Dr. Erin O'Brien Veara

Quality sleep is essential to wellness, especially for those coping with physical and/or psychological conditions. Sleep disturbance is common among those living with trauma, grief, and medical conditions, and is prevalent in the 9/11 Community. Insomnia may lead to increased distress and exacerbate coexisting conditions, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, alcohol dependence, or hypnotic medication dependence.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is considered a first-line intervention for primary insomnia by the National Institute of Health, with recent research supporting its effectiveness (and without the side effects common with some medication).

CBT-I is typically offered as a treatment model in a series of 4 to 6 sessions (individual or group). VOICES is offering a 2 hour introductory workshop in our New Brunswick, New Jersey office which will provide an overview of CBT-I, help participants assess their level of sleep disturbance, and include a "take away" tool for use at home.

Dr. Erin O'Brien Veara, licensed psychologist and certified CBT-I practitioner, will lead this workshop. Dr. O'Brien Veara completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, focusing on the relationship between sleep and chronic pain and completed her Clinical Psychology internship and post-doctoral fellowship at Brown University. She worked as a staff psychologist in Outpatient Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine in the Lifespan Hospital System in Providence, RI, and was the Director of the Clinical Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program in this role. Dr. O'Brien Veara has a specialty in Behavioral Sleep Medicine, and is one of only a handful of clinicians in the United States who has obtained Certification in Behavioral Sleep Medicine (CBSM). She has expertise in treating insomnia and other sleep disorders in adults, children, and older adults.

Dr. O'Brien Veara's clinical and research interests are in the areas of behavioral sleep medicine, with a focus on the relationship between insomnia and physical and mental health, and the management of chronic pain. She has published several papers and given presentations on the topic. In addition to her clinical practice, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Psychology (most recently at La Salle University and Rowan University). She has recently returned to her hometown of Marlton, NJ, joining Centra, PC as a licensed Clinical Psychologist.