Hi, my name is Dr. Nicole Moshfegh, and I’m a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist in Los Angeles and across California.

You may be feeling exhausted, fatigued, and like you haven’t had a good night of sleep in years. I understand how terrible that can feel, and I’m here to help.

I aid people overcome their insomnia by using evidence-based strategies rooted in what is considered the gold-standard for insomnia treatment: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (also known as CBT-I or CBTi). I have a proven track record of helping people get to the root of their sleep problems and achieve a healthier relationship with their sleep and themselves in the long run. 

If you’re ready to start feeling better, schedule a complimentary consultation with me today.

My approach to Insomnia Treatment Los Angeles

While many mental health practitioners are trained in general Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), there is currently a lack of providers with specific training and expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Los Angeles or across the globe in general. If you are interested in seeking treatment for your insomnia symptoms, it is very important that you find a provider who is specifically trained in CBT-I. The techniques used in CBT-I are vastly different from the ones used in general CBT. General CBT is often used to treat other conditions (such as anxiety or depression, for example).

What makes CBT-I practitioners different from general CBT practitioners is that CBT-I practitioners have typically received years of extra training in the topic of sleep (and insomnia in particular). They also have a more in depth understanding of the science of sleep and what controls our sleep. This helps CBT-I practitioners (myself included) be able to develop treatment plans rooted in years of research on the science of sleep and what allows people to sleep better naturally.

As a sleep specialist in Los Angeles and across California, I am certified in CBT-I and have many years of experience specifically treating individuals with insomnia and other sleep disorders. Several years ago I also wrote a book entitled, “The Book of Sleep: 75 Strategies to Relieve Insomnia,” which details evidence-based strategies for insomnia.

Aside from having many years of experience in CBT-I, what sets me apart from other sleep specialists in Los Angeles and in general is I am also a clinical health psychologist. As a result, I have a deep understanding of how other psychological, behavioral, mental, emotional, physical, social, societal, cultural, historical, or systemic factors can impact our sleep and vice versa. Accordingly, while I do primarily utilize cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia to treat insomnia symptoms, I also strongly do not believe in a “one-size-fits-all” approach. 

While CBT-I does help most people find relief from their insomnia and overcome their insomnia for good, just like with any other treatment, there are always some people who may not benefit fully. There are many reasons why this may be the case, but after years of clinical practice and research I have found one of the top reasons. Specifically, when the provider you are seeing fails to complete a more thorough and holistic assessment before starting treatment. 

Sometimes when providers are trained in sleep (and especially if they focus only on sleep) they can often get a bit of tunnel vision. This means that they may only assess people for sleep challenges and fail to see that the person might also be suffering from things like depression, trauma, anxiety, grief, chronic pain challenges, and so on. On the other hand (as mentioned previously) there are many providers who may have general training in mental and/or physical health, but they don’t have specific training in sleep which often causes them to miss or ignore sleep issues. 

I believe that the reason why I typically have a higher success rate for the people I see (even those who have been experiencing insomnia their entire lives) is because I specialize in both insomnia and issues like anxiety, depression, and trauma. I will also modify treatment and utilize other strategies when needed. This means that sometimes we might be addressing insomnia at the same time we are addressing other issues. Alternatively, we may address issues other than insomnia first before we take a deep dive into sleep.

It really all depends on the person who is sitting in front of me and their unique set of circumstances that brought them to where they are today. I always strive to get to know people and what they are struggling with as much as I can first before I dive into any specific treatment. If you are looking for a provider who can offer a comprehensive, natural, and effective approach to your insomnia and sleep struggles, reach out for a free consultation today.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is defined as a subjective (meaning in your eyes or from your own personal perspective) dissatisfaction with either the quantity (the number of hours you are sleeping) or quality of your sleep. It can manifest in different ways from difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up earlier than you intended and not being able to get back to sleep, or consistently experiencing nonrestorative (meaning that you find your sleep to be not restful, refreshing, or rejuvenating) sleep.

Insomnia causes people to experience distress and can impair their ability to function well at work, school, or in relationships. It can also cause people to experience other physical and mental health symptoms, such as low mood, irritability, anxiety, worry, and different physical aches and pains. Alternatively, other physical or mental health symptoms can also cause you to experience and insomnia which then takes on a life of its own.

Insomnia is classified as either acute or chronic. Acute insomnia lasts anywhere from a few days to weeks and is usually triggered by life events, stressors (either positive or negative), or illnesses. Chronic insomnia (or Insomnia Disorder) lasts for at least three months or longer (sometimes up to decades).

