Full Course Description

Certificate Course: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): Evidence-based Insomnia Interventions for Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Chronic Pain, TBI, Sleep Apnea and Nightmares

Join in for this breakthrough Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) Certificate Course to develop core competencies and master the art of applying CBT-I to a variety of clinical populations!

You’ll get effective clinical techniques from two of today’s leading CBT-I treatment innovators, Colleen E. Carney, Ph.D. and Meg Danforth, Ph.D., who will share their insight and techniques. Join in for this revolutionary course as both reveal the latest advances in CBT-I to get the skills you need to succeed.

You will be able to utilize concrete strategies that will provide greater healing for your clients who suffer from:

Anxiety
Trauma
TBI
Nightmares
Depression
Chronic pain
Sleep apnea

Discover evidence-based strategies to help your clients increase energy during the day, sleep more deeply, and re-initiate sleep after hot flashes, panic attacks or nightmares. The strategies that you will add to your toolbox can be easily integrated into existing treatment for depression, chronic pain, trauma and anxiety.

Through case studies, interactive discussions, examples of sleep logs, and reproducible handouts, you will take away practical CBT-I strategies to use immediately with any client. Finish this certificate course armed with tools you can use in your very next session.

Don’t miss out – register now to reserve your seat!

Program Information

Objectives

Select assessment tools that screen for other sleep disorders and identify insomnia treatment targets as it relates to case conceptualization.
Teach clients about the science of sleep and the causes of chronic insomnia for purposes of client psychoeducation.
Ascertain key perpetuating factors for chronic insomnia to understand the etiology of chronic insomnia.
Collaboratively design a sleep schedule with clients using a sleep diary to improve client’s sleep efficiency and daytime functioning.
Combine stimulus control and sleep restriction therapy to address the three major causes of chronic insomnia.
Select counter-arousal strategies to target hyper arousal in clients.
Modify a client’s distorted beliefs about sleep using cognitive therapy techniques to improve adherence and decrease sleep related anxiety.
Explore three models of CBT-I delivery and implementation issues for different practice settings.
Select CBT-I treatment components to target perpetuating factors in clients with comorbid insomnia.
Use cognitive and behavioral strategies to improve adherence with depressed clients.
Modify treatment recommendations for clients who have symptoms of high sleep anxiety.
Anticipate and resolve common treatment challenges in clients with PTSD such as sleep avoidance, fear of loss of vigilance and nightmare awakenings.
Apply CBT-I techniques to clients with mild traumatic brain injury.
Develop strategies to re-associate bed with sleep in clients with chronic pain.
Combine CBT-I with a guided hypnotic taper to reduce rebound insomnia and psychological dependence in clients who wish to decrease or discontinue their use of sleep medication.
Implement clinical treatment strategies to improve CPAP adherence in clients with co occurring obstructive sleep apnea.
Combine behavioral interventions with evidence-based strategies, such as light therapy and strategically-timed melatonin, to “reset the clock” in clients with circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
Use imagery rehearsal therapy to improve frequency and intensity of recurrent nightmares in clients with or without PTSD.
Practice using advanced case formulation techniques to accurately select combination and order of CBT-I components.

Outline

DAY 1: Assessment and the Basics of CBT-I

Assessment

Goals of assessment
Clinical tools for assessing insomnia
Screen for other sleep disorders
When to make a referral to a sleep clinic
Contraindications for CBT-I

Sleep and its Regulation

Normal sleep architecture
Two-process model of sleep: Circadian rhythm and sleep drive
The arousal system
What causes chronic insomnia?
Key perpetuating factors for chronic insomnia
- Behaviors that interfere with “buildup” of sleep drive
- Behaviors that interfere with the optimal timing of sleep
- Conditioned arousal and physiological/cognitive hyperarousal
- Perpetuating factors and CBT-I

Step-by-Step Guide to CBT-I: Stimulus Control and Sleep Restriction Therapies

Stimulus Control (SC): Addressing conditioned arousal
- Rules for reassociating the bed with sleep
Sleep Restriction Therapy (SRT): Restoring the sleep drive
- How to present rationale
- Calculate time-in-bed prescription
- Placing the time-in-bed window
- Identify and overcome potential obstacles to adherence
- Sleep extension
Combining SC and SRT
The myth of sleep hygiene

Step-by-Step Guide to CBT-I: Cognitive Therapy and Counterarousal

Counterarousal strategies: Quieting an active mind
- Establishing a buffer zone
- Processing strategies (including constructive worry and rumination strategies)
- Mindfulness and relaxation therapies
Cognitive therapy: Identify and change distorted thoughts about sleep
- Thought Records
- Behavioral Experiments
- Socratic Questioning

