Abstract
Can short-term psychotherapy be used to treat chronic insomnia? I believe that in many cases it can, with minimal use of behavioral or pharmacological interventions, and with complete eradication of the insomnia problem.
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Recommended Readings
Kales, A., Kales, J. D. (1984). Evaluation and treatment of insomnia. New York: Oxford University Press. This book focuses on common psychodynamic factors underlying chronic insomnia, as well as some of the typical resistances encountered in insomniac patients. This text is quite useful in helping a clinician develop a formulation based on underlying emotional issues, although the treatment approach advocated is different from mine and follows a more traditional psychoanalytic model.
MacKinnon, R. A., Michels, R. (1971). The psychiatric interview in clinical practice. Philadelphia: Saunders. This is a brief textbook on understanding the psychodynamics of various personality types and symptom complaints, which can be quite valuable in orienting a therapist to the underlying emotional issues likely to be key to effective problem resolution.
Sifneos, P. E. (1987). Short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Evaluation and technique (2nd ed.). New York: Plenum Press. This book provides an excellent model for the use of psychodynamic formula- tions in an active and short-term psychotherapy that focuses on helping the patient recognize and break through emotional blocks and conflicts. While there is no direct application to insomnia, the form of treatment I describe is derived in part from the Sifneos model.
References
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Borson, A.J. (1991). Short-Term Psychotherapy for Chronic Insomnia. In: Hauri, P.J. (eds) Case Studies in Insomnia. Critical Issues in Psychiatry. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9586-8_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9586-8_7
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