When should you seek treatment for insomnia?

Most of the time, an acute, short bout of insomnia will resolves on its own. However, if you notice yourself feeling very anxious about your sleep after a few weeks or even a few nights of poor sleep, it could be beneficial to seek help to prevent it from becoming an ongoing issue.

On the other hand, if you have been experiencing insomnia consistently for at least several weeks without any improvement and you are finding yourself feeling concerned or it is getting in the way of your daily life, a consultation to assess your unique situation would be beneficial for you.

If you have been experiencing chronic insomnia (meaning you have consistently been experiencing sleep issues for at least three months), it is time for you to reach out for treatment. There are several evidence-based treatment methods, such as CBT-I, that can provide you with natural relief.

How is insomnia treated?

The American College of Physicians, a national organization of internists, the largest medical-specialty organization, and second-largest physician group in the United States, recommends all adults receive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) as the initial treatment for chronic insomnia (source).

Although there are numerous medications available to treat insomnia, they are only meant for short-term use and often have many detrimental side effects. Because CBT-I has proven to be effective in treating children, adolescents, and adults with chronic insomnia across numerous rigorous research studies, it is currently the first line of treatment for insomnia (source).

While CBT-I has proven to be effective for most people, there are other strategies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based therapies, and even Insight-Oriented Therapy that can also be useful either in conjunction with CBT-I or as a standalone treatment for those who have not responded to CBT-I.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia and how does it work?

CBT adheres to the basic idea that psychological or emotional distress is maintained by unhelpful thoughts and/or behaviors. In turn, CBT-I is based on the same principle that, while there can be countless reasons why your insomnia initially started (from a stressor, an illness, etc.), the only reason why your insomnia continues to persist is because you have unknowingly started or continued to engage in certain unhelpful behaviors or have developed certain unhelpful thoughts that are making the problem worse (but you just don’t realize it!).

CBT-I helps you by allowing you to notice which thoughts or behaviors are contributing to your sleep difficulties and teaches you better ways of coping with your challenges by modifying these unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and replacing them with more helpful ones.

While general CBT can be used to treat a variety of disorders, a specific type of CBT, known as CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I), was developed for the exclusive purpose of treating insomnia.

CBT-I consists of several components:

• Education on sleep and sleep hygiene: providing knowledge on the science of sleep and what controls sleep, helps people better understand why the treatment plan and strategies suggested work and are rooted in scientific evidence.

• Time in bed (or sleep) restriction therapy: often one of the reasons why insomnia persists is due to spending more time in bed with suboptimal results. During CBT-I sessions you will not only learn why this contributes to insomnia but you will also examine your own sleep patterns in more depth by keeping what is called a “sleep diary.” You will then be recommended a more optimal sleep schedule to maintain which will be modified depending on your progress in order to get your sleep back on track.

• Stimulus control therapy: another reason why insomnia often persists is because you may have unintentionally conditioned yourself to think of your bed and bedroom as a place where you will not sleep, not have restful sleep, and/or engage in any and all activities but sleep. During your CBT-I sessions, you will learn how to re-train your brain to think of your bed as not only for sleep but also falling asleep quickly!

• Cognitive therapy: sometimes the way we think about our sleep or lack of sleep can also contribute to our sleep challenges. You will learn how certain (sometimes subconscious or even unconscious) thoughts about sleep (or other challenges in your life) can make you feel more anxious which can, in turn, make it harder for you to sleep. You will also learn strategies for how to tackle these thoughts and even change them into more helpful ones.

• Counter arousal and relaxation tools: having difficulty sleeping is inherently anxiety producing. While you probably can’t help how anxious you are feeling due to your lack of sleep (or sometimes you may have anxiety about other things which contributes to you not being able to sleep), there are many strategies that can enable you to relax and let go of your anxiety so you can finally get the sleep that you need.

• Sleep hygiene: most people who have been struggling with insomnia for a while have probably heard of this. While sleep hygiene alone is NOT sufficient to treat insomnia, sometimes having a refresher on the basics of what helps us to sleep better and finding ways to increase motivation to follow these rules can also be a component. Just remember, the major components of CBT-I are definitely the ones listed above and anyone who only talks about sleep hygiene is not an actual sleep specialist.

Get help from a CBT for Insomnia Sleep Specialist in Los Angeles

I have helped people who have been experiencing insomnia and sleep issues for weeks to decades. I have the skills and expertise necessary to help you overcome your challenges. Don’t let yourself suffer from ongoing sleep issues and reach out for a free consultation today.