Helping Clients Sleep: Behavioural Tools for Therapists

In this course, clinical psychologist Dr. Rachel Allen, trained in health psychology and integrated behavioural health, introduces the behavioural and cognitive mechanisms underlying sleep disturbance and insomnia. The course explores how sleep interacts with mental health, highlighting the role of arousal, conditioning, and maladaptive behaviours in maintaining sleep problems. Clinicians are guided through practical, evidence-informed strategies such as stimulus control, sleep scheduling, and cognitive interventions for racing thoughts. Real-world applications emphasise how therapists can confidently address sleep within scope, improving client outcomes even when sleep is not the primary presenting issue.