment for chronic insomnia.

This episode invites clinicians and listeners alike to rethink sleep beyond “sleep hygiene,” integrating compassion, nervous system awareness, and evidence-based strategies for better rest.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/16e2e6c3-df7f-419f-94b2-00f3695b7c18  

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

  In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, sits down with trauma therapist Alyssa Kushner, LCSW, to unpack the complexities of codependency, enmeshment, and parentification—especially as they show up in high-functioning clients.

Alyssa shares her expertise in helping over-functioners, anxious perfectionists, and people-pleasers recognize the subtle ways self-abandonment, hypervigilance, and external validation shape their identities. She explores how cultural and systemic messages reinforce patterns of self-sacrifice and people-pleasing, and offers evidence-informed strategies to help clients build boundaries, self-compassion, and autonomy.

Listeners will gain insight into how nervous system healing, EMDR, somatic approaches, mindfulness, and attachment theory can support recovery from codependency and create more secure, balanced, and fulfilling relationships.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/a229cc00-3924-4152-818e-8410228ed776 

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

 Eating disorders don’t just affect teens. Midlife is a critical yet often invisible period where disordered eating can emerge, relapse, or persist — complicated by ageism, diet culture, and medical stigma. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with Heidi J. Dalzell, PsyD, a psychologist, author, and coach with over 30 years of experience in eating disorders treatment. Together, they unpack the myths, stigma, and evidence-based strategies for supporting adults navigating eating disorders in midlife.

Dr. Dalzell brings both professional expertise and lived experience as a clinician in recovery, offering a deeply compassionate perspective. She is the author of A Clinician’s Guide to Gender Identity and Body Image and has a forthcoming book with Routledge — A Definitive Guide to Midlife Eating Disorders — releasing January 2026.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/3dec6c71-7e58-4bf9-a256-4e89c3588206  

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

In this CE-eligible episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with LeNaya Smith Crawford, The Holistic Therapist™, to explore how holistic and integrative practices can transform both client care and therapist well-being.

From yoga and breathwork to sound healing and nervous system regulation, LeNaya shares how these embodied practices can ethically and effectively complement traditional psychotherapy. She also highlights the importance of scope of practice, neuroscience research, and her own lived journey of weaving together the five layers of holistic healing: physical, energetic, emotional/mental, spiritual, and communal.

Whether you’re a therapist curious about adding somatic practices to your work, or simply interested in how holistic approaches can support healing, this conversation offers both inspiration and practical guidance.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/18b19755-0ce2-4918-9f0f-6eebb09d8490 

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, I sit down with Phil Lane, LCSW—psychotherapist, author, and passionate advocate for the power of storytelling in healing. Phil brings a humanistic perspective to his work, aiming to normalize and de-stigmatize the challenges so many of us face, from anxiety and panic to struggles with self-esteem.

Phil is the author of Understanding and Coping with Illness Anxiety, Overcoming Panic and Panic Attacks, and The Narrative Therapy Workbook for Self-Esteem (https://www.newharbinger.com/9781648485312/the-narrative-therapy-workbook-for-self-esteem/?srsltid=AfmBOooPeBwT0rZSmbSN8ywdpbcmGiHCUtHMCYnwmwPjXHJ558JYcHA8). Drawing from his background in education and clinical practice, Phil explains how narrative therapy can help clients shift problem-saturated stories, uncover missing story parts, and re-author more compassionate, authentic versions of their lives.

Phil also shares personal reflections, the inspiration behind his books, and how his own love of story continues to inform both his clinical practice and his writing.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/434c00fe-4b91-44de-9c3d-f0bdef3740ee 

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

Cults have long been a source of fascination, with high-profile cases like Jonestown, Waco, and NXIVM dominating headlines and documentaries. But beyond the sensational stories, cults and high-control groups are far more prevalent — and often much harder to identify — than most people realize.

In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber is joined by Dr. Alisha Powell, PhD, LCSW, a psychotherapist specializing in racial trauma and religiously abusive organizations/cults. Together, they explore the psychological, emotional, and behavioral impacts of cult involvement, the clinical challenges survivors face in leaving, and trauma-informed therapeutic approaches that support healing, reintegration, and rebuilding identity.

Whether you’re a therapist looking to expand your toolkit or someone interested in understanding the lived experience of cult recovery, this conversation offers insights, compassion, and practical strategies.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/8629a796-61ec-45c3-a0c7-5383e230b6e8 

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

 Hoarding disorder doesn’t just affect the individual—it ripples through families & relationships. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber, LCSW, speaks with Cecilia “Ceci” Garrett, MSW, LICSW, a clinician and national speaker specializing in hoarding disorder, anxiety, and trauma. Together, they explore how hoarding behaviors develop, the difference between clutter, collecting, and hoarding, and why forced cleanouts often cause more harm than good.

Listeners will gain insight into the emotional toll on family members, common misconceptions among clinicians, and practical strategies for supporting loved ones while maintaining healthy boundaries. Whether you are a mental health professional, a family member, or simply curious about this often-misunderstood condition, this conversation sheds light on compassionate, evidence-based approaches to hoarding disorder.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/4557969a-2c80-46cb-ba0c-ef354d5b6b94   

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

 Money is woven into nearly every part of life, yet conversations about financial stress are often missing from therapy. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with Michelle Johnston, MA, Registered Psychologist, to unpack the ways financial anxiety and trauma impact mental health and what therapists can do to help.