Basic Counseling Skills
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  • A. TECHNIQUES
  • Pattern of Sessions
  • Active Listening
  • Body Language
  • Asking Questions
  • Paraphrasing/Tone
  • Summary
  • Note Taking
  • Homework
  • Goodie Bag/Fun Stuff
  • Technique References
  • B. THEORIES
  • Client Centered
  • Holistic/Biopsychosocial
  • Strengths Based
  • Cognitive/Behavioral
  • Solution Focused
  • Existential Therapy
  • Letting Go
  • Theory References
  • C. SAMPLE SESSIONS
  • 1. Client Centered Counseling
  • 2.&3. No Show/Cancellation
  • 4. Strengths Based
  • 5. Cognitive Beh. Counseling
  • 6. Holistic Health Counseling
  • 7. Solution Focused
  • 8. Existential Counseling
  • 9. Becoming Unnecessary
  • D. SELF HELP
  • Journaling
  • Mood Mapping
  • Whole Health Check In
  • Community Resources
  • Ten Things I Like About Me
  • Common Lies We Tell
  • Goal-Setting
  • A Why to Bear a How
  • Happy People
  • Self-Help References
  • E. CONTINUING EDUCATION
  • F. SITE MAP
  • G. CONTACT ME!
  • H. Readers Contributions
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        • How I Put Anxiety Attacks on Pause
        • 8 Effective Tips for Improving Mental Health - Camille Johnson
        • Manage And Reduce Stress For Your Employees With These Tips - Rufus Carters
        • Moving Forward When Grief Intrudes in Your Life - Camille J
        • Working Remotely - Emma Grace Brown
        • Unlock Greater Confidence - Rufus Carter
        • Coping With a Mid-Life Crisis - Rufus Carter
        • 6 Self-Care Tips - Laurie Abner
        • Help a Loved One After the Loss of a Spouse - Rufus CarterNew Page
        • Relocating After a Tragic Loss - Lucille Rosetti
        • Guidelines for Teens Who Want to Thrive as Entrepreneurs - Lucille Rosetti
        • 5 Common Lifestyle Habits That Can Cause Skin Damage - Andrew Mark
        • What to Do if a Loved One Is Battling Addiction
        • From Addiction Recovery to Financial Independence
        • Major Life Transition - Ryan Randolph
        • Find Your True Path - Ryan Randolk
        • Officers Coping With PTSD - Ryan Randolph
        • Self-Care Secrets for the Rookie Caregiver - Ryan Randolf
        • Self-Care Building Blocks for Improving Your Mental Health - Cheryl Conklin
        • Avoiding Burnout in the Counseling Profession
  • Reset Your Day Without Burning Out
  • The Big 6 Personality Traits
  • When Everything Breaks, Something Begins - Holli Richardson
  • Simple, Sustainable Gifting

Therapeutic Approaches for Treating Insomnia - Sally W.

As many as 1 in 4 Americans experience insomnia each year, and about 6% go on to develop a chronic sleep disorder. Insomnia Disorder exists as its own diagnosis in the DSM V, and as a comorbid condition with other psychiatric diagnoses. An effective treatment plan for clients who have insomnia may include a combination of therapies, medications and lifestyle changes. Therapists should keep pace with the most advanced  and recent therapeutic treatments for insomnia to help clients achieve better outcomes of care. 

Overcoming Nightmares with Imagery Rehearsal Therapy

Persistent nightmares can disrupt sleep and cause a fear aversion to falling asleep at night. People who have  PTSD and anxiety disorder frequently report experiencing vivid, frightening dreams that affect sleep quality. Nightmare Disorder is categorized as one of 11 sleep-wake disorders in the DSM V, however, it frequently contributes to and exacerbates Insomnia Disorder. Imagery Rehearsal Therapy is a form of CBT, which focuses on revisiting central themes in the narrative of recurring nightmares and imagining favorable alternative outcomes. The concept of exercising control over dream states is nothing new; reports of lucid dreaming date back to 1000 BCE and can occur spontaneously. IRT borrows elements from lucid dreaming, and is a controlled writing exercise, performed under the guidance of an experienced therapist. The process of IRT involves recording the content of a disturbing, recurring nightmare, then rewriting the story with a  positive ending. Before falling asleep, the client reads their rewritten version of the dream as a guide to overcome the nightmare.
 

Conditioning Sleep with Stimulus Control Therapy 

Stimulus Control Therapy focuses on behavioral changes for treating insomnia, and strengthening cues associated with bedtime and the bedroom. Conditioning a sleep response involves eliminating distracting stimuli from the sleep environment, and building associations of peace and restfulness.  Guidelines for stimulus control therapy include spending no more than 20 minutes lying awake in bed, avoiding behaviors that reward staying awake, like late night eating and TV watching, skipping naps and maintaining consistent waking time. The bedroom should be a designated space for sleep and intimacy; activities like working, exercising and  eating should take place outside the bedroom.

Mindfulness Practice and Meditation to Reduce Stress

Mindfulness meditation is designed to promote relaxation and bring non-judgmental awareness to the present moment. Engaging the senses and focusing on breathing patterns are common techniques in mindfulness practice. Stress and anxiety can be a root cause for insomnia and other sleep disorders; meditation as a coping mechanism for stress can make it easier to  fall asleep. Introduce your clients to mindful meditation with guided exercises and encourage them to practice these techniques on their own before falling asleep. 
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Treating insomnia can be complex and often involves a team of specialists, including physicians, psychiatrists and therapists. Maintain communication with the rest of your client’s treatment team and adapt a dynamic approach to care. Fortunately, there are a variety of therapies available and new therapies emerging for successfully treating insomnia.

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