Sleep disturbances and trauma are intrinsically linked—so why aren’t therapists trained in sleep repair?

Anyone who has suffered from trauma knows what it means to have sleepless nights. In fact, research has shown that at the heart of both trauma and sleep disorders is a dysregulated brainstem with heightened sympathetic nervous system activity. Yet, current trauma treatments largely ignore this profound interconnection between trauma and sleep. Putting Trauma to Sleep proposes that incorporating a therapeutic TABS model (traumatic events, attachment disturbances, bodily symptoms, sleep repair), therapists can better aid their clients in both healing from trauma and restoring sleep.

With practical clinical approaches and illustrative case examples, sleep specialists Jaan Reitav and Celeste Thirlwell demonstrate how therapists and their clients can integrate sleep repair into trauma work by enhancing parasympathetic nervous system tone and actively attending to shock reactions in the body. Dysfunctional sleeping patterns have been ignored for too long within the psychotherapy sphere; this indispensable resource will transform readers’ understanding of both sleep and trauma therapy.

Jaan Reitav's profile page

Celeste Thirlwell's profile page

Jaan Reitav, PhD, a clinical psychologist working in Toronto, is certified in complex trauma and is a diplomate in behavioral sleep medicine.

Celeste Thirlwell, MD, is a doctor of humanitarian services with a background in sleep medicine, psychiatry, and neurosurgery. She resides in Toronto.

Fantastically insightful and meticulously researched, it is an excellent resource for trauma therapists looking to up their game and provide their patients with immensely valuable help. With [a] holistic approach, trauma sufferers are guided toward the most supportive neurobiological framework for deep healing.—Clare Johnson, PhD, author of Elixir of Sleep and past president and CEO of the International Association for the Study of Dreams. www.deepluciddreaming.com

A rich introduction to sleep neuroscience and the treatment of sleep disturbance. Their hypothesis that shock—at a brainstem level—is the origin of sleep disturbance is supported and astutely observed by the authors’ review of the latest neuroscientific research. This elegant hypothesis is nourished by several case studies using a novel therapeutic approach.—Hannah Young, PhD, coauthor of Deep Brain Reorienting: Understanding the Neuroscience of Trauma, Attachment Wounding, and DBR Psychotherapy

Putting Trauma to Sleep is a deeply academic dive into how trauma affects our brains, our bodies, and our sleep. It opened my eyes to many new things, and I think you should read it. —Robin Shapiro, LICSW, psychotherapist, clinical consultant, lecturer, and author of The Trauma Treatment Handbook and EMDR Solutions I and II