What is CBT-I?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia isn't a pill, and it isn't a list of sleep hygiene tips. It's a structured, evidence-based approach to unlearning chronic insomnia.
Recommended as the preferred first-line treatment for chronic insomnia by the American College of Physicians and the Canadian Sleep Society.
Why insomnia persists (and why you aren't broken)
Insomnia usually starts with a trigger — stress, illness, a new baby, or shift work. But long after the trigger is gone, the insomnia stays. Why? Because your brain learned a new pattern.
You struggle to sleep due to a temporary stressor.
You start worrying about how much sleep you'll get tonight.
You spend more time in bed awake, teaching your brain that bed = awake.
CBT-I works by breaking this cycle. We help you unlearn the anxiety and retrain your brain to associate your bed with rest.
How CBT-I compares
Sleep Hygiene
Tips like keeping the room dark, avoiding screens, and drinking chamomile tea.
- Good for general health and mild sleep issues
- Rarely fixes chronic insomnia on its own
- Can increase anxiety if you follow all the rules and still can't sleep
Sleep Medication
Prescription or over-the-counter pills for sleep.
- Can provide short-term, immediate relief
- Masks symptoms without fixing the root cause
- Risk of dependency and side effects (grogginess)
CBT-I
A structured program to change the thoughts and behaviours keeping you awake.
- Treats the root cause of chronic insomnia
- Results are long-lasting and persist after treatment ends
- No side effects or dependency risks
How CBT-I actually works
CBT-I is a toolkit. Depending on your specific situation, we pull the right tools at the right time to help you unlearn insomnia.
Rebuild Your Sleep Drive
Your body already knows how to sleep — it just needs the right conditions. We use specific scheduling techniques to help you rebuild that natural biological drive, so sleep stops feeling like a struggle and starts feeling inevitable.
Make Your Bed Mean Sleep Again
If your brain has learned to associate your bed with scrolling, worrying, or tossing and turning, it will stay awake the moment you lie down. We help your brain relearn that the bed is only for rest.
Quiet the Thought Loops
Those racing 3 AM thoughts aren't random — they're a learned pattern. We help you see them clearly, challenge the anxiety around sleep, and take away the power of the performance anxiety keeping you awake.
Set Up Your Environment
Small, practical changes to light exposure, caffeine timing, exercise, and your physical space. We remove the biological roadblocks getting in the way of your body's natural sleep-wake cycle.
Calm Your Nervous System
When you're exhausted but wired, your nervous system is stuck in 'fight or flight'. We give you concrete tools to help your body shift into 'rest and digest' so sleep can actually happen.
Stay Sleeping — For Good
This isn't a quick fix. We help you build a personalized relapse prevention plan so you know exactly what to do when a bad night happens in the future, preventing it from turning into chronic insomnia again.
of people with chronic insomnia see significant improvement with CBT-I.
sessions is the typical length of active treatment to see lasting results.
recommended first-line treatment by major medical and sleep societies globally.
Who CBT-I helps
Insomnia doesn't exist in a vacuum. It shows up differently depending on your life — and CBT-I can be adapted to all of these situations.
Shift Workers
Rotating schedules that fight your body clock
Perimenopause & Menopause
Hormonal changes disrupting sleep
ADHD & Neurodivergence
Racing minds that won't shut off
Chronic Pain
Pain and sleep trapped in a feedback loop
Anxiety & Depression
Mental health and insomnia fuelling each other
Cancer Treatment
Sleep disrupted by treatment and worry
New Parents
Can't sleep even when the baby finally does
Long-Term Insomnia
Months or years of broken sleep patterns
Not sure if CBT-I is right for your situation? That's exactly what the free consultation is for.
How we deliver CBT-I
Group CBT-I Program
$195/week · 6 weeks · Led by Leah or Marlee
Our signature program. Unlearn insomnia alongside a small group of people who actually get it. Specific groups available for shift work, perimenopause, ADHD, chronic pain, and women-only.
Learn About Group CBT-ISelf-Guided Online Course
$250 · Lifetime Access
Work through the complete CBT-I protocol entirely at your own pace with our structured online curriculum. Perfect if you prefer to learn independently, are self-motivated, or aren't ready for group sessions.
Learn About CoursePrivate options available. Prefer 1:1 sessions or have a complex situation? Inquire for details.
Book a Free 15-Min ChatCommon Questions about CBT-I
How long does CBT-I take to work?
Does CBT-I work for everyone?
Can I do CBT-I while taking sleep medication?
Is CBT-I covered by insurance in Canada?
Do I need a doctor's referral?
Curious if CBT-I is right for you?
Let's talk. We'll listen to what's going on with your sleep and give you honest feedback on whether this approach can help.
Book a Free 15-Min Chat