How Therapists Can Help Clients Finally Sleep: An Interview with Jessica Fink, LCSW-S

Curt and Katie interview sleep specialist Jessica Fink, LCSW-S, about what therapists often misunderstand about sleep—and what actually helps when clients are stuck in cycles of insomnia, nighttime anxiety, or maladaptive sleep behaviors. Jessica breaks down the limits of sleep hygiene, the fundamentals of CBT-I, what to do when clients wake up at 3 a.m. spiraling, how to distinguish tired vs. sleepy, and why wearables and blue light might be overrated concerns. She also shares how therapists can confidently assess sleep disorders and support behavioral sleep change without overmedicalizing the issue.

Sleep hygiene is prevention—not treatment for insomnia.

CBT-I is counterintuitive: don’t go to bed until sleepy, and get out of bed if awake too long.

A consistent wake time matters more than bedtime.

Blue light isn’t the enemy most people think it is.

Wearables can increase anxiety and worsen sleep perfectionism (“orthosomnia”).

Therapists play a crucial role even in medically driven sleep disorders like sleep apnea.

Scheduled “constructive worry” times can reduce nighttime rumination.

Full show notes and transcript available at:
https://mtsgpodcast.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano – https://groomsymusic.com/