Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) for Occupational Therapy Online An Online Continuing Education Opportunity

What is cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold-standard treatment for chronic insomnia. CBT-I for Occupational Therapy (CBT-I for OT) is a continuing education course designed to prepare the OT practitioner to deliver CBT-I to adults with consultation or supervision.

CBT-I for OT is taught by Aaron Eakman, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, and Natalie Rolle, MOT, OTR/L.  Aaron and Natalie are established occupational therapy researchers and clinical providers of CBT-I in the CSU Department of Occupational Therapy.  From our face-to-face course, we have created a self-paced online self-study course that will impart essential understandings of sleep health, insomnia, and CBT-I.

CBT-I for OT has been updated for 2025 and offers an overview of theories of insomnia, assessment and treatment techniques, clinical stories, and a case study demonstrating how an OT can safely and effectively deliver CBT-I to treat chronic insomnia in their clients.  CBT-I for OT highlights the unique role of occupational therapy in the ADLs of sleep participation and sleep preparation and offers evidence-based principles and techniques that can be adopted across practice settings.

Upon the successful completion of CBT-I for OT, participants will receive a certificate indicating 18 contact hours (1.8 CEUs) of continuing education and be prepared to begin the delivery of CBT-I to adults with insomnia with supervision or consultation from an experienced CBT-I provider.

Register for CBT-I for OT Online

Occupational therapy is uniquely situated to promote optimal sleep in the lives of those we serve.  Given the prevalence of sleep problems, there is a great need to expand the profession’s role in promoting sleep preparation and sleep participation. This course has been designed to address this need through a comprehensive review of insomnia and its treatment using cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I is the recommended “first line” treatment for chronic insomnia and is highly effective in reducing sleep problems and improving sleep health.

Edinger JD, Arnedt JT, Bertisch SM, Carney CE, Harrington JJ, Lichstein KL, et al. Behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline. Journal Of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2020;9

The 4th Edition of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (OTPF–4) describes the central concepts that ground occupational therapy practice and includes the distinct contribution of the profession to promoting personal and community health and wellbeing. Sleep is an occupation (day-to-day activity) that is central to human health and wellbeing and an integral part of the OTPF–4. CBTI for OT will offer occupational therapists the knowledge and resources needed to begin the delivery of CBTI (with supervision or consultation) to adults with chronic insomnia.

American Journal of Occupational Therapy, August 2020, Vol. 74, 7412410010.

Register for CBT-I for OT Online

Participants in the online self-paced CBTI for OT course should achieve the following objectives:

1. Describe the role of occupational therapy in promoting sleep preparation and sleep participation.
2. Describe the two-process model of sleep, including the homeostatic sleep driver system and the circadian system.
3. Identify and demonstrate a basic understanding of factors that may predispose, precipitate, and perpetuate chronic (primary) insomnia in the adult.
4. Describe basic differences between the nine categories of sleep disorders in the ICSD 3rd edition and identify up to three reasons why differential diagnosis is important within CBT-I.
5. Describe how a daily sleep diary and assessments of sleep problems and daytime functioning are used within the delivery of CBT-I.
6. Identify and describe the main components of CBTI and how they are utilized within CBT-I treatment.
7. Describe a typical 7 session CBTI treatment and identify a core component to each session.

Register for CBT-I for OT Online