Sleep Management Training Program

Sleep medicine has become an increasingly important field of study in recent years, growing along with our burgeoning knowledge of sleep science and heightened awareness of sleep disorders. However, the need for clinical practitioners has far outstripped the medical field’s ability to train certified practitioners. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the primary certifying organization for sleep clinicians, lists approximately 10,000 members in 2012¹. This may seem like a significant number, but when considering that the size of the current US adult population exceeds 250 million² and studies by the Institute of Medicine reporting 50-70 million adult Americans with sleep problems³, clearly there are not nearly enough trained clinicians to meet the need.

There are many healthcare providers in all medical fields who have clients presenting with significant sleep issues that, at minimum, impact the quality of care, if not actually require management. In the course of treating a variety of maladies — in particular mood disorders which almost always have a disordered sleep component — basic knowledge of sleep medicine may go a long way toward providing comprehensive and improved clinical care.

Most insurers today recognize the pervasiveness of sleep disorders, their impact on other diseases processes and contribution to increase use of healthcare facilities, so consequently provide reimbursement. Finally, while there exist Board-certifying training programs, these are multiple year fellowships offered to highly trained medical professionals and are few. There are just not enough training programs to go around. Further, there are many healthcare providers who have neither the time nor the inclination to put their practices on hold while they spend 2-3 years acquiring the necessary training to become sleep specialists.

The Your Optimal Nature Sleep & Insomnia Management programs can be taken in a series of weekly consecutive weeknight sessions offered throughout the year, and are compatible with managing an active clinical practice at the same time. All sessions are audio/video recorded for later review and/or make-up. Classes are purposefully kept small to allow time for in depth discussion, any and all questions to be asked and answered, and individual case supervision. The SMC program provides specific training to manage sleep at a Basic (Level 1), Advanced (Level 2) or Master level (Level 3), depending on your particular needs.

REFERENCES:

¹ http://www.aasmnet.org/aboutaasm.aspx

² http://www.statisticbrain.com/sleeping-disorder-statistics/US Census Bureau 2012

³ Institute of Medicine. Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2006.

Sleep Management Level 1

Basic Level 1 includes an overview of normal sleep, how to recognize the cardinal signs of primary sleep disorders, in particular insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy, and when to manage or refer to a sleep specialist. Participants will gain confidence in managing basic sleep issues and identifying features of more complex sleep disorders.

Level 1 provides a firm and required foundation for understanding and managing more ingrained sleep problems like chronic insomnia and sleep apnea compliance taught in Level 2 and Level 3 certifications, respectively.

One case study, actual or made-up, is required to be presented for supervision and completion of this level. This “requirement” is to encourage making the material relevant for you in your practice–having a case study allows you to see how it works in real life. In the absence of a clinical case you make one up, using the material you learn along the way. It just has to “make sleep sense” which is what the course will help you to accomplish.

Who should take Basic Level 1 Sleep Management?

Full-time practitioners who regularly manage clients, some presenting with sleep issues.
Part-time practitioners who want to expand their offerings to include sleep management.
Healthcare providers who want to understand how sleep affects healing systems and possibly offer basic sleep advice.
Coaches, trainers and any professionals who want an understanding of how optimal sleep underlies optimal performance, and how to obtain it.

Next Basic Level 1 Sleep Management Program will run on 6 consecutive Wednesday eves (exception-Class 5, on TUESDAY April 9) from 7pm – 9pm EST (GMT -5hr), and begins:

March13, 2024— Register today!

Standard Registration

To register and pay in full:

$599 Full Payment

To reserve a spot with $100 non-refundable deposit:

$100 Deposit

NeurOptimal® PASS Registration

To register and pay in full:

$500 Full Payment

To reserve a spot with $100 non-refundable deposit:

$100 Deposit

Night Club Members Registration

To register and pay in full:

$299 Full Payment

To reserve a spot with $100 non-refundable deposit:

$100 Deposit

(If you elect to register with a deposit, your balance is due by the first class unless personal request to extend payments has been granted. In all cases final balances are due by 3rd class.)

