A Good Night’s Sleep

The goal of this trauma informed program is to educate our community on how trauma affects sleep. Sleep is the time we process our memories, and when that is interrupted, it can be difficult to process events that happen. 

This presentation is for teen students (16 years +), parents, and other adults. It will provide an overview of the stress and trauma response in terms of impacts on the brain, body, and behavior.  The connection between anxiety and sleep will be explored and described.  Participants will learn strategies for decreasing anxious arousal, promoting best sleep, and managing difficulties with sleep.  

About the presenter:

Dr. Kim Dwyer received an MS in 1995 and Ph.D. in 1999 in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University, and a B.A. in psychology from Fairfield University, and has been licensed as a psychologist in the state of Colorado since 2001. Her training and work has included experience in inpatient, outpatient, and school settings, prior to launching her own practice in 2009.

As a cognitive-behavioral therapist, she has helped people to understand the connection between thoughts, behavior, and mood. By evaluating the impact of negative thought patterns and/or less desirable behavior choices, her clients are assisted in making changes that result in progress towards their goals. Incorporating techniques of mindfulness and acceptance, patients also learn skills to tolerate uncomfortable emotional states and better regulate emotions, while using values as a compass for actions. She has extensive experience in school psychology and learning disability evaluations, and utilizes her background of working in a school setting into play when completing learning evaluations, devising classroom accommodations, and working with teachers, students, and parents