The Insomnia Clinic

The Insomnia Clinic: CBT-i therapy and sleep support across the UK

The Insomnia Clinic is a specialist insomnia service founded by Kathryn Pinkham, described as an insomnia specialist and former NHS consultant. The clinic presents itself as the UK’s largest insomnia specialist service and states that it provides access to expert care regardless of location through an online course or specialist one-to-one sessions. Its approach is rooted in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), which the clinic describes as the recommended treatment for poor sleep.

Kathryn Pinkham states that she has helped thousands of people understand their sleep difficulties over the past 17 years. She created the Sleep Well & Live Better course, which the clinic says has helped over 5,000 people achieve better sleep. The clinic also trains and supports a network of qualified insomnia specialists.

How the clinic approaches insomnia

The Insomnia Clinic’s method focuses on identifying and changing the habits and thought processes associated with insomnia. Rather than concentrating on sleep hygiene advice such as caffeine intake or room temperature, the programme addresses the behaviours and worries that may be maintaining poor sleep. The clinic states that CBT-I helps overcome the underlying causes of sleep problems, unlike sleeping pills, and teaches clients to use their own body clock and sleep drive to control their sleep pattern.

The treatment process is structured around three areas: re-setting the body clock, rebuilding the connection between bed and sleep, and managing beliefs and thoughts about sleep. The clinic says the first step involves removing behaviours that may be making sleep worse. It then works on falling asleep quickly and sleeping through the night, including techniques to fall back to sleep after waking. Finally, it addresses sleep anxiety and a racing mind before bed.

Online programmes

The clinic offers two self-paced online programmes with personal support along the way:

• Sleep Well & Live Better: priced at £225.
• Sleep Well During Menopause: priced at £225.

The Sleep Well & Live Better course is described as following a step-by-step approach created by Kathryn Pinkham.

One-to-one treatment

Individual sessions are available with trained insomnia specialists. These sessions take place online and are priced from £120 per hour. The clinic states that the one-to-one treatment is personal support for sleep difficulties, with a plan tailored to the individual’s needs.

Sleep support for organisations

The Insomnia Clinic works with organisations to help employees sleep well and perform better. It provides workplace sleep programmes and specialist individual treatment, and helps organisations understand how poor sleep is affecting their people. The clinic states that its corporate work aims to reduce absenteeism, improve employee well-being and enhance performance. Kathryn Pinkham has worked with organisations including Lloyd Bank, JP Morgan, Deloitte and the NHS, and partners with David Lloyd Clubs.

Resources and public profile

The clinic maintains a blog and a resources section that includes articles on sleeping without pills, menopause and sleep, cognitive behavioural therapy, and the clinic’s treatment process. It also offers free webinars, including a general insomnia webinar and a menopause insomnia webinar, and video content with tips for sleeping well during menopause and managing anxiety. Kathryn Pinkham has been featured on ITV.

The Insomnia Clinic is registered in England and Wales No. 11039695.