You’ve tried everything to sleep.
Nothing works.
You’re frustrated and fatigued.
Angry and anxious.
Depressed and disconnected from the relationships that matter most.
You’re tired but wired, unable to relax the tension in your body and mind long enough to nap for a few minutes, let alone sleep through the night.
You’re afraid of not sleeping. (If you have recurring nightmares, you’re afraid OF sleeping.)
It’s hard to concentrate. Your school and work performance suffers.
More stress. More muscle tension, More headaches. More pain.
You reach for caffeine or alcohol or marijuana or medications or that quick fix recommended on social media.
You try harder to sleep. This makes it worse.
You feel like giving up, like you’re too complicated, messed up, or broken for anyone to help you unwind this vicious cycle.
If this sounds like you, there’s not only hope … there’s science!
Based on over 50 years of experimental evidence for chronic insomnia and over 30 years of experimental evidence for recurring nightmares, we have scientific consensus about the most effective, gold standard treatments for these disorders.
These treatments can be summarized in 3 words: “Skills. Not pills.”
It can be extremely difficult to find a clinician with specialized training in these treatments.
They don’t teach this stuff in medical school.
Unless you’re the rare clinician who chooses to specialize in sleep, they don’t often teach this stuff in graduate school either.
If you suffer from insomnia or nightmares due to a lifelong pattern of intense emotions (possibly including self-injury, suicidality, or a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder) or a history of trauma (possibly including a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder), it’s the rare clinician indeed who specializes in sleep and the evidence-based interventions for these additional difficulties.
I’m one of those rare clinicians.
I have expertise in the most effective, evidence-based assessments and treatments for chronic insomnia, nightmare disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder. I’ve helped many people just like you overcome these challenges.
Before earning my Ph.D. in clinical psychology, I earned a master’s (M.S.) degree in human genetics from our university’s neuroscience program under the mentorship of the Nobel Prize winning geneticist Mario Capecchi, Ph.D.
I’ve conducted research in the field of sleep medicine for the past 12 years, resulting in 10 peer-reviewed scientific publications.
I’m a big fan of science.
If you choose to work with me, there will be research evidence supporting every assessment measure you complete and every treatment recommendation you receive.
When you have questions, I encourage open conversations to ensure you understand the evidence behind your treatment plan and are confident in your ability to continue making progress towards your treatment goals.
This work of overcoming difficulties and building a better life is a collaboration. It requires teamwork. As a team, it’s very important that we trust each other.
Besides my academic, scientific, and clinical training, as a step towards earning your trust, I want you to know that you’re not alone.
Although our stories are different, as any two human stories are different, I know what it’s like to struggle with sleep.
For 21 years, from age 10 to 31, I struggled with insomnia.
I was the kid at sleepovers awake at 1:00 in the morning, watching my friends sleep.
Insomnia continued throughout elementary, middle school, high school, and college.
I tried Benadryl, Unisom, ZzzQuil, and Ambien.
Pros: I could fall asleep faster.
Cons: Hours of morning grogginess, occasional headaches, and nausea.
It was better than insomnia, some of the time.
Pills were the only tools I was offered.
At age 24, I quit my corporate day job to begin what would become a 12-year research collaboration with the medical director of our university sleep center.
This introduced me to the field of sleep medicine. The science of sleep.
What did over 50 years of this science say about my use of Benadryl, Unisom, ZzzQuil, and Ambien?
The most effective treatment for chronic insomnia is skill-based, not pill-based.
This blew my mind.
Why was I just learning about this now?
Why did my primary care providers only offer pills vs. skills?
Fortunately, our university sleep center recognized the importance of offering the most effective treatment for chronic insomnia to its patients.
We had a full-time clinical psychologist on staff specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).
Not every sleep center offers CBT-I.
Few primary care providers can refer their patients with chronic insomnia to a qualified CBT-I provider.
Fewer still can refer their patients with nightmare disorder to a qualified Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) or Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescripting Therapy (ERRT) provider.
There aren’t enough trained clinicians to go around.
This is a problem.
I built Honest Sleep to help solve this problem.
Through daily practice of the same evidence-based skills I offer at Honest Sleep, I’ve been insomnia-free for the past 6 years (and counting).
I practice what I teach.
As my wife Megan will tell you, I'm a more present husband, a more patient father, and a happier human now that sleep is no longer a constant struggle.
I built Honest Sleep to help people like us overcome our difficulties with sleep so we can focus on what truly matters: Building more meaningful lives with the people we love.
If you’re ready to change your life by changing your sleep, let’s get started.
