The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Productivity, Absenteeism, and Injury in the Workplace. 
     Wednesday, November 5, 2014 
     Location:  UNIBE 
     Time:  0830 to 1630. 
     A seminar for health professionals and human resource directors who are interested in
     addressing the effects of sleep disorders, a common cause of sleep deprivation, on work
     performance and health quality.  
     Presenters:  Dra. Lilliana Estrada, Sleep Medicine Specialist, San Jose, Costa Rica
                         Dr. Daniel Skenderian, Clinical Psychologist and Behavioral Sleep Medicine
                           Specialist, Claremont, California, USA




Sleep Disorders Training I - Insomnia
    May 6th - May 14th, 2012
(Recent circumstances have required a change in the program. For this training event, only health professionals will be accepted. 
     Students will be enrolled at a later date. )

Sleep Systems International offers an introductory clinical training program to bilingual English and Spanish speaking Latin American medical and mental health professionals in the treatment of acute and chronic insomnia.  This 9 day training program is developed by Dr. Daniel Skenderian, clinical and behavioral sleep psychologist, and will focus on developing expertise with the nature and causes of common sleep disorders and specifically focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic insomnia, a problem affecting 35% of the populations in most industrialized and developing populations.  Training I is the introductory segment in a two level program tier. Training II is the advanced segment and requires successful completion of Training I to attend. Training I focuses on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, prescribed and over-the-counter medications, hypnosis, yoga, and alternative therapies in more detail.  Alternative therapies serve to augment primary sleep disorder treatments. There is now research to support the use of yoga, meditation, and the use of melatonin and valerian root in treating both acute as well as chronic insomnia.  In combination with CBT and self-hypnosis, alternative therapies serve to optimize sleep when utilized in careful and methodical manner.  Yoga is one alternative therapy considered to be very effective for insomniacs.
Training tier II goes into more detail focusing on specific cases and individualized consultation, application of self-hypnosis and meditation, and the specific application of yoga techniques.

Training is didactic, practical and hands-on, and combined with a visit to a local hospital-based 8 bed sleep disorder center fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The tour of the sleep center will provide each participant with information on how sleep studies are performed and what specific sleep data is collected while people sleep.  While a sleep study mainly assesses and diagnoses sleep apnea, it is also used to rule out other underlying sleep disorders precipitating and perpetuating insomnia.  Participants may be able to observe an actual sleep study with an actual sleeping participant.  Current psychological and mind-body technologies will be emphasized during the training program, including cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), psychopharmacology, hypnosis, yoga, and herbal remedies.   The medical director of the sleep disorders center, board certified in Sleep Medicine, will lecture on Sleep Medicine in the Americas as well as the pharmacology of sleep.  He will also review a typical sleep study report.  We will also visit a comprehensive dental practice that specializes in treating mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, the second most common sleep disorder, second only to insomnia.  Dr. Demerjian will talk about the use of dental appliances for people with obstructive apnea, particularly for those who cannot tolerate a CPAP mask. 
By the end of this training, each student will have developed an expertise in sleep disorder treatment that would allow him/her to begin assessing and treating sleep disorders, specifically insomnia, within the scope of their license, training, and clinical practice.  Each will also learn how to best refer patients when appropriate and to whom.  Upon completion of training, each participant will receive a Certificate of Training I in Introductory Assessment and Treatment of Acute and Chronic Insomnia.

Participants arrive as a group the Saturday night before training begins and will be transported to their hotel by SSI. Training will formally begin Monday and continue through the work week, though there will be an orientation meeting Sunday, May 5 followed by an SSI welcome dinner.  After a week of daily training, the intervening weekend is scheduled with sunny Southern California beach recreational and social activities, swimming, dancing, personal time, and a casual pool side dinner get together. A wine tasting event with a Pacific Ocean sunset as a backdrop will also be hosted during the late afternoon and early evening with samplings of assorted California red and white wines.  The last day extends clinical training with a final wrap up session followed by transporation back to the airport around 10pm. 

Training will start at 8:30 a.m. daily and finish at 4:30 pm each day but may extend into some evenings.  Transportation to and from the airport and hotel accommodations and any other activity sponsored by SSI will be provided at no extra cost. Local transporation, such as, buses, taxis, and trains is available for personal activities.      

Faculty
Daniel Skenderian, Ph.D. - Clinical and Sleep Psychologist, treating insomnia since 1990, but started studying sleep and sleep disorders in 1970.  Dr. Skenderian has been in clinical practice since 1983 and is a long time consultant at the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center Adult and Children's Sleep Disorder Center. He is also co-owner of Sleep Systems International and teaches at the Universdidad de Iberoamerica School of Health Sciences in San Jose, Costa Rica.  Dr. Skenderian treats insomnia with cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and meditation, but also utilizes complementary modes, such as, herbs and yoga.
 
