CBT for Sleep Difficulties in Cheadle Hulme & Online
Being tired while feeling unable to settle can make bedtime a source of worry. You may spend the evening hoping for a good night, then watch the clock and wonder how you will manage tomorrow.
I offer space to understand the thoughts, routines and pressures around sleep and consider whether CBT support would be suitable. We also consider health, sensory needs and other factors that may need assessment.
When Sleep Difficulties Start to Get in the Way
You may recognise some of these experiences. Not every example will fit, and we will take time to understand what is happening for you:
- You lie awake for a long time, feeling tired but unable to switch off.
- You wake in the night or very early and can't get back to sleep.
- You start to dread bedtime, or watch the clock working out how much sleep you'll get.
- You try hard to make sleep happen, by going to bed early, lying in or napping, but it doesn't seem to help.
- During the day, you feel foggy, irritable or low, and worry about how you'll cope on little sleep.
- For children, it may look like long bedtimes, needing a parent to stay until they fall asleep, or worries that come out once the lights are off.
- For teenagers, it might mean finding it very hard to fall asleep until late, then struggling to get up for school.
- If you're Autistic or have ADHD, sleep can be affected by a busy mind, difficulty winding down or sensory factors such as noise, light, textures or temperature. These needs are real, and the bedroom environment can matter as much as routines.
Making Sense of Sleep Difficulties Together
Sleep problems often start for understandable reasons, such as stress, illness, a new baby, shift work or a worrying time. For some people, the sleep difficulty continues even after the original cause has passed.
One reason is that sleep can become something to worry about in itself. Lying awake trying hard to sleep, checking the time or thinking about how tired you'll be tomorrow can keep your mind and body alert, which makes sleep harder. Well-meant habits, such as long lie-ins, daytime naps or going to bed much earlier, can sometimes make the pattern less settled.
For example, someone might go to bed at 9pm after a few bad nights, hoping to catch up. They lie awake for hours, grow frustrated and start to link the bed with feeling alert and anxious.
Sleep can also be affected by physical health, pain, medication, breathing problems during sleep and other medical factors. If your sleep has changed significantly or you're very sleepy during the day, it's worth speaking to your GP.
Together, we can look at your sleep pattern, what happens at night and during the day, and the thoughts and habits around sleep. We can then explore changes that fit your life and needs.
Sessions Shaped Around You
Therapy is shaped around you. In our first session, we explore how you think, communicate and learn, what feels comfortable, and what you would like support with. Adjustments are available to everyone, whether or not you have a diagnosis.
We can vary the pace, take breaks, use visual tools or written summaries, and consider sensory needs. Between-session tasks can be broken into realistic steps. If you are Autistic or have ADHD, we also consider how your experiences, attention, energy and environment affect the work, without expecting you to fit one way of doing therapy.
For children and young people, I consider developmental needs from the beginning so that materials and the approach are suitable, and review this as we work together. Parents are an essential part of therapy for younger children, helping reinforce new ways of thinking and regulating; their involvement varies with need.
Location, Fees & Common Questions
Sessions are weekly, last 50 minutes and cost £85. We can meet in person in Cheadle Hulme or online where suitable. Payment is by bank transfer within 24 hours after your session.
In-person sessions are at 11 Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 5AF. The room is quiet, has low-level lighting and is wheelchair accessible using a lift. Parking is free for up to three hours at the ASDA next door. You are welcome to bring sensory supports.
How long will therapy take?
The length of therapy depends on your needs and goals. We agree an initial plan and review the work together, rather than giving everyone the same number of sessions.
Will you give me one routine that everyone must follow?
No. We explore your situation, possible causes and needs before agreeing on a plan. The right support may involve therapy, medical assessment or a combination.
A free 20-minute telephone or video consultation gives you space to share a little of what you are experiencing, ask questions about the process and explore your next steps.
Arrange a Free 20-Minute Consultation