West Vancouver Insomnia Therapy
Finally Sleep Without Pills
It's 3am again and you're staring at the ceiling. You fell asleep fine but woke up at 2 and now your brain won't shut off. Or maybe you can't fall asleep at all - you lie there exhausted but wired, watching the hours tick by, dreading tomorrow when you'll be a zombie again. You've tried melatonin, sleep apps, white noise, cutting caffeine, everything the internet suggests. Your doctor offered sleeping pills but you don't want to be dependent on medication forever. West Vancouver insomnia therapy teaches you how to actually fix your sleep using proven techniques that retrain your brain and body to sleep naturally again, not just mask the problem with pills.
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We work with people throughout West Vancouver - from Dundarave to British Properties - who are exhausted from months or years of terrible sleep and desperate for a solution that actually works long-term. Insomnia therapy gives you evidence-based treatment that addresses why you can't sleep, not just temporary Band-Aids.
Benefits of Insomnia Therapy
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You learn to sleep naturally again without relying on medication. Sleep aids and pills might work short-term but they don't fix the underlying problem and often make insomnia worse once you stop taking them. Therapy for insomnia retrains your sleep system so you can fall asleep and stay asleep on your own.
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Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard treatment for chronic insomnia. It works better than medication long-term and the results last. Research shows cognitive behavioral therapy insomnia helps 70-80% of people with chronic sleep problems, often within just a few weeks of starting treatment.
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Insomnia therapy addresses both the physical and mental aspects keeping you awake. The racing thoughts and worry about not sleeping. The tension and hyperarousal in your body. The bad sleep habits you've developed trying to cope. The anxiety about sleep that makes insomnia worse. We work on all of it systematically.
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CBT therapy for insomnia teaches you sleep restriction, stimulus control, and cognitive techniques that sound simple but are incredibly effective. These aren't vague "sleep hygiene" tips you've already tried - they're specific protocols that reset your sleep-wake cycle and break the insomnia pattern.
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We work with the specific types of insomnia people struggle with. Sleep onset insomnia where you can't fall asleep. Sleep maintenance insomnia where you wake up during the night and can't get back to sleep. Early morning awakening where you're up at 4am and that's it for the night. Mixed insomnia with all of the above. Each type responds to treatment.
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Insomnia cognitive therapy also addresses the anxiety about sleep that perpetuates insomnia. When you're lying awake catastrophising about how terrible tomorrow will be or how you're destroying your health, that anxiety keeps you awake. We help you change the thought patterns that fuel sleep anxiety.
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For people dealing with both sleep problems and other mental health issues, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and anxiety works on both simultaneously. Often anxiety causes insomnia, and insomnia makes anxiety worse. Treating them together creates better outcomes than addressing either alone.
Creekside Counselling's Approach to Insomnia Therapy
First we assess your sleep comprehensively. How long have you struggled with insomnia? What's your typical sleep pattern now? What time do you go to bed, how long does it take to fall asleep, how many times do you wake up, what time do you wake for good? What's your daytime functioning like? What medications or supplements are you taking? Understanding your specific insomnia helps us create a targeted treatment plan.
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Insomnia cognitive behavioral therapy starts with sleep restriction, which sounds counterintuitive but works amazingly well. We limit your time in bed to match how long you're actually sleeping, even if that means only 5-6 hours initially. This builds sleep pressure so you actually fall asleep when you get into bed and sleep more deeply. Once you're sleeping better, we gradually increase time in bed.
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Stimulus control retrains your brain to associate bed with sleep instead of lying awake. Get out of bed if you're not asleep within 20-30 minutes. Only use bed for sleep (and sex). Same wake time every day no matter how you slept. These rules break the association between your bed and lying awake frustrated.
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Cognitive therapy for insomnia addresses the thoughts keeping you awake. Catastrophising about tomorrow. Trying to force sleep which makes it impossible. Anger about being awake again. Checking the clock constantly. We challenge these thought patterns and teach you how to think about sleep in ways that actually help rather than hurt.
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We teach relaxation techniques specifically for sleep. Progressive muscle relaxation. Breathing exercises. Mindfulness for quieting the racing mind. These aren't general stress reduction - they're sleep-specific practices that calm your arousal system so your body can actually enter sleep.
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The best insomnia therapy also addresses sleep hygiene, but in a way that's tailored to your specific issues rather than generic advice. What environmental factors are affecting your sleep? Light exposure, temperature, noise, screen time, caffeine timing, alcohol use. We fine-tune these based on what's actually impacting you.
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For people whose insomnia started after trauma, major life stress, or specific triggers, we address those underlying issues alongside the sleep work. Sometimes insomnia is the symptom and trauma or anxiety is the cause. Treating both gives better long-term results.
