Sleep issues · Making room for rest

When sleep
becomes a struggle.

Do you have difficulty falling asleep, wake during the night, or feel tired even after a full night in bed? Perhaps a disturbing dream stays with you long after you wake.

Sleep deserves our attention. My studies of sleep and dreams changed the way I thought about rest. Understanding your difficulty is a better starting point than assuming there is one answer for everyone.

Before We Meet

Illustrative image of a woman sitting thoughtfully by a window

A few questions to consider

What are your nights like?

01 · Your nights

What has changed?

When did the difficulty begin? Is it falling asleep, staying asleep, nightmares, or waking unrefreshed?

02 · Your feelings

What comes up at night?

Do worries grow louder when the day becomes quiet? Does a difficult experience or dream leave you unsettled?

03 · Your days

How are you feeling?

Are you unusually sleepy, struggling to concentrate, or finding daily activities harder?

These are questions for your reflection only.

My approach

The emotional
side of sleep.

My practice is primarily based in EMDR. I want to understand the worries, feelings and experiences that may be affecting your rest, as well as the other factors that need attention.

For some people, nightmares and difficulty sleeping follow a traumatic experience. EMDR may help when distressing experiences are affecting sleep. Let’s discuss together whether EMDR is appropriate for you, including your readiness and the preparation involved.

EMDR is not an answer to every sleep problem. We can also discuss other ways your sleep may be improved.

Dreams and what they bring up

Your perspective
matters.

Dreams have interested me for many years. They can be vivid, confusing, moving or frightening. A dream may bring up feelings or concerns you would like to explore in counselling.

The feelings in a dream, your own associations and the circumstances of your life matter. A dream image does not have one fixed meaning for everyone. Exploring dreams can help us better understand your feelings and concerns.

If you want to bring a dream to counselling, write down what you remember and how you felt. A few words or a sketch may be enough. There’s no need to fill in missing pieces or to arrive at an interpretation. We will explore this together.

Sensible next steps

Where could you begin?

Medical assessment

Check what needs attention.

Speak with your healthcare provider if difficulties persist or affect daily life.
Ask about loud snoring, gasping, pauses in breathing or significant daytime sleepiness. These deserve assessment for possible sleep apnea or another sleep disorder.

Counselling · EMDR

Discuss what troubles you.

Notice worries, nightmares or difficult experiences you would like help with.
Discuss whether counselling and, when appropriate, EMDR for trauma-related concerns fit your needs.

Everyday sleep support

Make room for rest.

Try regular sleeping and waking times.
Make your bedroom quiet and comfortable, and allow time to wind down.
Notice how caffeine, alcohol and evening activities affect your nights.

Everyday changes can support sleep. If the difficulty continues, seek an assessment and a plan suited to what is happening for you.

A thoughtful first step

Before we meet.

If worry, difficult experiences or troubling dreams are affecting your sleep, I invite you to click the Before We Meet button. You can tell me what you would like help with.

James MiklosRegistered Psychotherapist