Dennis Nicholson, M.D.: Dr. Nicholson began his career as an internist and was on staff at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center as was in a private internal medicine practice.  In 1989, Dr. Nicholson moved into sleep medicine full time.  Little was known then but just enough to perform overnight sleep studies using polysomnograms. Dr. Nicholson became the medical director of the Hospital's Center and remains in that capacity full time. He reads approximately 30 sleep studies per week.  He is also a site visitor for the American Academy of sleep Medicine and serves as a site reviewer of other sleep labs who want to either acquire or maintain accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. On the side, Dr. Nicholson enjoys the company of his wife and family and watching California beach sunsets -- and there are many.

Gabriel Rodriguez, Ph.D. - International Relations Coordinator; Clinical Neuropsychologist; San Jose, Costa Rica.  [email protected]

Training Dates: Training dates will be May, 6th through the evening of the 14th 2012.  Interested attendees can contact 
Dr. Gabriel Rodriguez at [email protected] for further information.  A  maximum of 10 applicants will be accepted.

Who is Qualified to Attend? Each training group will be limited to 10 licensed health care professionals in Medicine, Dentistry, Psychology, Nursing, or Pharmacy.    

Application Process:  Applicants need to complete the SSI application on this website and must read and sign the Terms and Conditions Agreement.  To be considered for the program, both documents must be emailed to Dr. Rodriguez for his review and received by April 1, 2012. Once received and reviewed, a 15 minute Skype interview will occur with Dr. Skenderian to finalize the application process. You will be contacted shortly thereafter of your acceptance.  Once accepted, all candidates are ready to make travel arrangements but must speak with Dr. Skenderian first before doing so. The SSI van will pick up all registrants at LAX as a group.  Registrants must also purchase health insurance in their country of origin for the length of stay in the U.S. and show proof of purchase when making full tuition payment for the program.
Program Costs:  Costs of the program will cover lodging, daily breakfast, welcome dinner, transportation to and from meetings and meals, transportation to and from the airport, training, training supplies, wine tasting, a pool party dinner, and Farewell dinner.  Each participant is financially responsible for lunch and dinner meals, except for two, though dinners will be with the entire group. Restaurants are determined by SSI and will be affordable venues in the local Claremont area. 
Tuition: Please contact Dr. Rodriguez regarding tuition.  Loans, scholarships, or grants are not available. Payment must be made in full by 11:59 pm April 15, 2012.  Late payments will not be considered.  Lack of payment will result in considering the names starting at  the top of the waiting list untill all available spaces are full. Payment must be made in the full amount to the SSI account at the Bank of Costa Rica, which will be available January 10, 2012.  Account information will be provided to each accepted candidate upon successful acceptance to the program.

   Sleep Disorders Training I - Insomnia
    May 6th - May 14th, 2012
(Recent circumstances have required a change in the program. For this training event, only health professionals will be accepted. 
     Students will be enrolled at a later date. )

Sleep Systems International offers an introductory clinical training program to bilingual English and Spanish speaking Latin American medical and mental health professionals in the treatment of acute and chronic insomnia.  This 9 day training program is developed by Dr. Daniel Skenderian, clinical and behavioral sleep psychologist, and will focus on developing expertise with the nature and causes of common sleep disorders and specifically focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic insomnia, a problem affecting 35% of the populations in most industrialized and developing populations.  Training I is the introductory segment in a two level program tier. Training II is the advanced segment and requires successful completion of Training I to attend. Training I focuses on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, prescribed and over-the-counter medications, hypnosis, yoga, and alternative therapies in more detail.  Alternative therapies serve to augment primary sleep disorder treatments. There is now research to support the use of yoga, meditation, and the use of melatonin and valerian root in treating both acute as well as chronic insomnia.  In combination with CBT and self-hypnosis, alternative therapies serve to optimize sleep when utilized in careful and methodical manner.  Yoga is one alternative therapy considered to be very effective for insomniacs.
Training tier II goes into more detail focusing on specific cases and individualized consultation, application of self-hypnosis and meditation, and the specific application of yoga techniques.

Training is didactic, practical and hands-on, and combined with a visit to a local hospital-based 8 bed sleep disorder center fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The tour of the sleep center will provide each participant with information on how sleep studies are performed and what specific sleep data is collected while people sleep.  While a sleep study mainly assesses and diagnoses sleep apnea, it is also used to rule out other underlying sleep disorders precipitating and perpetuating insomnia.  Participants may be able to observe an actual sleep study with an actual sleeping participant.  Current psychological and mind-body technologies will be emphasized during the training program, including cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), psychopharmacology, hypnosis, yoga, and herbal remedies.   The medical director of the sleep disorders center, board certified in Sleep Medicine, will lecture on Sleep Medicine in the Americas as well as the pharmacology of sleep.  He will also review a typical sleep study report.  We will also visit a comprehensive dental practice that specializes in treating mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, the second most common sleep disorder, second only to insomnia.  Dr. Demerjian will talk about the use of dental appliances for people with obstructive apnea, particularly for those who cannot tolerate a CPAP mask. 
By the end of this training, each student will have developed an expertise in sleep disorder treatment that would allow him/her to begin assessing and treating sleep disorders, specifically insomnia, within the scope of their license, training, and clinical practice.  Each will also learn how to best refer patients when appropriate and to whom.  Upon completion of training, each participant will receive a Certificate of Training I in Introductory Assessment and Treatment of Acute and Chronic Insomnia.