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Cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia includes dealing with the daytime impacts of sleep loss. How to function when you're exhausted. Managing the anxiety about performance when you're tired. Not catastrophising about your health from lack of sleep. These skills help you cope while the treatment is working.
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For those who can't easily access in-person sessions or prefer remote treatment, we offer online insomnia therapy that delivers the same evidence-based CBT-I protocol through secure video sessions. Sleep restriction, stimulus control, and cognitive techniques work just as effectively when taught remotely.
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We also coordinate with your doctor if needed. Sometimes medical issues contribute to insomnia - sleep apnea, restless legs, hormonal changes, medication side effects. We make sure these are ruled out or addressed alongside therapy. If you're on sleep medication, we work with your doctor on a safe taper plan as therapy starts working.
Pricing Information
Insomnia therapy sessions are $165 per 50-minute session. Treatment is typically short-term - usually 4-8 sessions spread over 6-10 weeks. Unlike ongoing therapy, CBT for insomnia is a time-limited treatment with a clear endpoint.
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Most people notice improvement within 2-3 weeks of starting treatment, though it takes the full 6-8 weeks to solidify new sleep patterns. The results last long-term because you're retraining your sleep system, not just temporarily improving symptoms.
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We provide receipts for insurance. Most extended health plans in BC cover therapy and insomnia absolutely qualifies as a treatable condition. Check your benefits - many West Vancouver employers offer good mental health coverage.
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The investment in insomnia therapy saves you money long-term. No more buying sleep supplements or medications. Better productivity at work. Fewer health problems from chronic sleep deprivation. And actually enjoying life again instead of being exhausted constantly.
Areas We Serve
We're located in West Vancouver and work with insomnia clients throughout the North Shore. Our sleep therapy clients come from all West Van neighbourhoods - Horseshoe Bay, Dundarave, Ambleside, Eagle Harbour, Caulfeild, Whitby Estates, British Properties, Cypress Village, Gleneagles, Bayridge, Chartwell.
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We also see people from North Vancouver, Lions Bay, and throughout Metro Vancouver dealing with chronic insomnia. Many of our clients are professionals, parents, and busy people who've been struggling with sleep for years.
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Virtual insomnia therapy works great since sleep protocols can be taught and monitored effectively through video sessions. You don't need to be in-person for CBT-I to work - the techniques are the same regardless of session format.
Frequently Asked Questions About Insomnia Therapy
How is insomnia therapy different from just following sleep hygiene tips?
Sleep hygiene is part of treatment but CBT-I goes way deeper. Sleep restriction and stimulus control are specific protocols that reset your sleep-wake cycle, not just avoiding caffeine or keeping your room dark. The cognitive work addresses the anxiety and thought patterns perpetuating insomnia. It's a complete system, not just tips.
Will I have to sleep less during treatment?
Initially yes, during sleep restriction you'll spend less time in bed to build sleep pressure. This might feel hard at first but it's temporary and it works. As your sleep efficiency improves, we gradually increase your time in bed until you're sleeping well for a full 7-9 hours.
Can insomnia therapy help if I've had sleep problems for years?
Absolutely. CBT-I works for chronic insomnia that's lasted decades. How long you've had insomnia doesn't predict how well you'll respond to treatment. People who've struggled for 20+ years can and do learn to sleep well again.
What if my insomnia is caused by anxiety or depression?
We treat both simultaneously. Often insomnia and mental health issues feed each other - anxiety causes insomnia, insomnia worsens anxiety. Addressing sleep improves mental health symptoms and vice versa. You don't have to fix your anxiety before treating insomnia.
Do I have to stop taking sleep medication?
Not immediately. We can work with you while you're on medication, though ideally you'll taper off as therapy starts working since sleep aids can interfere with the retraining process. We coordinate with your doctor on a safe taper plan.
How quickly will I start sleeping better?
Most people notice some improvement within 2-3 weeks. Full results typically take 6-8 weeks as new sleep patterns solidify. It's faster than you think but not instant - your sleep system needs time to retrain.
What if I have sleep apnea or other medical sleep issues?
Medical sleep disorders need medical treatment - CPAP for sleep apnea, medication for restless legs, etc. That said, many people have both medical sleep issues AND behavioral insomnia. We can treat the behavioral component alongside your medical treatment.
Will the results last or will insomnia come back?
CBT-I has lasting results because you're fixing the underlying problem, not just masking symptoms. Most people maintain good sleep long-term. If insomnia returns during stressful life events, you have the skills to get back on track quickly.
You don't have to spend another night staring at the ceiling. West Vancouver insomnia therapy teaches you evidence-based techniques that actually retrain your sleep system so you can fall asleep and stay asleep naturally. Book your session today - better sleep is closer than you think.