Meet Ethel Sayles

About Me

I’m a licensed therapist and someone who deeply understands the challenges of chronic pain and insomnia. In my practice, I specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i), Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET).

Together, these therapies improve both pain and sleep by identifying emotional triggers and retraining the brain’s patterns around chronic symptoms like insomnia and chronic pain.

My Journey

My personal journey led me to this field after fully recovering from nine years of chronic pain and medically unexplained symptoms.

Central to my healing process was learning about pain and sleep science. Neuroscience shows us that many chronic pain conditions — and many forms of insomnia — are caused by changes in the brain rather than damage in the body. This brain-based (or neuroplastic) type of pain is both benign and treatable. Through therapy, you can learn psychological and emotional strategies to calm your nervous system and restore rest.

My specialization in chronic pain naturally expanded into the field of sleep medicine. I’ve come to understand that what may present as chronic pain for some, manifests for others as insomnia, anxiety, depression, or a mix of all three. The treatment of insomnia is one of the most exciting parts of my work, and I am passionate about helping clients sleep better and experience real relief.

Nothing compares to the satisfaction I feel helping clients overcome chronic symptoms. Specializing in the treatment of both chronic pain and insomnia brings me great joy, and I am grateful to be practicing what I truly love.

Born in DC and raised in Frederick County, MD, I later spent 12 years in southern Delaware. While beach life remains close to my heart, I happily returned to Maryland with my husband and children in 2018. My favorite pastimes include swimming in the ocean, eating popcorn, and finding new ways to laugh with my family.