Insomnia Management Advanced Level 2

Level 2 delves more deeply into understanding and managing insomnia, the most prevalent of all sleep disorders.

SMC 1 graduates extend their knowledge of basic sleep management approaches like good sleep hygiene, to implementing cognitive behavioral strategies designed to treat chronic insomnia cases.

An integral component of advanced insomnia management, BioBehavioral techniques are taught to facilitate long-term changes in sleep patterns, decrease internal hyperarousal and increase adherence to beneficial behaviors for chronic insomniacs.

Additionally, this level provides instruction for improving compliance with treatment devices prescribed for sleep apnea clients, reducing anxiety associated with other sleep disorders, and follow-up management of all sleep clients.

Three case studies are required to be presented for supervision and completion of this level.

NOTE: Advanced Level 2 requires a 4 to 6 month commitment. Classes meet monthly, which allows enough time to work with clients in various stages of clinical management, and to develop full clinical presentations. Dates are flexible and can vary depending on needs of the class members. All classes will be recorded though attendance is strongly encouraged!

Who should take Advanced Level 2 Insomnia Management?

Full-time practitioners who regularly manage clients, many presenting with sleep issues.
Part-time practitioners who want to expand their offerings and focus on insomnia and/or stress management.
Healthcare providers who want to understand how sleep interacts with healing systems, or offer biobehavioral stress management tools and techniques to their clients.
Coaches, trainers and any professionals who want an understanding of how optimal sleep underlies optimal performance and offer biobehavioral stress management tools and techniques to foster sleep.
Those who have completed SM Level I

Next SMC Advanced Level 2 Insomnia Management Program will be held for ~4-6 consecutive months on a Wednesday evening (May 22, June 19, Jul 17, Aug 21, Sept 18, Oct 16), from 7pm – 9pm EST (GMT -5hr), and begins:

May 22, 2024— Register today!

Standard Registration

To register and pay in full:

$599 Full Payment

To reserve a spot with $100 non-refundable deposit:

$100 Deposit

NeurOptimal® PASS Registration

To register and pay in full:

$500 Full Payment

To reserve a spot with $100 non-refundable deposit:

$100 Deposit

(If you elect to register with a deposit, your balance is due by the first class unless personal request to extend payments has been granted. In all cases final balances are due by 3rd class.)

Sleep Management Master Level 3

Level 3 has two components that reflect the status of Sleep Management Master.

The first recognizes the advanced trainer’s clinical expertise in implementing the various BioBehavioral techniques and sleep therapy strategies in actual case studies, with supervision. There is a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 12 months following Level II training required to provide adequate time for at least six clients to be successfully managed with four of these as case study presentations.

The second component of this level seeks to require enough in depth knowledge of sleep medicine to enable the trainee to teach Basic Level I of this Sleep Management Program. An oral exam is required for the teaching component to demonstrate the trainees’ grasp of relevant sleep issues and or constraints that may arise during the course of sleep management and or teaching Level I.

Essentially, Level III training requires the trainee to attain significant clinical experience and teaching ability.

Who should take Master Level 3 Management?

Full-time practitioners who regularly manage clients, many or most of whom present with sleep issues.
Full-time practitioners who want to shift their management focus to clients presenting with sleep issues.
Part-time practitioners who want to expand their offerings, focus on insomnia and/or stress management and be able to teach these practices.
Healthcare providers who want to understand how sleep interacts with healing systems, offer biobehavioral stress management tools and techniques to their clients, and be able to effectively teach these practices.
Coaches, trainers and any professionals who want an understanding of how optimal sleep underlies optimal performance, offer biobehavioral stress management tools and techniques to foster sleep, and be able to effectively teach these techniques to other professionals.

Coming Soon