Services We Provide

The Memorial University Insomnia Clinic was established in 2020 to help fill an important gap in Newfoundland and Labrador’s healthcare services. As the first clinic of its kind in the province, our team provides assessment and treatment of insomnia free of charge in adults (age 18 and older). 

Dr. Garland and her trained doctoral student therapists deliver behavioural treatment for insomnia that does not involve medication. The therapy is called “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).” 

CBT-I is a proven treatment for insomnia recommended by the American College of Physicians, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. CBT-I is a multicomponent intervention that is designed to address behaviours and thoughts that are known to influence the development and maintenance of sleep difficulties and help you achieve long-term recovery. In CBT-I you will learn how to:

1.  Train your body to associate the bedroom with sleep.

2.  Relax and quiet your mind.

3.  Change any beliefs you may have about sleep that are getting in the way of sleeping better.

If you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, then CBT-I could be right for you. Even if you feel as though your sleeping problems are related to anxiety, pain, or menopause, our trained therapists can help. If you are taking sleeping pills, you are not required to stop taking them before starting CBT-I. Dr. Garland and her team can work with you and your prescribing provider to help you reduce or eliminate medication use if this is something you would like to do.

All therapy sessions are delivered via video-conferencing, and most clients can expect to complete 7-9 weekly sessions. 

Appointments can be made through self-referral or from your health care provider by emailing us at muninsomniaclinic@gmail.com

In addition to her role as an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and Oncology at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Director of the Sleep, Health, & Wellness laboratory, Dr. Sheila Garland is a registered Clinical Psychologist. She maintains a small private practice and has expertise in the treatment of insomnia and other sleep and mood disorders. She regularly works with individuals diagnosed with cancer and their families to manage the psychological effects of the cancer diagnosis and its treatment. Dr. Garland is now accepting new clients to her private practice.

Dr. Garland received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Calgary and worked with individuals with cancer and their families in the Department of Psychosocial Services at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. She then completed a 3 year post-doctoral fellowship in Behavioral Sleep Medicine and Integrative Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

1. Sleep disorders including insomnia, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, parasomnias, and nightmares. She can also help patients adhere to treatments for obstructive sleep apnea.
2. Understanding and treating the social, psychological, emotional, spiritual, quality-of-life and functional aspects of cancer, from prevention through bereavement.
3. Mood disorders including depression and anxiety.