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One of our approaches
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
CBT-I stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia. It’s a short, structured approach that treats insomnia directly, rather than just managing the symptoms or relying on medication.
Getting your sleep back, one night at a time. Built around how you actually sleep, not a list of tips.
How it works
The idea behind it
Ongoing insomnia is usually kept going by habits that made sense at first but backfire over time. Spending extra time in bed trying to “catch up” on sleep. Napping to make up for it. Lying awake watching the clock. Over time, your brain starts to link bed with being awake and worried, instead of with sleep.
CBT-I retrains that link. It also adjusts your sleep schedule based on how you actually sleep, not general sleep tips. It can feel backwards at first, because some steps involve spending less time in bed to sleep better. But it’s one of the best-supported approaches for chronic insomnia.
In session
What a session looks like
You’ll usually start by keeping a sleep diary for a week or two: when you go to bed, fall asleep, wake up, and get up. This gives your clinician a real picture of your sleep, not just how it feels.
From there, the core tools are simple. Sleep scheduling means temporarily matching your time in bed to the sleep you’re actually getting, then slowly extending it as sleep improves. The “bed means sleep” rule means only going to bed when you’re actually sleepy, and getting up again if you can’t fall asleep after a while, so your brain relearns the link. Your clinician also helps you work through the worry about sleep that often makes insomnia worse.
Your plan is adjusted session to session, based on your diary. It’s built around your patterns, not a generic template.
Frequently asked questions
Is this covered by insurance?
The approach doesn’t change the coverage. Most extended health plans cover sessions with a Registered Counselling Therapist or Registered Social Worker. Call the number on your benefits card and ask. We bill most major insurers directly, so you only pay what your plan doesn’t cover; otherwise you get a receipt after every session.
How many sessions will it take?
It depends on you and what you’re working on. By session two you’ll have a written plan, and every few sessions we check in with the same short questions so you can see what’s changing. You can stop at any time.
Does it work online?
Yes. We offer every approach in person in Dartmouth and by secure video anywhere in Nova Scotia. If one of them works better in person, we’ll tell you.
Does it cost more?
No. Whichever approach we use, it’s included in your standard session fee. See fees and insurance.
Ready when you are.
You don’t need to choose an approach before you book. That’s our job, together with you, in the first two sessions.