End the Insomnia Struggle

This fantastic toolkit is like getting to have two of the smartest, most empathic insomnia treatment experts in the world be your doctors. Clear instructions and flexible, doable steps transform the highest-quality treatment into a do-it-yourself plan that will make it possible to get a good night's sleep again. --Kelly Koerner, PhD, Evidence-Based Practice Institute, Seattle, WA I'm impressed. This is easily the most comprehensive and practical approach I've ever read on how to treat insomnia. I thought I had a pretty good handle on this topic, but was surprised to find large gaps in my knowledge, and quite a number of erroneous beliefs (don't tell anyone, please!). The authors expertly synthesize acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) (which is no easy feat) to offer effective treatment for a wide range of sleep difficulties across the whole spectrum of DSM disorders. So, if you want to help your clients to sleep better without drugs, you need this book. --Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap and ACT Made Simple For those of us who lie awake at night wondering when sleep is going to arrive and what tomorrow will be like without it, End the Insomnia Struggle offers hope. In this well-written and accessible manual, Colleen Ehrnstrom and Alisha Brosse, two experienced clinical psychologists, take us through the reasons that people can't sleep, and the behavioral and cognitive strategies that help them overcome insomnia. Readers will appreciate the handouts for recording one's progress in the program and the many recommendations on how to troubleshoot one's sleep plan. The one-size-fits-all approach of many cognitive-behavioral manuals is replaced here with acceptance, mindfulness, and commitment strategies to help you individualize behavioral sleep tools. A must-read for people with insomnia and the clinicians who work with them. --David J. Miklowitz, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA; and author of The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide Ehrnstrom and Brosse, licensed clinical psychologists, go beyond the usual sleep hygiene suggestions (e.g., limit caffeine, stop napping) to offer personalized solutions for the millions of people who suffer from insomnia. Designed to be used as a workbook, the title has sleep logs and worksheets to aid readers in determining which approach to treatment--based in cognitive behavioral therapy--will most likely be of benefit. They cover the physiology of sleep and how people get stuck in a pattern of insomnia, providing exercises for readers to clarify their own patterns. The book's second and third sections feature behavioral and cognitive strategies for overcoming insomnia; readers will choose which methods to pursue based on the results of their sleep entries. The authors also describe medical conditions that can be misidentified as insomnia, such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and periodic limb movements, and recommend medical evaluation for those. Not a quick fix, this title leads users through the steps necessary to discover the best approaches to treatment. VERDICT: Of interest to anyone who suffers from insomnia or has a family member who does. --Library Journal End the Insomnia Struggle is a wonderful and much-needed book. Ehrnstrom and Brosse not only provide clear descriptions of the core tools needed to help promote healthy sleep, they also pour into each page their wealth of expertise working with people struggling with insomnia. The result is that they are there with you, as the reader, every step of the way, guiding you clearly, firmly, and gently along the path to better sleep. --Sona Dimidjian, PhD, associate professor in the department of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder End the Insomnia Struggle is a must-have for anyone struggling to sleep well. Clinical science has validated a number of very effective strategies for insomnia, but unfortunately, these strategies are very challenging to put into action. The authors have put their combined forty-plus years of clinical experience into providing a comprehensive program in a very straightforward way that a motivated person can actually do on their own, or that counselors could readily use to guide their clients. The book is user friendly, and addresses all the possible excuses and roadblocks that might get a person off track. Their distinction between worry (future-oriented) and rumination (past-oriented) is particularly helpful. I have already made a list of family and friends to send this book to. Give it a try yourself! --Linda W. Craighead, PhD, professor of psychology and director of clinical training at Emory University, and author of The Appetite Awareness Workbook