Our clinical sleep psychologist

Dr Sara Winter is a Clinical Psychologist with over 15 years experience, with a special interest in sleep disorders and chronic disease.

Sara completed her PhD in the area of sleep disorders and health behaviour change and completed her clinical training at the University of Queensland in the area of Clinical and Neuro-Psychology. She is experienced in working with a variety of clinical presentations including sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, and the psychological concomitants of chronic diseases and chronic pain.

Sara has also worked in the public system in multidisciplinary teams in various specialities including respiratory and sleep, thoracic medicine, surgery, critical care, persistent pain, bariatrics, and renal medicine.

Sara has published in the area of obstructive sleep apnoea and treatment adherence to CPAP. Sara has a special interest and extensive experience in the psychological aspects of the management of sleep disorders including insomnia, hypersomnolence conditions, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, OSA, parasomnias and nightmares.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi) is the Standard, first-line recommended treatment for Insomnia (AASM Practice Guideline, 2017) and Sara is experienced in this intervention modality, as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Schema Therapy, Trauma-focussed interventions, Motivational Interviewing and Mindfulness. In addition to providing psychological intervention to individuals and groups, Sara is available for workshops and talks to small and large groups on the psychological management of sleep, and on health behaviour change.

Sara is a member of the Australian Psychological Society and the Australasian Sleep Association. She is also an approved AHPRA Psychology Board of Australia supervisor for all pathways to registration as a Psychologist, including the Clinical Registrar programme.