Participants arrive as a group the Saturday night before training begins and will be transported to their hotel by SSI. Training will formally begin Monday and continue through the work week, though there will be an orientation meeting Sunday, May 5 followed by an SSI welcome dinner.  After a week of daily training, the intervening weekend is scheduled with sunny Southern California beach recreational and social activities, swimming, dancing, personal time, and a casual pool side dinner get together. A wine tasting event with a Pacific Ocean sunset as a backdrop will also be hosted during the late afternoon and early evening with samplings of assorted California red and white wines.  The last day extends clinical training with a final wrap up session followed by transporation back to the airport around 10pm. 

Training will start at 8:30 a.m. daily and finish at 4:30 pm each day but may extend into some evenings.  Transportation to and from the airport and hotel accommodations and any other activity sponsored by SSI will be provided at no extra cost. Local transporation, such as, buses, taxis, and trains is available for personal activities.      

Faculty
Daniel Skenderian, Ph.D. - Clinical and Sleep Psychologist, treating insomnia since 1990, but started studying sleep and sleep disorders in 1970.  Dr. Skenderian has been in clinical practice since 1983 and is a long time consultant at the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center Adult and Children's Sleep Disorder Center. He is also co-owner of Sleep Systems International and teaches at the Universdidad de Iberoamerica School of Health Sciences in San Jose, Costa Rica.  Dr. Skenderian treats insomnia with cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and meditation, but also utilizes complementary modes, such as, herbs and yoga.
 
Dennis Nicholson, M.D.: Dr. Nicholson began his career as an internist and was on staff at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center as was in a private internal medicine practice.  In 1989, Dr. Nicholson moved into sleep medicine full time.  Little was known then but just enough to perform overnight sleep studies using polysomnograms. Dr. Nicholson became the medical director of the Hospital's Center and remains in that capacity full time. He reads approximately 30 sleep studies per week.  He is also a site visitor for the American Academy of sleep Medicine and serves as a site reviewer of other sleep labs who want to either acquire or maintain accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. On the side, Dr. Nicholson enjoys the company of his wife and family and watching California beach sunsets -- and there are many.

Gabriel Rodriguez, Ph.D. - International Relations Coordinator; Clinical Neuropsychologist; San Jose, Costa Rica.  [email protected]

Training Dates: Training dates will be May, 6th through the evening of the 14th 2012.  Interested attendees can contact 
Dr. Gabriel Rodriguez at [email protected] for further information.  A  maximum of 10 applicants will be accepted.

Who is Qualified to Attend? Each training group will be limited to 10 licensed health care professionals in Medicine, Dentistry, Psychology, Nursing, or Pharmacy.    

Application Process:  Applicants need to complete the SSI application on this website and must read and sign the Terms and Conditions Agreement.  To be considered for the program, both documents must be emailed to Dr. Rodriguez for his review and received by April 1, 2012. Once received and reviewed, a 15 minute Skype interview will occur with Dr. Skenderian to finalize the application process. You will be contacted shortly thereafter of your acceptance.  Once accepted, all candidates are ready to make travel arrangements but must speak with Dr. Skenderian first before doing so. The SSI van will pick up all registrants at LAX as a group.  Registrants must also purchase health insurance in their country of origin for the length of stay in the U.S. and show proof of purchase when making full tuition payment for the program.
Program Costs:  Costs of the program will cover lodging, daily breakfast, welcome dinner, transportation to and from meetings and meals, transportation to and from the airport, training, training supplies, wine tasting, a pool party dinner, and Farewell dinner.  Each participant is financially responsible for lunch and dinner meals, except for two, though dinners will be with the entire group. Restaurants are determined by SSI and will be affordable venues in the local Claremont area. 
Tuition: Please contact Dr. Rodriguez regarding tuition.  Loans, scholarships, or grants are not available. Payment must be made in full by 11:59 pm April 15, 2012.  Late payments will not be considered.  Lack of payment will result in considering the names starting at  the top of the waiting list untill all available spaces are full. Payment must be made in the full amount to the SSI account at the Bank of Costa Rica, which will be available January 10, 2012.  Account information will be provided to each accepted candidate upon successful acceptance to the program.