“It took one night for our daughter to learn to self soothe” • “My eldest daughter is autistic and my youngest has had extreme separation anxiety since birth... my daughters have gone from waking up several times a night to sleeping through the night in the space of a few days” • “Our baby began to sleep for 12 hours per night within just two nights, something we never thought possible” • “He started sleeping through the night within a few days- I'm not sure who was in a better mood, me or him!!!"
Welcome to The Sleep Zone
Hi, I'm Shoshana Brownson, an Occupational Therapist, Advanced Paediatric Sleep Practitioner and founder of The Sleep Zone. I am passionate about helping children aged 6 months to 16 years achieve better sleep and supporting families to develop healthy sleep habits that work for them.
Drawing on more than six years of experience in the NHS and special school therapy teams, I provide evidence-based, personalised support tailored to each child's needs. I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and am a member of the World Sleep Society.
Alongside my private sleep practitioner work, I am a Band 7 Highly Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist in the NHS, leading the Early Advice Clinic and Autism Pathway. I support children and young people with a wide range of needs, including developmental delay, autism, ADHD, and complex physical needs.
In my sleep practitioner work, I take into account sensory needs, emotional regulation and developmental readiness. I have a special interest in supporting children with additional needs and toddlers with separation anxiety. As a mum of three, I understand how challenging sleep deprivation can be and am passionate about helping families get the rest they need. My goal is to help families feel supported and confident as they make meaningful changes to improve sleep.
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy (First Class)
- Sensory Integration Practitioner (PGCert with Distinction)
- Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) – Specialist training for collaborative family-centred support
- Floortime Therapy Certified (ICDL) Registered Practitioner – An evidence-based approach focusing on emotional, cognitive and relational development
- National Autistic Society Certification in Autism and Communication, Sensory Needs, Stress and Anxiety and Supporting Families
- EDS Certified in Sleep Training for Occupational Therapists - 2024
- EDS Training Level Six Advanced Paediatric Sleep Training Course - OCN London Accredited - 2026
- Paediatric Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) - 2026
Services
When supporting families, I collaborate at every stage of the sleep programme to make sure you feel comfortable with the steps we take together. All strategies are responsive, grounded in evidence and designed to match your individual parenting style. If you have any questions, book a free discovery call to have a no-obligations chat! You can also email me at shoshana@thesleepzone.co.uk.
Complete Sleep Reset Package - £299
This package contains everything you need to understand why your child is experiencing sleep difficulties and to make practical changes with confidence.
What's included:
– Sleep diary review
– Sleep questionnaire
– 60-90 minute assessment video consultation
• A bespoke sleep plan
• Practical steps you can begin straight away
• Three follow up 30-minute video consultations to be used within 3 months
Follow-on Consultations - £50
If you need further guidance or extra support once you have completed a Sleep Package, you can purchase follow-up 30 minute video calls.
If you need further guidance or extra support once you have completed a Sleep Package, you can purchase follow-up 30 minute video calls.
Follow-On Consultations - £50
What Parents Say
Life-changing support!
I received an abundance of support from Shoshana, she was readily available to answer all of my questions and provide help. My daughters have gone from waking up several times a night to sleeping through the night in the space of a few days.
I found the video calls to be really helpful, it gave us a chance to talk through everything in its entirety. We had in depth conversations, where I was able to explain my daughters’ personalities. My eldest daughter is autistic and my youngest has had extreme separation anxiety since birth. It felt reassuring to have that 1 on 1 time with someone who understood both of their individual needs in depth. It was a huge emotional relief to have the support of a professional who was so reassuring. I felt understood in how hard it has been not sleeping for almost three years. At times it has felt like my struggle was invisible to those around me, it has been affirming to feel seen. I think the regular support from Shoshana also increased the confidence in myself to see this through.
Thank you so much Shoshana, this has quite literally changed my life for the better. I'm a better mum because of this programme. I'm more energised, positive, motivated, and wake up feeling ready to take on the day. Before starting the programme, I was waking up three times a night but often more than that. I would wake up thinking about getting back into bed later, I felt miserable and honestly didn't see how I could keep going on like this, especially as a single mum. I was constantly battling depression and anxiety. I had no appetite, some days my first meal would be at 5pm. I felt like a zombie on survival mode with no care for my own wellbeing. My daughters were also running on survival mode, my youngest used to have meltdown after meltdown, and we thought this was just her personality, but since she has started sleeping, she is like a different baby! She's peaceful, she's concentrating more, she's more independent. We have started doing more activities together, going on more trips out of the house, I've started exercising every day and caring for myself again.
S.C., parent to 2.5 year old and 4.5 year old, Enfield (March 2026)
Shoshana's support changed our lives
Before Shoshana's support, my husband and I were living half a life. We were always in survival mode, sleep deprived and on edge. We said no to most plans and barely left the house except for necessities. Our baby was waking every 30-120mins (120 mins was a generous rare stretch) and needed breastfeeding or rocking back to sleep. Daytimes were extremely unpredictable and contact naps were the only way to keep the baby well rested. Being 6 months old, it was hard to tell if he was sleep deprived but he did moan and cry a lot so he probably was! Every time we heard about babies that slept for hours at a time or went the whole night, we just didn’t think it was ever possible. We were kind of hopeless by the time we met with Shoshana because we tried everything (or so we thought).
