ACT in the Pub (Melbourne): ACT for Sleep

Join us for the first Melbourne ACT in the Pub event for 2023. This month's presentation will be by Dr Lauren Lawson on ACT for Sleep: How to promote a values-based and less rigid approach toward sleep. Tickets include a drink on us at arrival!

Poor sleep or insomnia is a widespread health crisis that impacts fatigue, mood, quality of life, and productivity, making sleep a major public health target. Mental health practitioners play an important role in supporting people to have better sleep, leading to improved mental health and well-being. Traditionally, CBT-I has been recommended as the gold standard approach for insomnia, but recent research suggests it may increase perfectionism, over-control, and rigidity. ACT for insomnia has demonstrated efficacy as a promising intervention. In this month's pub-talk, Dr Lauren Lawson will outline key knowledge and skills to engage people in effective ACT for sleep; Including how to use ACT exercises and metaphors to target processes associated with hyperarousal and sleep disturbance (inflexibility, cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance) - highlighting how shifting from rigidity and over-control to values-based living can support sleep drive and circadian rhythms.

After the talk, attendees are welcome to stay on at the venue and eat dinner together, to discuss the talk, catch up and make new connections or refresh old ones.

Our ACT in the Pub talks are a great opportunity to network with members of your local ACBS chapter and the ACT community, as well as learning new perspectives and approaches to utilising and thinking about ACT. Newcomers to the event, community, and to ACT are welcome!

About the presenter

Dr Lauren Lawson is a Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer in Clinical Psychology in the School of Psychology & Public Health at La Trobe University (@DrLauren_Lawson). Lauren is a practicing psychologist working within an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy framework for past 5 years, including supervising and training provisional psychologists. She is co-director of the ACTUALISE Lab at La Trobe University (@ACTUALISELab), which aims to bring together researchers, clinicians, and students who have an interest in contextual behavioural science. Her research focuses on mental health and wellbeing of autistic adults, understanding the impact of transdiagnostic factors (e.g., psychological flexibility, experiential avoidance, sensory sensitivity) on the development and maintenance of mental health and sleep difficulties, and developing evidence based psychological interventions. Recently she has been working closely with Dr Eric Morris and Professor Amanda Richdale to further our understanding of sleep difficulties.