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Therapy for Insomnia Sydney

Good sleep isn't a luxury, and when it becomes a struggle, there is evidence-based support available.

When Sleep Becomes a Problem

Most of us know what a bad night's sleep feels like, the fog, the irritability, the sense of just getting through the day. But for many people, poor sleep is not a one-off experience. It is a persistent, exhausting pattern that affects mood, concentration, relationships, physical health, and overall quality of life.

Sleep difficulties are remarkably common in Australia, and they are also remarkably undertreated. Many people spend years relying on sleep medication, or simply accepting poor sleep as their normal, not knowing that there is a highly effective, non-medication-based approach that is recommended as the first-line treatment.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is that approach, and it can make a significant and lasting difference.

Understanding Sleep Difficulties

Sleep difficulties exist on a spectrum, from short-term disruption to chronic insomnia disorder. Understanding where you sit on that spectrum can help guide the most appropriate support.

Short-Term Insomnia

Difficulty falling or staying asleep lasting less than three months, often linked to a specific stressor, life event, or change in circumstances. May resolve on its own or with brief support.

Chronic Insomnia Disorder

Persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early, occurring on at least three nights per week for three or more months, and causing significant daytime impairment. An estimated 15% of Australian adults, approximately 3.5 million people, meet criteria for chronic insomnia disorder.

Comorbid Insomnia

Insomnia frequently occurs alongside other conditions. Research suggests that insomnia co-occurs with another mental or physical health condition in approximately 80% of cases, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and PTSD. Addressing sleep difficulties can have meaningful positive effects on these co-occurring conditions.

How common is it?

Nearly half of all Australian adults report at least two sleep-related problems, and around 60% report sleep symptoms occurring three or more nights per week. If you are struggling with sleep, you are not alone.

Therapy for Insomnia Sydney

How Sleep Difficulties Show Up

Sleep difficulties may include any combination of the following:

  • Difficulty falling asleep at bedtime, despite feeling tired

  • Waking frequently during the night and struggling to return to sleep

  • Waking too early and being unable to fall back asleep

  • Unrefreshing or poor quality sleep despite adequate time in bed

  • Significant daytime consequences: fatigue, irritability, concentration difficulties, mood disturbance

  • Anxiety and dread around bedtime: a "pre-sleep" worry about not sleeping

  • Increasing dependence on sleep aids, alcohol, or other substances to sleep

These difficulties may be worth seeking support for when they are occurring regularly and affecting your daytime functioning. You do not need to wait until sleep deprivation is severe.

Ready to finally get support that can have a lasting impact?

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Therapist for Insomnia Sydney

How Therapy May Help

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

CBT-I is recommended as the first-line treatment for insomnia by Australian and international clinical guidelines, including the RACGP and the Australasian Sleep Association. It is recommended ahead of sleep medication, which does not address the underlying patterns maintaining insomnia and is associated with risks of tolerance and dependence. 

CBT-I typically involves 6 to 8 sessions and addresses both the behavioural and cognitive factors that maintain chronic insomnia. Evidence from multiple clinical trials support its effectiveness in improving sleep quality and duration, with benefits that are typically maintained for months to years after treatment ends, unlike medication. 

Components of CBT-I may include:

  • Sleep restriction: temporarily consolidating sleep to strengthen the sleep drive
  • Stimulus control: rebuilding the association between bed and sleep
  • Sleep hygiene: practical changes to sleep environment and habits
  • Cognitive restructuring: addressing the anxious beliefs and attitudes about sleep that fuel the cycle
  • Relaxation training: reducing the physiological arousal that interferes with sleep onset

What Can I Expect from Therapy?

Step 1: Sleep Assessment

Your psychologist will gather a thorough picture of your sleep difficulties: history, pattern, contributing factors, and impact on your daytime functioning.

Step 2: Sleep Diary

You will be asked to complete a brief daily sleep diary in the first week or two, providing the data needed to personalise your treatment.

Step 3: Psychoeducation and Planning

Together, you will develop an understanding of the factors maintaining your insomnia and begin implementing a personalised CBT-I plan.

Step 4: Skill-Building and Adjustment

Over the following sessions, you will work through the key CBT-I components, adjusting the plan based on your sleep diary data and progress.

Step 5: Consolidating and Maintaining

Final sessions focus on sustaining your progress, addressing any remaining difficulties, and preparing for future disruptions to sleep.

