Lying in bed and trying to sleep is extremely frustrating when it does not occur naturally. You obsessively glare at the clock as you calculate how many hours until the alarm goes off, hoping you can force yourself to sleep. You toss and turn as you think about the next day, worrying more and more that you will be uncomfortable and won’t be able to get things done. Your mind races with conversations from the day past, tomorrow’s anticipated interactions, worry about unfinished projects and racking your brain for things you may have missed.
As Licensed Clinical Psychologists, we combine hypnosis, mindfulness, interpersonal techniques, and CBT to help people suffering from insomnia. Relying on modern research in insomnia, they have developed an integration of hypnosis and therapy that is both flexible and evidence-based. Each therapist has trained extensively in mindfulness meditation, self-compassion theories and practice, hypnosis, and acceptance-based techniques, and use this combined experience to help clients overcome their struggles with sleeping.
When people think of insomnia, they often assume it involves being up all night without getting any sleep. But since most people vary in how much sleep they need from night to night, insomnia is not defined by how long it takes to fall asleep nor the number of hours of sleep. Instead, insomnia relates to the distress and day-to-day impairment as a result of one or more of the following: having trouble falling asleep, difficulty remaining asleep through the night, waking too early, or getting only nonrestorative sleep, which leaves people feeling irritated, groggy, drained, or distracted the next day.
When people toss and turn most evenings, constantly wake throughout the night or early morning, or do not feel refreshed the next morning even after sleeping enough, they may notice worsened mood, diminished desire to spend time with friends and family, change in appearance, nonexistent energy level, and a lack of ability to concentrate. In other words, a lack of sleep can affect almost every aspect of a person’s life. To make things worse, as people become more preoccupied with their lack of sleep, they may become more frustrated, which then impacts their sleep even more.
Our approach to treating insomnia is comprehensive and grounded in evidence-based techniques such as hypnosis, mindfulness, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). Research demonstrates that addressing insomnia without medication can be highly effective through these methods. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that CBT-I significantly improved sleep quality and duration in individuals with chronic insomnia. Another study in the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis showed that hypnosis could enhance sleep onset and quality by promoting deep relaxation and altering negative thought patterns related to sleep.
Our clinicians utilize hypnotic and mindfulness techniques combined with CBT-I to increase both the quality and quantity of sleep. This approach helps clients develop new skills to change their sleep habits, reach a more relaxed state, and enjoy better sleep quality. By addressing underlying reasons for insomnia, such as stress or anxiety, we help clients achieve sustained improvements in their sleep patterns. Additionally, we treat nightmares and other sleep disturbances using these integrated methods.
Clients will acquire skills to change their sleep habits, learn ways to achieve a more relaxed state for better quality sleep, and improve their daily functioning to return to the person they were before insomnia began. Our therapists also use interpersonal exploration to uncover underlying reasons for insomnia, preventing future bouts of sleeplessness and reducing negative emotions like depression, anxiety, and irritability.
Begin a therapeutic journey with us to overcome insomnia and unlock the path to restful nights. Free yourself from the challenges of sleeplessness, enabling you to focus on what truly matters in your life.
