Your Anxiety Toolkit - Practical Skills for Anxiety, Panic & Depression 472 How to make Exposures FUN(ish) with Kimberly Leonte
Feb 11, 2026
Kimberly Leonte, an OCD therapist and researcher who blends ERP with compassion and play. She explores making exposures more playful and doable. They discuss game-based exposures, using humor and music, personalizing activities, and keeping play challenging enough to work. Practical tips and creative examples make treatment feel lighter while still targeting anxiety.
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Fun Increases Behavior Change
- Adding play or novelty increases willingness to change behavior and follow through with hard tasks.
- The Volkswagen 'fun theory' piano stairs study shows a 66% rise in stair use after making stairs playful.
Make Homework Playful To Boost Follow‑Through
- Use playful elements to increase homework compliance and willingness to do exposures between sessions.
- Keep ERP principles intact while adding lightness so exposures remain effective.
Turn Exposures Into Games
- Turn exposures into games (e.g., tossing into a bin, basketball-style) and link misses/hits to specific exposures.
- Let clients co-design rules so they feel ownership and engagement.