Who We Support

People With Long-Standing Insomnia

Whether your sleep difficulties have been present for months or years, CBT-I can be effective at any stage of chronic insomnia.

People Wanting to Reduce Sleep Medication

CBT-I is well-suited to those wanting to reduce or come off sleep medication. Your psychologist can work alongside your GP to support a gradual, safe tapering process where appropriate. 

People With Co-Occurring Anxiety or Depression

Sleep difficulties frequently co-occur with anxiety and depression, and improving sleep can have meaningful positive effects on mood and anxiety. Therapy can address both. 

People Experiencing Stress-Related Sleep Difficulties

Significant life stressors, bereavement, relationship breakdown, work pressure, health changes, often disrupt sleep. Therapy can help before short-term insomnia becomes entrenched.

People With Chronic Pain or Health Condition

Insomnia is particularly common in people managing chronic pain or health conditions. CBT-I can be adapted for these presentations. 
Therapy for Insomnia in Sydney

Fees and Medicare Rebates

Initial Assessment (50 minutes):

$320 per session (Approx. $170.95 after Medicare rebate)

Ongoing Individual Therapy Sessions (50 minutes):

$300 per session (Approx. $150.95 after Medicare rebate)
Under the Better Access Initiative, Australians with a Mental Health Treatment Plan from their GP are eligible for Medicare rebates on up to 10 individual psychology sessions per calendar year. A referral from your GP, psychiatrist, or paediatrician is required to access this rebate.

Please contact us to discuss fees and rebate eligibility, or to find out more about our cancellation policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Clinical evidence and guidelines consistently support CBT-I as the preferred first-line treatment for chronic insomnia over sleep medication. While medication may provide short-term relief, it does not address the underlying patterns maintaining insomnia and is associated with risks of tolerance and dependence with long-term use. CBT-I, by contrast, produces improvements that are typically sustained after treatment ends.
This is worth exploring. CBT-I delivered by a trained clinician, with personalised pacing and adjustment, can be more effective than self-guided approaches. Please discuss your previous experience at your initial assessment.
Sleep restriction, one component of CBT-I, can temporarily increase sleepiness in the early stages of treatment. This is a normal part of the process and typically resolves as the sleep drive is strengthened. Your therapist will pace this carefully and monitor your response.
Yes. Sleep difficulties can be related to anxiety, depression, chronic pain, sleep apnoea, restless legs syndrome, and other conditions. If there is any concern about an underlying sleep disorder (such as sleep apnoea), assessment by your GP or a sleep physician may be recommended alongside psychological therapy.
Many people begin to notice improvement within the first few weeks of CBT-I, though the pace varies. The full course of treatment typically extends over 6 to 8 sessions, with ongoing consolidation of gains after therapy ends.
Yes. Chronic sleep difficulties are associated with significantly increased risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, and addressing insomnia can have meaningful positive effects on these areas. 
Yes, though the approach may need some adaptation. Please discuss your schedule at your initial assessment and your therapist will tailor the plan to your circumstances.
Yes. CBT-I can be effectively delivered via telehealth. Sessions are available online for those who prefer the convenience and flexibility of this format.

Meet Your Psychologist

Dr Bernadette Maunick is a registered clinical psychologist based in Sydney with extensive experience supporting people experiencing stress, anxiety, mood, sleep and related difficulties. She understands that sleep difficulties often stem from a racing mind, unhelpful habits around bedtime, or an overactive stress response, and approaches this work with warmth, curiosity, and respect for each person's individual experience.

For Bernadette's full biography and experience, please visit our Team page.

Dr Bernadette Maunick

Why FORME Psychology

Evidence-informed care

CBT-I is the gold-standard, first-line treatment for insomnia, and the approach used at FORME Psychology is grounded in current clinical evidence and best practice guidelines.

A personalised approach

Sleep difficulties are shaped by individual patterns, history, and circumstances. Your therapy will be tailored to your specific situation and adjusted based on your progress.

Practical and results-focused

Sleep therapy is largely skills-based, you will leave each session with practical tools to apply. Many people notice meaningful change within weeks.

Telehealth available

Online sessions are available and fully supported.


Ready to Take the Next Step?

You don't have to accept poor sleep as your normal. Effective, evidence-based support is available, and for most people with chronic insomnia, it can make a significant and lasting difference.
Book now
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