Richard (Rick) Blackburn

More About Richard (Rick) Blackburn

Clinical Interests:

I was recently made one of eleven Fellows for the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and was Certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine in 2012 by the American Board of Sleep Medicine. In 2018, I joined the first group of Diplomates for the Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. I have been active in leadership roles in the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and am currently chairing a Presidential Task Force to integrate sleep medicine into primary care clinics. I have 10+ years of success treating insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, daytime fatigue due to narcolepsy, pediatric sleep disorders, night terrors, sleep walking, nightmares, and insufficient sleep syndrome. I have also conducted outpatient therapy for behavioral health disorders for the past 20 years.

Clinical Approach:

I try to understand the person I’m seeing in the context of their lives and work collaboratively to identify their treatment goals. I primarily use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and ACT therapy, but also have a strong behavioral background. It’s important to match the therapy style to the patient’s personality and needs. For sleep therapy, I tend to be more behavioral and directive, educating the person as what needs to change to sleep better. For mood and anxiety disorders, I tend to be much more supportive and nurturing.

Hobbies:

There is nothing like hitting the open road on a beautiful summer day on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Until COVID, my wife and I tried to take a 10-day trip somewhere new, each year going places like the American and Canadian Rockies, Yellow Stone National Park, Las Vegas, and around Lake Michigan. My dream is to one day do the Pacific Coast Highway from Alaska to San Diego.