Transdiagnostic Strategies to Optimize Sleep & Improve Outcomes in Clients with PTSD, Anxiety, Depression & Chronic Pain

Insomnia is widely recognized to be the most common sleep problem and is also a leading complaint in primary care settings. The  consequences and morbidity associated with chronic insomnia can be substantial across several domains and can include increased  health care utilization, impaired quality of life, increased risk of falls and hip fractures, increased risk of medical and psychiatric  disorders, and ultimately worse outcomes for all co-morbid disorders.

Effective treatment of insomnia not only improves sleep quality and daytime functioning, but also may improve comorbid  conditions such as chronic pain and depression. In particular, cognitive-behavioral treatments for insomnia have been shown to be  of equal or greater effectiveness when compared to sedative hypnotic medication.

This workshop is designed to provide clinical and research faculty from multiple disciplines the core elements of cognitive-behavioral treatment for insomnia. The course starts by grounding participants in the basics of sleep medicine that undergird the  practice of CBT-I. It goes on to present systematic, empirically validated treatment methods and essential information about the  etiology and evolution of chronic insomnia necessary to inform assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and the handling of  treatment resistance.

Objective 1
Define the basics of sleep nomenclature including sleep period, phase, continuity, and architecture.
Objective 2
Define and distinguish acute insomnia from insomnia disorder and discuss the importance of treating the chronic form as a specifically targeted comorbidity.
Objective 3
Cite the evidence for the efficacy of CBT-I for both primary and co-morbid insomnia disorder.
Objective 4
Explain the Spielman model of insomnia and basics of sleep regulation, and demonstrate how to utilize these concepts in the deployment of CBT-I.
Objective 5
Explain how to obtain useable patient sleep diary data, and how to analyze the data for use in the course of CBT-I treatment.
Objective 6
Apply the techniques of stimulus control and sleep restriction therapy to the treatment of chronic insomnia.
Objective 7
Apply the techniques of sleep hygiene education and cognitive therapeutic strategies to the treatment of chronic insomnia.
Objective 8
Apply a decision-making algorithm to case conceptualization, and explain the steps necessary to aide in good relapse prevention.

The VPA Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The VPA Psychological Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.