Sleep Therapy In Los Angeles
With Ali Behar, LCSW
I’m an Ivy League educated therapist with neuroscience training. I use CBT-I for sleep therapy because it works better than pills.
Do you lay awake for hours, dreading the next day?
Are you exhausted from trying everything and still not sleeping?
Maybe you have struggled with sleep for years and mindfulness did not work. Or one stressful event threw everything off and now your nights feel tense and unpredictable.
If your work is suffering, relationships feel strained, and you can’t focus, now is the time to get help.
Clients Come To Me With
Insomnia
Racing thoughts
Clock watching
Bedtime dread
Medication reliance
Brain fog at work
Lack of patience
80% of patients report better sleep within 4-8 sessions of CBT-I
What Sleep Therapy With Me Is Like
CBT-I is a structured program. It’s the gold standard treatment for insomnia and recommended as the first-line treatment by the American College of Physicians because it works better long term than sleeping pills.
We begin with a detailed intake to understand your specific type of insomnia. You track your sleep, learn how sleep actually works, and begin making targeted, evidence-based changes to your routine.
We also work directly with the anxiety that builds around bedtime, including watching the clock, dreading tomorrow, or fearing another bad night. If you need support tapering off sleep medication, we create a plan together.
Approaches I Use
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Resets your sleep drive, strengthens natural sleep rhythms, and reduces nighttime anxiety so you can fall asleep and stay asleep without relying on medication.
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Identifies and shifts negative sleep thoughts like “If I don’t sleep, tomorrow will be a disaster” and replaces them with realistic, calming perspectives.
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Teaches your body how to downshift at night so you are not carrying daytime stress into bed.
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Helps you understand what is happening in your brain and nervous system so sleep feels predictable instead of scary.
CBT-I Rough Schedule
Weeks 1-2: Understand sleep patterns and begin core tools.
Weeks 3-4: Notice meaningful improvement.
Weeks 6-8: Sleep feels steadier and energy returns.
Sleep Again
When sleep improves, everything gets easier.
After Sleep Therapy With Me, Clients Report
Falling asleep faster
Staying asleep longer
Less anxiety at night
Clearer thinking
More energy
Better mood
Feeling like themselves
About Ali Behar, LCSW
Clients tell me, “you just get it.” My therapy is practical, science-based, and collaborative.
I combine deep clinical training with a realistic, down-to-earth style. I earned my bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania and completed my Master’s in Social Work at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. I have over a decade of experience in private practice and clinical roles at UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. My background in neuroscience shapes how I approach sleep and anxiety treatment.
Originally from Miami, I have been in Los Angeles since 2014. I am a mom of two young kids and have a German Shepherd Husky mix named Moondog. On weekends, you will often find me hiking in Fryman Canyon or spending time outdoors with my family.
Availability: I work with clients in person in Larchmont Village,
and via Telehealth across California.
Education, Credentials, & Trainings
Master’s in Social Work, New York University Silver School of Social Work
Bachelor’s Degree, University of Pennsylvania
Clinical Experience, UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital
Over a decade in private practice and clinical settings
3 Steps To Get Started
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Fill out the contact form. I will respond personally and answer your initial questions.
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We will have a short call to make sure CBT-I is the right fit and schedule your intake.
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We complete a thorough assessment and begin building your personalized sleep plan.