Dr Jonathan Kushnir is a clinical psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC, registration PYL042430), specialising in insomnia and CBT-I. He has published more than 25 peer-reviewed scientific papers and authored 17 books on sleep, night-time fears and anxiety. His online clinic provides evidence-based insomnia treatment to adults and families across the United Kingdom.
Dr Kushnir is an accredited cognitive behavioural therapist and supervisor. He completed his undergraduate studies in psychology and communication and a master’s degree in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Haifa. His doctorate in clinical psychology, at Tel Aviv University, examined new treatment approaches for sleep disorders and night-time fears in children.
He trained in clinical psychology at a major mental-health centre — first on an adult inpatient psychiatric ward, and later in a specialist unit treating anxiety disorders in adults with cognitive behavioural therapy. During his post-doctoral work he treated patients and conducted research at a centre for anxiety and sleep disorders in children and adolescents at the University of Houston, USA.
He went on to work as a senior psychologist in an anxiety-disorders unit within a child and adolescent psychiatry department, and lectured in psychology at university level. Today he treats insomnia and sleep problems in adults, children and teenagers using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) — entirely online, throughout the UK.
Areas of specialism
Adult insomnia
CBT-I for chronic insomnia — difficulty falling asleep, waking in the night and early-morning waking.
Children’s & teen sleep
Behavioural treatment for settling difficulties, night waking, night-time fears, nightmares and night terrors.
Professional standing
- HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist (PYL042430)
- Accredited cognitive behavioural therapist and supervisor
- Author of more than 25 peer-reviewed scientific papers
- Author of 17 books on sleep, night-time fears and anxiety
- Doctorate in clinical psychology (sleep disorders & night-time fears in children)
Selected publications
Goldberger-Raskin, B., Gothelf, D., Bachner-Melman, R., Lang, C., Kushnir, J. (2018). The association between sleep disturbances of children with anxiety disorders and those of their mothers. Sleep Medicine, 43:77-82.
Bar, M., Efron, M., Gothelf, D., Kushnir, J. (2016). The Link between Parent and Child Sleep Disturbances in Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Sleep Medicine, 21, 160-164.
Kushnir, J., Marom, S., Mazar, M., Sadeh, A., Hermesh, H. (2014). The link between Social Anxiety Disorder, treatment outcome and sleep difficulties among patients receiving CBGT. Sleep Medicine, 15(5), 515-521.
Kushnir, J., Gothelf, D., Sadeh, A. (2014). Nighttime fears of preschool children: A potential marker for anxiety disposition? Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(2), 336-341.
Kushnir, J., Sadeh, A. (2013). Correspondence between reported and actigraphic sleep measures in preschool children: The role of a clinical context. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 9(11), 1147-1151.
Kushnir, J., Sadeh, A. (2012). Nighttime fears in preschool children: assessment of two brief interventions. European Journal of Pediatrics, 171, 67–75.
Kushnir, J., Sadeh, A. (2011). Sleep of preschool children with night-time fears. Sleep Medicine, 12, 870-874.
Ivanenko, A., Kushnir, J., Alfano, C. (2014). Sleep in psychiatric disorders. In Principles and Practice of Pediatric Sleep Medicine, Second Edition. Eds. Sheldon, Ferber, Gozal & Kryger. Elsevier.
A full list of publications is available on request.