CBT-I for Insomnia in Miami, FL Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, led by a board-certified sleep psychiatrist.
CBT-I is typically recommended as the first treatment for chronic insomnia, often before medication is considered. It is a structured program that retrains the habits, thoughts and schedule keeping you awake, rather than a list of generic sleep tips.
First-line treatmentRecommended before medication for chronic insomnia.
Structured programTypically six to eight weeks with a trained provider.
Sleep + mental healthLed by a physician board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
English and SpanishCare available in both languages.
What CBT-I actually involves
CBT-I addresses the thoughts, behaviors and habits that keep chronic insomnia going, instead of simply inducing sleepiness the way medication does. A program generally combines five core parts.
Sleep scheduling
Regulates when you go to bed and wake up, so your body clock has something consistent to anchor to.
Stimulus control
Rebuilds the bed as a cue for sleep, for example by getting up when you cannot sleep instead of lying awake.
Sleep restriction
Temporarily matches time in bed to the sleep you actually get, then expands it as sleep consolidates. Done with guidance, not alone.
Cognitive restructuring
Works on the anxious or unhelpful thoughts about sleep that make the next night harder.
Relaxation and education
Techniques to lower physical and mental arousal at bedtime, plus how sleep actually works.
Who CBT-I helps, and what we check first
CBT-I is built for chronic insomnia: trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early that has become a pattern, along with how tired, foggy or on edge it leaves you during the day.
Insomnia often travels with other conditions. Anxiety and depression are common, and sometimes the real problem is undiagnosed sleep apnea or restless legs. That is why treatment starts with a full sleep history, so the plan targets what is actually keeping you up.
CBT-I with Dr. Idriz Kovacevic
Idriz Kovacevic, MD
Board certified in Psychiatry, Neurology, Sleep Medicine and Addiction Medicine
Dr. Kovacevic completed his Psychiatry residency and Sleep Medicine fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami and joined the practice in 2017. His focus is treating insomnia syndromes and providing CBT-I, especially where sleep and mental health overlap.
Read Dr. Kovacevic’s full bio →CBT-I questions
Is CBT-I better than sleeping pills?
How long does CBT-I take?
Will sleep restriction make me more tired?
What if something else is causing my insomnia?
Ready to sleep without fighting for it?
Call the office and we will schedule a consultation to see whether CBT-I is the right starting point for you.