Therapy for Insomnia & Other Sleep Disorders

Individual Therapy

1-on-1 sessions utilizing a unique blend of cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (CBTi) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you get consistent, restorative sleep. CBTi is the gold standard, first-line treatment for insomnia. ACT strategies may help you fully engage in CBTi by decreasing sleep-related anxiety and sleep effort. Behavioral strategies are also effective for treating circadian rhythm disorders and CPAP intolerance. After a thorough assessment, we will collaborate to select the strategies most appropriate for you.

Group Therapy

When there is enough demand, I offer a CBTi group. Group therapy is more cost-effective than individual therapy, and has the added benefit of reminding you that you are not alone when you are awake in the middle of the night.

You may be able to successfully implement CBTi with this self-help workbook alone! Or, you may want to get started with the workbook and then have some individual therapy sessions to help you customize the treatment and navigate any hurdles you encounter.

Bibliotherapy

2 people, partially shown, sitting across from eachother and speaking intently

Book cover for "End the Insomnia Struggle"

Frequently Asked Questions

How often will we meet?

For individual therapy, I suggest weekly sessions for the initial phase of treatment (assessment, psychoeducation). Once you start a behavioral program, we may continue to meet weekly so that you have lots of support, or we may decrease our meeting frequency to every 2 weeks to give you more time to implement strategies and collect data between sessions.

Do you work with children and teens?

I generally work only with adults (ages 18+). I will sometimes see older adolescents for insomnia treatment if there are no co-occuring conditions, or if another therapist is treating any such conditions.

How can I schedule an appointment?

I do all of my own scheduling. I encourage you to call me (720/252-0611) so we can talk for a few minutes to see if we think we'll be a good fit.

Do you train professionals who want to gain expertise in treating sleep disorders?

Yes! Please visit my training page to learn about the workshops, supervision, and consultation services that I offer.

How long will treatment last?

Most research trials of CBTi used a 6-session protocol. However, these studies often excluded people with co-occuring disorders (like depression, anxiety, substance use) and those who are taking medication. If you are similar to these study participants, then 5-8 sessions is a good estimate. However, if you are taking sleep aids and wish to stop them, or if you have co-occuring disorders or high sleep-related anxiety, treatment may take longer.

Do I need to be off of my sleep medication before I see you?

No. Research trials of CBTi included participants who were not on any psychiatric/sleep-related medication. In my clinical experience, if you are on medication but still have some symptoms of insomnia, these symptoms may respond to CBTi. If your goal is to sleep well without medication, after a thorough assessment we will discuss the timing of tapering off of the medication relative to starting CBTi. I will coordinate care with the professional who is prescribing your medication for a safe taper.

When will you offer your next CBTi group?

If you are especially interested in group therapy for insomnia, please call me at 720/252-0611. I will offer this group when I perceive enough interest/demand!

Are you accepting new patients?

My availability is constantly in flux! When I am not accepting new patients, I will be happy to help you find someone who is. I currently have two postdoctoral therapists working under my supervision, and I will connect you with one of them if you want me to be involved in your care when I cannot provide it directly.

Do you prescribe medication?

No. As a Clinical Psychologist, I am happy to provide you with education about medications, but I do not have prescription privileges.