Ep205 - Nightmares and PTSD – Expert Tips for Better Sleep with Dr. Courtney Worley

Recovery is possible, regardless of the source of the nightmares. Even if we don't know why they started, we have effective treatments.

Do nightmares keep you awake at night? Wondering if frequent nightmares mean you have trauma—or if they can ever truly be cured? In this powerful episode, Dr. Yishan welcomes Dr. Courtney Worley, nightmare specialist, board-certified clinical psychologist, and co-author of “The Nightmare and Sleep Disorder Toolkit.” Together, they explore what nightmares really are, why they happen (even if you don’t have PTSD), and how evidence-based treatments like imagery rehearsal therapy and lucid dreaming can help you take back control of your nights.

Dr. Courtney Worley is a board-certified in clincial psychologist and Diplomate in Behavioral Sleep Medicine (DBSM).   Dr Worley specializes in the delivery of evidence based psychotherapies for trauma and sleep disorders. She is the co-author of The Nightmare and Sleep Disorder Toolkit: A Workbook to Help You Get Some Rest Using Imagery Rehearsal Therapy and Other Evidence-Based Approaches from New Harbinger Press (October 2025). She enjoys training and consultation in Evidence Based Psychotherapies and serves as a consultant for Cognitive Processing Therapy and Written Exposure in the United States and Internationally.  She has a history of working with Veterans in the VA. In her private practice at Upward Behavioral Health, she provides telehealth services to 42 states through her PSYPACT credentialing.  

Dr. Worley shares real-life breakthrough moments, explains the difference between nightmares and night terrors, and reveals common mistakes people make when trying to manage distressing dreams on their own. Discover actionable hope, scientific guidance, and practical resources—whether you’re struggling with trauma-related nightmares or looking for ways to simply sleep better.

If nightmares are disrupting your life, you don’t have to suffer in silence. Tune in for cutting-edge expertise, self-help strategies, and the encouragement to seek help and finally find rest.

Here are 3 key takeaways you don’t want to miss:

  • Nightmares Are Treatable: You don’t have to live with frequent nightmares! Evidence-based therapies, like imagery rehearsal therapy and lucid dreaming techniques, have been shown to significantly reduce or eliminate nightmares—even if they’ve persisted for decades.

  • Not All Nightmares Are Trauma-Related: Anyone can experience frequent nightmares, even without a history of trauma. The good news? Treatment can still be highly effective regardless of the underlying cause.

  • Daytime Habits Make a Difference: How you manage stress and emotions during the day directly influences your sleep and dream patterns. Adjusting your daytime routines and mindset before bed can help break the nightmare cycle.


“Nightmares are something that almost everybody has had—dreams and nightmares are a natural part of sleep. But when they become frequent and disruptive, it’s time to treat them.” -Dr. Courtney Worley


WHAT WILL WE LEARN

00:00 "Trauma and Sleep Therapy Specialist"

03:25 Imagery Rehearsal Therapy Success

07:46 Breaking the Nightmare Cycle

09:48 "Nightmare Control: Lucid Dreaming Skills"

13:35 Nightmare-Inducing Sleep Avoidance

16:44 "Mastering Lucid Dreaming Techniques"

21:43 Differentiating Night Terrors and Nightmares

26:00 "Nightmare Treatment Options Overview"

28:44 "Nightmare Treatment: A Self-Help Guide"

31:15 Pathways to Nightmare Therapy Solutions

34:31 "Understanding Sleep Variability"



Are you so sleepy that you cannot focus? Are you tired of getting through the day drinking coffee? Are you worried how your poor sleep may impact your health? Checkout Dr. Yishan Xu’s Insomnia Treatment Course! 



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If you're interested in learning more about psychological testing and the services offered at the MindBodyGarden make sure to visit their website at mindbodygarden.com/AssessmentClinic.

Yishan Xu, PhD, DBSMsleep, sleep disorder, sleep better, sleep apneaComment