Implementation Issues

Models of Delivery
- Four session individual therapy format
- Seven session group therapy format
- Single session CBT-I
CBT-I and hypnotic medication
- Practice guidelines: CBT-I as first line treatment for chronic insomnia
- Combining CBT-I with sleep medication
  - Positive and negative effects of sleep medications
  - Use of ineffective sleep medications
  - Promote noncontingent use of sleep medication
  - Strategies to support hypnotic discontinuation

DAY 2: Delivering CBT-I in the Context of Comorbidities

Depression

CBT-I and MDD
- Troubleshooting adherence in depressed patients
  - Anhedonia
  - Sleep or bed as avoidance
  - Fatigue and fatigue management strategies
  - Rumination in depression
- Case examples
- Sleep and antidepressants

Anxiety

Sleep effort: Core target of CBT-I
- Covert manifestations of sleep effort
- Cognitive restructuring of sleep anxiety
- Paradoxical Intention
Troubleshooting adherence with anxious clients
- When SRT/SC increase anxiety
- Counter control and sleep compression
- High sleep anxiety vs high arousal
Panic Disorder and nocturnal panic
OCD and CBT-I

Trauma

Sleep and PTSD
CBT-I trials in PTSD
Behavioral targets in clients with insomnia vs PTSD
Common treatment challenges in clients with PTSD
Nightmares and nightmare treatments

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Comorbid TBI
- Sleep and TBI
- Efficacy of CBT-I in mild TBI (mTBI)
- Modify insomnia treatment for mTBI

Chronic Pain

Efficacy of CBT-I for those with chronic pain
Chronic pain and stimulus control
Common treatment challenges in clients with chronic pain
Pain medications and other considerations

Hypnotic Discontinuation

Combined guided hypnotic taper approach
Factors sustaining hypnotic dependence
- Unhelpful beliefs
- Learning
Strategies to support client during hypnotic taper
- Psychoeducation about psychological dependence and rebound insomnia
- Cognitive therapy to target unhelpful beliefs
Sample taper schedules

DAY 3: Co-Occurring Sleep Disorders and Advanced Case Formulation

Co-Occurring Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea
- Morbidity and mortality of OSA
  - Relationship of nocturia and OSA
  - Sleep apnea treatments
- Obstacles to treatment adherence
  - Physical comfort
  - Mechanical problems
  - Social and other factors
  - Psychological factors
- Improve adherence
  - Work with stages of change
  - Respond to common concerns
  - CPAP desensitization for claustrophobia
- Treating insomnia in patients with comorbid OSA

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders

Using light to leverage circadian timekeeper
”Exogenous” circadian challenges
- Cope with shift work
- Adjust to jet lag
”Endogenous” circadian disorders: Advanced and delayed sleep phase
- Phototherapy for delayed sleep phase

Imagery Rehearsal Therapy for Nightmares

Nightmares and nightmare disorder
- Differential diagnosis
- Assessment
  - Self-monitoring via nightmare log
  - Combine nightmare log and sleep diary
Imagery Rescripting and Rehearsal
- Psychoeducation and rationale
- Nightmares and trauma
- Shaping imagery skills
- IRT steps
Prazosin for nightmares

Advanced Case Formulation in CBT-I

Case conceptualization: Asking the right questions
- Case Formulation Form
- Factors weakening sleep drive
- Factors weakening the clock
- Evidence of hyperarousal
- Unhelpful sleep behaviors
- Comorbidities
Case Examples

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Nurses
Psychotherapists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Case Managers
Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 10/06/2025

Solutions for Common Sleep Disturbances in Women

Join Nicole Pezzino PharmD, BCACP, CDCES for an insightful two-hour session dedicated to exploring common sleep disturbances for women. This session will delve into the complexities of sleep disorders that affect women, providing underlying causes and impact on overall health. Providers will gain a deeper understanding of pharmacological approaches used in managing sleep disturbances specific to women, including considerations for hormonal influences, medication interactions, and patient-centered treatment strategies. Through case studies and evidence-based discussions, learn practical insights and tools essential for optimizing patient care in women's sleep health.

Program Information

Objectives

Identify key factors contributing to sleep disorders in women.
Compare evidence-based pharmacological treatments available for managing sleep disturbances in women.
Evaluate non-pharmacological interventions and lifestyle modifications that can complement pharmacological treatments for sleep disorders.
Develop patient-centered strategies for counseling and educating women on sleep hygiene practices and treatment options.

