Sleep After the Holidays: How to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm (Without the Pressure)
If you’re lying awake at 2 a.m., exhausted but wired, wondering why can’t I sleep after the holidays, you’re not alone. Every January, we hear the same concern in therapy sessions at DC Metro Therapy:“I was sleeping fine before December, and now my body feels completely off.” Between family stress, travel, late nights, and disrupted […]
DC Metro Therapy’s Favorite Resources for Sleep & Chronic Pain (End-of-Year Guide)
As the year winds down, many of us start reflecting on what we’ve been carrying, both physically and emotionally. Maybe it’s the shoulder tension that never quite goes away. Maybe it’s the sleep you keep meaning to fix. Or maybe it’s the fatigue that always seems to show up during stressful seasons. When you’re dealing […]
Living With Chronic Pain? How to Survive Holidays When Your Family Doesn’t Understand
The holidays are supposed to be about connection. But when you’re living with chronic pain, they become a masterclass in pretending you’re okay when really, you’re struggling. Chances are you know this script by heart: the dismissive comments (‘you look fine!’), the pressure to participate fully, the guilt when you need to leave early. Again. […]
How Sleep Restriction Therapy Can Help Treat Depression
What if your therapist told you that spending less time in bed could help your depression? It might sound counterintuitive, especially when exhaustion already feels crushing. But for many people struggling with both insomnia and depression, it’s true. When depression and insomnia coexist, long nights of lying awake become fertile ground for rumination. You replay […]
Why ‘Just Relax’ Is the Worst Advice for Holiday Anxiety (Try This Instead)
Do family gatherings make you feel anxious? You’re at a get-together, heart racing, palms sweating. A well-meaning family member notices and says, “Just relax! It’s Thanksgiving!” Instantly, you feel worse. Now you’re anxious and ashamed that you can’t just “snap out of it.” “Just relax” might be the most common (and most harmful) advice given […]
What Your Brain Is Really Doing During Nightmares—And How Nightmare Therapy Can Change the Script
Another night, another nightmare. You’re exhausted, but you dread going to bed because you never know if tonight will bring another dream that jolts you awake—heart racing, sheets damp, afraid to fall back asleep. While everyone else sleeps, you’re stuck in a loop that leaves you tired, tense, and wondering why your brain keeps replaying […]
Here’s Why Your Sleep Gets Worse in Fall (And What to Do About It)
It’s 5 PM on a Tuesday in October and you can barely keep your eyes open. By 10 PM, when you finally crawl into bed, you’re wide awake. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with sleep when the seasons shift. As a therapist who specializes in sleep, I see this happen […]
Insomnia and CBT: Simple Techniques for Therapists (No Sleep Training Required)
“I’m not a sleep specialist. How much can I actually do?” If you’ve ever thought this when a client brings up insomnia, you’re not alone. Many skilled therapists feel unsure about where their role ends and where a referral should begin. You want to help — but you also don’t want to overstep your scope […]
Why Chronic Pain Flares Can Happen Even When You’re Doing Everything Right
You were finally starting to feel hopeful. The chronic pain flares that had been ruling your life were becoming less frequent. You’d been diligent with your pain management routine, following every piece of advice, staying consistent with your treatments. Then it happened. A pain flare-up that made you feel like you were knocked back to […]
Why Do I Feel Emotionally Numb? Understanding and Healing from Emotional Disconnection
If you’ve been feeling emotionally numb (like you’re going through the motions without really feeling anything) you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not broken. Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I know I should feel something about this, but I just… don’t”? Maybe you sat through a movie that always made you cry before, […]