Poor sleep affects every aspect of physical and mental health — yet most people with insomnia are offered medication rather than the treatment with the strongest evidence: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).
Our registered psychologists in Melbourne provide CBT-I and evidence-based sleep treatment across four clinic locations and via Telehealth.
WorkCover, NDIS or TAC approved? YOU PAY NOTHING.
If your claim has been approved, we bill your funder directly. Zero out-of-pocket cost — no gap, no upfront payment, nothing.
Insomnia is characterised by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early, occurring at least three nights per week, causing significant distress or daytime impairment (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). It is the most common sleep disorder, affecting approximately 20% of Australians.
We work with a range of sleep presentations:
Sleep may benefit from professional attention when you notice:
Chronic insomnia that goes untreated is associated with significantly elevated risk of depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders (Riemann et al., 2017).
Insomnia often begins with a triggering event (illness, stress, life change) but is perpetuated by the thoughts, behaviours, and physiological arousal that develop in response to poor sleep. The 3P model identifies predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors — with the perpetuating factors being the primary target for CBT-I (Spielman et al., 1987).
Common perpetuating factors include:
CBT-I directly targets these perpetuating factors and produces superior long-term outcomes compared to sleep medication (Trauer et al., 2015).
CBT-I is recommended as the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia by all major clinical guidelines:
The gold standard treatment for chronic insomnia, recommended over sleep medication by the American College of Physicians and the European Sleep Research Society (Trauer et al., 2015). CBT-I combines sleep restriction therapy, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring of sleep-related beliefs, and sleep hygiene education. Produces lasting improvements without dependence risk.
Temporarily restricts time in bed to match actual sleep time, building up strong sleep drive and consolidating fragmented sleep. Counterintuitive but highly effective — produces significant improvement in sleep efficiency within 2–4 weeks (Kyle et al., 2014).
Rebuilds the association between bed and sleep (rather than wakefulness and anxiety) through structured behavioural changes. One of the most effective single components of CBT-I (Morin et al., 2006).
Combines mindfulness training with cognitive therapy to reduce the hyperarousal and ruminative thinking that perpetuate insomnia. Particularly effective for anxiety-driven insomnia and insomnia co-occurring with depression or rumination.
CBT-I typically produces meaningful improvement within 4–8 weeks. For many clients, 6–8 sessions is sufficient (Trauer et al., 2015).
Your first appointment includes a detailed sleep assessment using standardised measures (sleep diary, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). We identify the specific perpetuating factors driving your insomnia.
We develop a personalised CBT-I plan together — including sleep schedule changes, stimulus control strategies, and cognitive work targeting sleep anxiety.
Between-session sleep diary monitoring allows us to track your progress and adjust the plan each week.
We offer appointments in-clinic at our Mooroolbark, Wheelers Hill, Reservoir, and Melbourne CBD locations, as well as Telehealth sessions from anywhere in Australia.
WorkCover, NDIS or TAC approved? YOU PAY NOTHING.
If your claim has been approved, we bill your funder directly. Zero out-of-pocket cost — no gap, no upfront payment, nothing.
Is CBT-I better than sleeping tablets?
Yes — for long-term outcomes. Meta-analysis shows CBT-I produces equivalent short-term improvements to sleep medication with superior long-term results and no dependence risk (Trauer et al., 2015). Guidelines recommend CBT-I as the first-line treatment over medication.
How long does CBT-I take?
Most people see significant improvement within 4–8 weeks. The standard CBT-I protocol involves 6–8 sessions. Gains are maintained and often continue to improve after treatment ends.
Can I do CBT-I while taking sleep medication?
Yes. CBT-I can be delivered alongside sleep medication. Over time, as sleep improves, many clients are able to reduce or discontinue medication in consultation with their GP.
Does CBT-I work for all types of insomnia?
CBT-I is effective for primary insomnia and insomnia co-occurring with depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and other conditions. Your psychologist will tailor the approach to your specific presentation.
I’ve tried sleep hygiene tips and they haven’t helped. Is this different?
Yes. Sleep hygiene education alone is the least effective component of CBT-I. The most powerful components — sleep restriction, stimulus control, and cognitive restructuring — are what produce lasting change. CBT-I goes well beyond standard sleep hygiene advice.
Good sleep is not a luxury — it’s a foundation. Let us help you get it back.
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American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). APA. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
Kyle, S. D., Miller, C. B., Rogers, Z., Siriwardena, A. N., Macmahon, K. M., & Espie, C. A. (2014). Sleep restriction therapy for insomnia is associated with reduced objective total sleep time, increased daytime somnolence, and objectively impaired vigilance: Implications for the clinical management of insomnia disorder. Sleep, 37(2), 229–237. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.3386
Morin, C. M., Bootzin, R. R., Buysse, D. J., Edinger, J. D., Espie, C. A., & Lichstein, K. L. (2006). Psychological and behavioral treatment of insomnia: Update of the recent evidence (1998–2004). Sleep, 29(11), 1398–1414. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/29.11.1398
Riemann, D., Baglioni, C., Bassetti, C., Bjorvatn, B., Groselj, L. D., Ellis, J. G., Espie, C. A., Garcia-Borreguero, D., Gjerstad, M., Gonçalves, M., Hertenstein, E., Jansson-Fröjmark, M., Jennum, P. J., Leger, D., Nissen, C., Parrino, L., Paunio, T., Pevernagie, D., Verbraecken, J., & Spiegelhalder, K. (2017). European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia. Journal of Sleep Research, 26(6), 675–700. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12594
Spielman, A. J., Caruso, L. S., & Glovinsky, P. B. (1987). A behavioral perspective on insomnia treatment. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 10(4), 541–553. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0193-953X(18)30532-X
Trauer, J. M., Qian, M. Y., Doyle, J. S., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., & Cunnington, D. (2015). Cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 163(3), 191–204. https://doi.org/10.7326/M14-2841
