Sleep as occupation: Delivering CBT-I through an occupational therapy lens (July 2026)

Online

Thursday, July 9 & Friday, July 10, 2026

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

Sleep disturbances affect mood, cognition, energy, and participation, making them a critical yet often under-addressed area in occupational therapy. Sleep is recognized as a fundamental occupational need within occupational therapy practice (Tester & Foss, 2018), yet research proves occupational therapists are not as confident in their knowledge to assess and address sleep in practice (Ludwig et al., 2022). Occupational therapists are uniquely equipped to intervene through behavioural, environmental, emotional, cognitive, and daytime functioning strategies. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) provides occupational therapists with practical, evidence-based strategies to address insomnia by targeting sleep regulation, habits, thoughts, and daily routines through an occupational therapy lens.

This workshop will provide occupational therapists with a comprehensive, evidence-informed overview of CBT-I as applied within occupational therapy practice. The workshop will begin with education on insomnia, including common presentations and factors associated with ongoing symptoms, followed by a structured approach to sleep assessment and guidance on determining suitability for CBT-I and identifying contraindications. Core principles of sleep regulation will be reviewed, with attention to the three key processes influencing sleep. The workshop will then focus on the behavioural aspects of CBT-I, including stimulus control, sleep restriction, and methods for developing a sleep prescription, alongside review of basic sleep hygiene. Cognitive components will also be introduced, including strategies for quieting an active mind, the use of mindfulness and distress tolerance skills, and the application of thought records and behavioural experiments to address unhelpful sleep-related thoughts and beliefs. Finally, participants will examine the role of daytime routines and healthy daily habits, which is unique to occupational therapists, and the development of a structured buffer zone to support healthy habits before sleep.

Preliminary workshop agenda

Day 1

Day 2

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1. Apply CBT-I and occupational therapy models to understand and explain insomnia.
2. Conduct a CBT-I-informed sleep assessment to determine appropriateness for intervention and identify referral needs.
3. Teach and implement core CBT-I behavioural interventions.
4. Apply cognitive and emotional regulation strategies for insomnia.
5. Design a structured CBT-I program (group or 1:1) within occupational therapy scope.
6. Troubleshoot common challenges and contraindications.

Target audience

Occupational therapists working in mental health settings, community settings, and private practice and students in occupational therapy programs seeking evidence-informed tools to assess, address, and educate clients on insomnia and the impact on their occupations.

Please note: The workshop is tailored to the occupational therapy community. Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc.

Client age group

Adults (20-64 years old), Older adults (65+ years old)

Areas of practice

Health promotion and wellness, Mental health, Psychotherapy

Workshop level

Beginner (0-2 years of experience in this specific practice area)  Please note: Participants with more than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 0-2 years of experience in CBT-I.

Presenter

Nicola Small, Reg. OT (AB)

Nicola Small is an occupational therapist at Modern Solutions Counselling in Calgary, Alberta, working in private mental health practice with clients experiencing sleep difficulties, anxiety, executive functioning challenges, depression, and trauma. She uses an occupation-centred, evidence-informed approach to help clients understand how mental health affects daily activities. Nicola is passionate about removing barriers and creating practical, personalized strategies that support self-regulation, build resilience, and restore engagement in meaningful activities for long-term well-being.

Registration fees

Registration deadline: July 9, 2026 at 9:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees. *It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.  

Registration fee includes:

1. Access to the online workshop platform
2. Access to the workshop recording for 14 days following the live session
3. An electronic copy of the presentation slide handouts
4. Opportunities to network with other occupational therapists with an interest in this topic
5. An electronic certificate of attendance

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by June 24, 2026 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after June 24, 2026. Substitutions and transfers requests received by June 24, 2026 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration. 

CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before May 29, 2026 if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until June 12, 2026. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes.

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The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.    

Please note that workshop is offered in English.