The management of sleep issues in people living with neurodiversity

This is a recording of our September 2021 webinar and ran for longer than our usual webinars at 1.5 hours.

The session includes an introduction to the science of sleep and then goes on to describe the various types of insomnia, contextualised by use of case examples; before introducing a range of assessment and treatment options, with an especial focus on the assessment and treatment of sleep in adult working populations.

The session aim was to: raise awareness about sleep and sleeping problems in various client-groups; inform participants about the various issues that accompany insomnia; and provide them with a range of skills including an introduction to assessment approaches and various treatment options that have proven efficacy, namely the NICE recommended primary treatment pathway for insomnia disorder: CBT for Insomnia (CBTi).

Following the session participants should be able to recognise the presence and importance of sleep disturbances, and also provide them with some initial strategies to manage sleeping problems more effectively using evidence-based behavioural sleep medicine as recommended by the NICE.

This session provided an especial focus on the management of sleep issues in people living with neurodiversity.

Presenter: Dr David Lee BSc PhD CertEd CPsychol AFBPsS CSci.

Originally a Human Biologist, but then conducted a PhD in Sleep Psychology at Loughborough University’s internationally renowned Sleep Research Centre examining sleep and associated quality of life in vulnerable, clinical groups. Since then he has held academic posts at Bradford and Newcastle Universities, lecturing in Psycho-behavioural Treatments for Insomnia and holds a certificate in higher education practice.

He has trained in the delivery of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi) and Good Clinical Practice, was registered as Newcastle University’s Sleep Expert; has made several appearances on local and national radio; and presented as ‘Dr Sleep’ at recent Newcastle ScienceFest events. He has delivered training and teaching workshops / seminars to a range of healthcare professionals including: Psychiatrists, Psychologists, GPs, Nurses, Midwives, Counsellors, Psychotherapists, Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Occupational Therapists, Case Managers etc… and delivered training in this field for the British Psychological Society for a number of years.

He provides consultation to companies and individuals relating to sleep and has provided expert witness testimony to The Court. He is a member of the British Sleep Society and the World Association of Sleep Medicine, a Member and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Chartered Psychologist and a Chartered Scientist. Findings from his own research have been published in international, peer-reviewed journals. He is author of the recently published “Teaching the World to Sleep.” 2017. Routledge, London and is Director at Headway Tyneside.

Find out more about Sleep Unlimited training here.