Dr. Brian Curtis, Ph.D., D.B.S.M.
Education
Board certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine (D.B.S.M.), Doctorate (Ph.D.) in clinical psychology, Master’s (M.S.) in neuroscience under the mentorship of Nobel Prize winning geneticist Dr. Mario Capecchi, Ph.D.
Clinical Experience
Expertise in evidence-based assessment and treatment of chronic insomnia, nightmare disorder, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder.
Research
12 years of research experience and 11 peer-reviewed scientific publications in some of the world's top journals in neuroscience and sleep medicine. Member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine (SBSM).
Personal experience
Brian knows what it's like to struggle with sleep. For 21 years, from age 10 to 31, he struggled with insomnia. By practicing the scientific skills he offers at Honest Sleep, Brian has been insomnia-free for the past 7 years. He practices what he teaches.
Treatment that works.
Chronic Insomnia:
The most effective treatment for chronic insomnia in adults involves daily monitoring of your sleep-wake pattern, targeting specific patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotions, and refining treatment over time until you're able to regularly fall asleep and stay asleep without difficulty.
Recurring Nightmares:
The most effective treatment for nightmare disorder in adults involves daily monitoring of your sleep-wake pattern, learning about the nature of nightmares, daily practice of skills targeting nightmare-related imagery, thoughts, and emotions, and refining treatment until nightmares are no longer problematic.
Chronic Stress:
Anxiety, depressed mood, post-traumatic stress, and ongoing sleep disruption negatively impacts our mental health, physical health, and can damage relationships with the people we love.
Evidence-based treatments for chronic stress involves the learning and practice of skills to increase relaxation, skillfully change our relationship to thoughts, emotions, and stressful situations, increase engagement with meaningful activities, deepen our relationships, be more present and in the moment, discover our values, and commit to living more open, flexible, authentic lives.
Chronic Insomnia.
Common. Concerning. A Vicious Cycle.
Common: 1 out of every 10 people in the general population struggle with chronic insomnia.
Concerning: Chronic insomnia is associated with increased risk for depression, anxiety, substance use, chronic pain, heart disease, and suicide. Lower your risk by treating your chronic insomnia today.
Nightmare Disorder.
No. More. Frightening. Dreams.
You're NOT alone: 5% of the general population, 50% of people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and over 70% of people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder struggle with recurring, frightening, well-remembered dreams.
Treating your nightmares directly: Even following successful treatment of co-existing difficulties like trauma and trouble regulating intense emotions, nightmares tend to remain problematic if they're not treated directly. Improve your sleep, mood, relationships, and wellbeing by treating your nightmares today.
Chronic Stress.
Anxiety. Depression. Trauma. Disconnection.
Sleeping and Stress: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing recurring nightmares often go hand-in-hand with chronic stress, including uncontrollable worry, depressed mood, stress following a traumatic experience, and feeling isolated from the people we love.
Holistic, integrated treatment: Rather than focusing on only one aspect of your health and wellbeing, we will work to build an individualized treatment plan that combines science and change with compassion and acceptance to help you finally find relief from chronic stress, to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling more energized and refreshed, and to start living a more authentic, values-based life.
Telehealth.
All our services are provided through telehealth using a secure, HIPAA-compliant software platform. Build a more honest, open, authentic, values-based life from home, work, or another private location of your choice.
Helping better. Together.
At Honest Sleep, we're dedicated to increasing human health and wellbeing. We donate 10% of our profits to the world's most effective charities through the effective altruism-focused organization GiveWell.