Outline

Key Factors Contributing to Sleep Disorders in Women

Hormonal influences: Impact of menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause on sleep
Psychosocial factors: Stress, anxiety, substance use disorders and posttraumatic stress disorders affecting women's sleep patterns

Pharmacological Treatments for Sleep Disorders in Women

Pharmacological options: benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRAs) (including nonbenzodiazepines and benzodiazepine hypnotics), dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs), low-dose doxepin, ramelteon
Off label prescription medications prescribed for insomnia and over-the counter sleep aids (i.e., diphenhydramine and doxylamine)
Dietary supplements (i.e., melatonin, valerian, kava, magnesium) and cannabinoids
Choosing medications based on specific sleep disorders and patient characteristics (side effect profiles, cost, clinician/patient preferences)

Non-Pharmacological Interventions & Lifestyle Modifications

Importance of sleep hygiene practices: Establishing a consistent sleep schedule, optimizing sleep environment
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I): Techniques and effectiveness
Lifestyle modifications: Exercise, diet, and stress management techniques to improve sleep quality

Case Studies and Clinical Applications

Presentation of case studies demonstrating the integration of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments

Patient-Centered Counseling and Education

Effective communication strategies for discussing sleep disorders with women
Providing information on sleep hygiene practices and treatment options tailored to individual needs
Addressing patient concerns and fostering adherence to treatment plans

Target Audience

Nurse Practitioners
Nurses
Physician Assistants
Physicians
Pharmacists

Copyright : 09/23/2024

Healthy Sleep, Healthy Minds: The Vital Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health in Young Clients

Sleep is a cornerstone of mental health that is underrecognized and undertreated. Many children and adolescents struggle with sleep disturbances that contribute to anxiety, depression, inattention, and behavioral challenges.

As child health providers, understanding the intersection of sleep and psychological well-being is crucial for effective assessment and intervention.

This evidence-based workshop is designed to deepen your knowledge of sleep science and its impact on mental health. We’ll explore:

The neurobiology of sleep and its role in emotional regulation and cognitive functioning
How sleep disturbances present in anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma-related disorders
Screening tools for identifying sleep-related concerns
Clinical strategies for improving sleep hygiene and overall mental health
The “good, better, best” approach to sleep habits (i.e. where the ideal meets the real)
The influence of technology, social stressors, and developmental changes on sleep patterns

By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with practical, research-backed approaches to addressing sleep concerns, ultimately supporting better mental health outcomes for children and teens. Age-appropriate handouts for families will be provided.

Program Information

Objectives

Characterize the relationship between sleep and youth mental health.
Determine the biopsychosocial factors that impact sleep.
Describe healthy sleep in children and adolescents.
Recognize common childhood sleep disorders.
Screen for sleep problems in your practice and identify when and where to refer.
Describe diagnosis and empirically supported treatment of insomnia.
Include basic elements of good sleep hygiene into your treatment plans.
Examine the importance of tailoring sleep interventions to specific populations.

Outline

Role of Sleep in Youth Mental Health

Sleep relates to top 3 leading causes of mortality in teens, how?
Bidirectional relationship between sleep and mental health in terms of:
- Anxiety
  - OCD
  - PTSD
- Depression
- Inattention and hyperactivity
Sleep and developmental conditions such as Autism and ADHD
Suicidality
Other risk-taking behaviors

Factors Influencing Sleep

Biopsychosocial factors
Sleep physiology
How do these change with development?
Sleep stages relate to sleeping through the night
You can’t force sleep, but you can force wake
Blue light, melatonin, and night mode

What is Healthy Sleep?

Definition from pediatric sleep experts
BSATED model (6 pillars of sleep health)
Duration and variability

Common Sleep Disorders in Childhood

Medical sleep disorders
Behavioral sleep disorders
Psychological and medical conditions that cause sleep problems

Assessing Sleep

How to screen for sleep disorders as a non-medical provider
When and where to refer
Measurement of sleep
- Laboratory sleep studies such as polysomnography and how to prepare
- What about wearables?
24-hour sleep interview

Diagnosing and Treating Insomnia

Medical and psychological criteria
Behavioral insomnia vs. primary insomnia
3P Model of insomnia
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia
- Adaptations for children

Importance of Good Sleep Hygiene and Routine

Overwhelming research on bedtime routines
What is a good bedtime routine anyway?
- Sample bedtime chart
- Creative ways to get through the routine
What is sleep hygiene
Are electronics really so bad?

Tailoring Sleep Recommendations to Psychological and Developmental Conditions

Trauma informed sleep interventions, 4 C Model
Cultural factors
- Geographic, ethnic, religious preferences
- Special populations (LGBTQ+, foster children, unhoused)
Developmental factors
- Sleep in neurodevelopmental conditions
- Sample social story

Risk and Limitations of Sleep Research and Interventions

Research limitations and future directions
Risk and limitations of current empirically supported interventions

Target Audience

Psychologists
Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
Social Workers
Case Managers
Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Speech-Language Pathologists