Course "Sleep-Coaching"
With the new method of "Sleep Coaching" charge up your battery for daily life! Translated quotes from the book “Schlafcoaching - Wer wach sein will muss schlafen” by Dr. Brigitte Holzinger and Gerhard Klösch
Sleepcoaching is a complex, multi-faceted treatment approach that integrates to something new various effective techniques on the ground of Gestalt Theory and Gestalt Therapy, as well as on a concept of human beings based upon Gestalt viewpoint.
The goal of this coaching process is not only a short-term symptom improvement, but a fundamental change at the end of which is found the ability of self-care and self-healing.
Sleepcoaching is based on four pillars based on Gestalt attitude, which we understand as coaching in the context of sleep coaching: sleep education (=knowledge about sleep), cognitive and behavioral therapy approaches (which can be combined with temporary medication treatment), hypnosis and relaxation techniques, dream work.
A sleepcoach always sees itself as a partner and understands those seeking help as clients and not as patients. A contact must always be on par with the client and be free from hierarchical or authoritarian structures.
T he authors themselves offer the training to sleepcoach accredited by the Medical University of Vienna. The certification course is a postgraduate course addressing physicians, non-medical personnel and psychologists, psychotherapists and representatives of any helping professions who have already a successful completion of a post-secondary degree or an equivalent non-academic training and experience in sleep-medicine.
Successful completion of the program qualifies participants to counsel, inform and help on topics related to sleep. The certificate entitles the bearer to provide non-medication-based treatments and psychological treatment concepts. The program teaches the foundation for sleep and sleep disorders (for example: sleep-education, elements from cognitive behavioral therapy, Gestalt therapy, Hypnosis, overcoming nightmares, etc.).
Qualification
The program lasts 3 semesters, it includes 164 academic hours, corresponding to 15 ECTS. Certificate: Sleep coach
All members of the teaching team are experts designated by the ASRA (Austrian Sleep Research Association) and the ESRS ( European Sleep Research Society) and each member has years of experience in the field of sleep medicine and research. Some are somnologists certified by the ESRS. You can find out more about the content, target group, costs, degree, dates and prerequisites for participation in this certificate course on the website of the Medical University of Vienna at:
Sleep coaching course modules
Basic principles of Sleepcoaching
Content: Gestalt and Gestalt supervision, communication, - Feedback rules, theory and praxis of communication, social skills, Awareness training
Sleep - Basic principles, physiology of sleep, circadian rhythm
Content: History of sleep research and sleep medicine, identification of sleep phase, Basics of chronobiology (History, definition, relevance for sleep research), method and technique of: investigation of sleep and sleep phases, assignation of healthy and pathological sleep pattern
Pathology of sleep: main topic neurology
Content: Diagnosis and treatment of neurologically induced sleep disorders (movement disorder linked to sleep, RLS, PLMS, RBD), fatigue during the day (as in parasomnia, narcolepsy etc.), epilepsy and sleep, pain, headaches during the night, migraines, sleep in the case of breathing disorders linked to a neurological matter, sleep in the case of seizures, changes of sleep behavior in cases of neurodegenerative diseases. For example, Dementia, Alzheimers, Parkinson, ALS and PLS
Psychology of sleep 1
Content: Theory and practice of investigation of sleep pattern in ambulant settings: psychological test method. For example, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), actigraphy, investigation of the circadian rhythm: chronobiology and chronotype CBT-I and other evaluated non-medication-based treatment strategies of sleep disorders (sleep deprivation, sleep education)
Lernziel: Vermittlung der Techniken der Hypnose und der Entspannung zur Bewältigung von Schlafstörungen und Albträumen
Pathology of sleep: main topic Psychiatry
Content: Diagnosis and therapy of insomnia and parasomnia, fatigue during the day, sleep disorders linked to psychiatric diseases like depression or anxiety, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, schizophrenia and psychosis, addictive disorders (alcohol addiction, eating disorders), medication-based and non-medication-based therapy approaches
Pathology of sleep: main topic pneumology, internal medicine
Content: Diagnosis and therapy in cases of sleep disorders linked to breathing and internal diseases such as, sleep apnea (obstructive or central), COPD, snoring in case of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other metabolic disorders such as CPAP, clips, dental guard against snoring, plaster, breathing exercises, exercises from speech language pathology and sports medicine
Psychology of sleep 2- Hypnosis and relaxation
Content: Theory and practice of hypnosis and relaxing exercises in the case of sleep disorders, working with dreams and overcoming nightmares
Pathology of sleep: for children, teenagers and elderly people
Content: Children's and teenagers' sleep (physiology, psychology, specific characteristics) Diagnosis and therapy of sleep disorders of children and teenagers SID: development of breath and associated aberration nightmares, children's and teenagers' parasomnia, sleep and epilepsy, school and pressure, changes of sleep patterns according to age, (how much sleep does an elderly person need for an "ideal" life rhythm, how neurodegenerative diseases influence the sleep and the dreams of elderly people)
Psychology of sleep 3- working with dreams and overcoming nightmares
Content: Case analysis, group supervision, course reflection, acquiring clients, networking
As a trained sleep coach you can become a member of our association, the WASC-World Association for Sleep Coaching. Our association encourages initiatives to prevent unhealthy sleep, as far as they are not clearly in the medical field. These activities are summarized under the name "sleep coaching" and relate in particular to the areas of counseling, prevention and education of the public about the emergence and prevention of disturbed sleep. In addition, the association supports all initiatives to raise awareness and promote the image of sleep coaches.
In addition, our association is dedicated to:
a) Development, evaluation and dissemination of sleep coaching for counseling and prevention of unhealthy sleep
b) professional representation of trained sleep coaches (verification of appropriate professional qualifications)
c) Further education and certification of sleep coaches
d) PR-work for sleep coaching.
BStay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field of sleep research through our regular publications, meetings, discussions and lectures. To learn more about us, please contact us by email, we will be glad to send you more detailed information.
Membership fee is an annual fee of € 50, -, but you can also become a sustaining member of the association and choose to make a higher contribution. All contributions to our association are tax deductible. Further, as a member, you will be granted reduced fees at events organized by the Institute for Consciousness and Dream Research.
Dr. Brigitte Holzinger
B rigitte Holzinger is one of the leading experts in the field of dream and sleep research as well as in the treatment of sleep disorders and nightmares. She is an author, a psychologist and teacher for integrative Gestalt therapy, supervisor and trainer. In addition, she serves as a member of the board of the Austrian Sleep Research Association (ASRA) and leads the Institute for Consciousness and Dream Research.
Gerhard Klösch
G erhard Klösch studied psychology, political science and public health and works in sleep and dream research at the University Clinic for Neurology in Vienna. He is a book author and author of numerous scientific publications. His focus is on chronobiology, sleep-wake rhythm disorders, physiology of dreaming, social and cultural aspects of sleep / dream. Since the mid-1990s, he has been an associate and co-organizer of the Institute for Consciousness and Dream Research.