Struggling with sleep? We get it.
Falling asleep, staying asleep, being a light sleeper -
These challenges are more common than you think.
In fact, about 50% of adults report occasional sleep problems, and 1 in 10 experiences ongoing, chronic insomnia that can sometimes last for years. But you don’t have to envy the ‘good sleepers’ around you who make it look easy anymore. With the support of an insomnia therapist, you can learn evidence-based techniques to get a better night’s sleep.
Get Better Sleep.
Better sleep shouldn't be a luxury.
But it's been costing you big time
Problems with sleep can affect work performance, relationships, and your ability to enjoy life. As sleepless nights pile up, you may become anxious and foggy. You may even start to experience more pain and other physical problems.
It can be hard to think straight, concentrate, and get through the day.
You may feel hopeless and worry that you’ll never get a good night’s sleep. As your frustration about sleep builds, the more entrenched insomnia becomes.
You may have tried every insomnia treatment out there.
Sleeping pills might help at first, but then they stop being effective and leave you feeling exhausted or concerned about long-term health issues.
Do you wish you could find an insomnia solution that actually works for you?
Our Process
Insomnia Treatment Can Help You Develop Healthy Sleep Habits
Step 1: Assess
Your therapist will do an assessment, ask you questions about your history of sleep problems, and talk to you about initiating a sleep diary. This will help us to understand the factors that are affecting your sleep and allow us to provide tailored strategies to help you improve your sleep.
Step 2: Evidence-Based Treatment
Our goal is that through insomnia treatment, you will build confidence about sleep. Going to sleep should feel effortless and we want to help you get there. We do that by implementing CBT-i for insomnia, an evidence-based approach to insomnia treatment.
Step 3: Integrate Complementary Therapies
To holistically support your healing, our therapists are also trained to incorporate talk therapy, mindfulness, and other therapeutic practices into insomnia therapy sessions. We keep up-to-date on training and sleep science to help you get the most out of your insomnia treatment.
Take the first step towards improved sleep today
“Better sleep has brought me a better life.”
– DC Metro Therapy Client
You don’t have to feel resigned to living with insomnia
We’re here to help with multiple solutions to fit your unique needs
At DC Metro Therapy, we utilize CBT-i and IRT/ERRT to effectively overcome insomnia and nightmares.
CBT-i
Our expertise includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) – an evidence-based approach designed to help you achieve restful, uninterrupted sleep.
IRT/ERRT
We specialize in Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) and Exposure Relaxation and Rescripting Therapy (ERRT) – innovative solutions for those struggling with persistent nightmares.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i)?
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-i, is an insomnia therapy that does not involve medication. CBT-i is a short-term insomnia treatment that consists of changing your behavior and thinking about sleep. CBT-i is proven to be effective and many doctors are now suggesting CBT-i for sleep problems before any other insomnia treatment.
A large body of evidence, based on over 100 controlled trials, shows that CBT-i improves sleep in 70-80% of those who try it and can also eliminate the need for sleeping pills. CBT-i is proven to be very successful in improving the quality of sleep and it also helps people sleep more efficiently. Research has shown insomnia treatment using CBT-i to be just as effective as sleep medications for insomnia in the short term and is more effective than sleep medications in the long term.
How CBT-i Works
CBT-i has two goals
First, we focus on the behavioral aspect of CBT-i, helping you develop better habits through sleep scheduling and specific techniques that improve your sleep drive. You will be asked to track your sleep through the use of a simple sleep diary. Based on sleep diary data, we determine an optimal amount of sleep and we set a bedtime and wake-up time that may be different from your usual routine. Creating an ideal sleep schedule is a collaborative effort between you and your therapist.
The cognitive part of CBT-i focuses on your beliefs and feelings about sleep and insomnia. We identify the thoughts that are keeping you awake or waking you up during the night. At the same time, we also work on reducing your negative thinking and anxiety around sleep.
Reclaim Your Sleep with IRT/ERRT
Rewrite your nightmares and face your fears in dreams with therapeutic techniques so you can calmly address and transform your worst nightmares and find peace.
Waking up often from bad dreams can leave you feeling scared and tired, with your heart beating fast and your thoughts racing, making it hard to fall back asleep and get a good night’s rest.
Chronic sleep disruption can plunge your days into a cycle of exhaustion and stress.
Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT)
IRT empowers you to rewrite your nightmares. By rescripting their narratives, you can take control, lessen their emotional grip, and enjoy better sleep.
Exposure Relaxation and Rescription Therapy (ERRT)
ERRT combines facing your fears with calming techniques. This therapy helps you gently deal with the most distressing parts of your dreams, making you feel more relaxed and improving your sleep.
Both therapies are here to help you find your way to peaceful, restful nights. Let’s work together on a journey to better sleep, with a plan made just for you.
Unlock Peaceful Sleep
How Our Therapists Help You
We use our knowledge of how the brain works to help improve outcomes of insomnia treatment with CBT-i. We also integrate other therapies, like EMDR therapy, if clients are feeling stuck or are not improving as much as they would like.
Achieve Your Sleep Goals
You May Still Have Questions
About Insomnia Treatment
Sleep therapy using CBT-i can be conducted completely online. Research shows that CBT-i is very effective as an online insomnia treatment. A review of the research in 2016 shows that online CBT-i significantly improves both sleep efficiency and the total time participants spend asleep. In our practice, we provide CBT-i both online and in-person and we achieve similar results.
During your first visit for insomnia treatment, your medications will be discussed. Your therapist will ask about what medications you are taking, how long you’ve been on them, and how you feel about continuing with the medication. Insomnia therapy with CBT-i can be done even while you are taking sleeping medication. If you decide you would like to stop medication, your therapist will work with you and your prescribing provider to determine an appropriate tapering schedule while you are working on CBT-i.
If you have been diagnosed with epilepsy, bipolar disorder, or are at high risk for falls, insomnia treatment with CBT-i is not indicated for you. But other diagnoses like depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, and other medical diagnoses all respond well to CBT-i. Research shows that many of these conditions also improve as your sleep gets better. Even if you have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea, CBT-i can be used alongside your current treatment. If a sleep disorder is suspected, your therapist will refer you to a sleep medicine doctor for evaluation.
“Thank you for treating my years-long insomnia. It’s been several months since I finished my treatment with you and I am finally reflecting on how much better I feel overall. I am calmer, more centered, and my work and relationships are better.“
- Dc Metro Therapy Client
You Don’t Have to Struggle With Sleep Anymore
If you’ve noticed a change in your sleep patterns or you are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety, now is the time to start practicing good habits to help you improve your sleep.
When you’re ready to take control of your sleep, contact us or call 202-656-3376 for a free consultation.