We were also apprehensive to try a sleep training programme because our baby has reflux, so we weren't sure if it was kind, or safe. The programme ended up being both kind and safe and the best thing for him!
We decided to seek support because we could see that, without active changes from a knowledgeable third party, things were not going to improve. We met families with babies younger than ours who slept through, and families with 1.5-year-olds who still have terrible sleep patterns- so we realised that it was time to intervene at 6 months. We were hoping to get just a few hours' worth of stretches with maybe one or two feeds and a calmer baby.
Wow, working with Shoshana was a dream from the start. She came in with fresh hope, knowledge and tools that we implemented and it literally started helping on the very first day. Shoshana was the right balance of kind and supportive, but firm. She always made sure to give us positive feedback on our work with the programme and advice about where to go next.
We noticed small changes within days, and big changes within weeks. Once he started sleeping through the whole night, it was like a huge weight lifted off our shoulders. Seeing our baby able to self‑soothe is the best skill we could’ve given him. We are really looking forward to celebrating our second anniversary this weekend, confident the babysitter will have only a calm, sleeping baby on the monitor.
-SE, parent to 6 month old, Salford, August 2026
This has been such a life‑changing experience for the whole family
I contacted Shoshana because my son Eli would only go to sleep whilst being breastfed, held or rocked in the pram. If I put him in his cot, he would just scream until I came to take him out again. This meant I never had an evening, because he would only settle at around 9pm, or even later. During the day I would often have to take him for a walk to put him to sleep. Eli was also waking to feed 1–2 times a night. I had tried a few times to sleep train him without much success.
By the time Eli reached 12 months I was ready for change. He needed to sleep better, and I needed to get some time to myself and a more predictable routine.
Shoshana has been fantastic, from the initial consultation and explanation of the sleep cycle to the advice and detailed programme she put in place. I really valued that she gave me different options to try, putting me in the driving seat. In the end, we went for a sleep method that I felt comfortable with, which has worked a dream.
Now, Eli is sleeping for 12 hours a night which is amazing. I’ve noticed he is much happier in the evenings and much calmer about going to sleep. It’s been so nice to sit down and have dinner with my husband and spend more quality time without one of us holding Eli. My wellbeing has definitely improved so much. Just knowing I will get an evening means I can spend more quality time with Eli during the day. And having a nap in the cot during the day is such a gamechanger.
Thanks so much Shoshana for your help!
-MD, Barnet, parent to Eli, age 13 months, July 2026
This sleep programme genuinely changed my life
Before receiving sleep support, Zach was waking approximately 3 times per night and needed to be nursed back to sleep. If I tried rocking him, it would take 45mins-1 hour to get him back to sleep and in his cot. Nap times were also a struggle, if I didn’t nurse him to sleep, it could take up to an hour of rocking to get him to settle.
Zach was a few weeks away from his first birthday and I was getting ready to go back to work so it felt like the right time to establish a sleep routine. I was also becoming desperate for a full night of sleep- the exhaustion was impacting my patience with my children and my husband!
This sleep programme genuinely changed my life. We noticed progress after the first night! With Shoshana’s guidance and support, I felt confident implementing the sleep training programme and was therefore able to be consistent. He started sleeping through the night within a few days- I'm not sure who was in a better mood, me or him!!!
-SV. Barnet, parent to Zach, age 11 months, Barnet, August 2026
It took one night for our daughter to learn to self soothe
Shoshana gave us sleep advice for when we moved our daughter out of our room at six months and removed our child’s dummy. She prepared a detailed sleep programme which was tailored for our daughter as we didn’t want to follow the cry it out method. It took one night for our daughter to learn to self soothe. She now sleeps so much better as do we! Would definitely recommend her as a sleep consultant. Her package was tailored perfectly for our child; her bedside manner was excellent and she gave us so much of her time!
-HK, Parent to 6-month old, Barnet, March 2026
An incredible experience!
Before working with Shoshana, nights with our 18 month old were stressful and unpredictable since he was born. Our little one struggled both to settle and stay asleep, waking anywhere from three to ten times every night. As parents, we were exhausted and felt helpless, unable to give him the rest he needed.
The sleep programme made an enormous difference for both us and our baby. It genuinely felt like a collaborative process rather than something prescriptive.
Our baby began to sleep for 12 hours per night within just two nights, something we never thought possible. While there were a few ups and downs over the next few days and weeks, Shoshana helped us through it all and we saw improvements continuing to build steadily.
Now, our baby is noticeably calmer, happier, and more settled during the day, and nights have been completely transformed. He falls and stays asleep with ease, and as parents we are more rested, reassured, and confident that we have done the very best for our child.
-Ian Westbrook, parent to 18 month old, Barnet, June 2026
read the Full story...
Shoshana's support changed our lives
Before Shoshana's support, my husband and I were living half a life. We were always in survival mode, sleep deprived and on edge. We said no to most plans and barely left the house except for necessities. Our baby was waking every 30-120mins (120 mins was a generous rare stretch) and needed breastfeeding or rocking back to sleep. Daytimes were extremely unpredictable and contact naps were the only way to keep the baby well rested. Being 6 months old, it was hard to tell if he was sleep deprived but he did moan and cry a lot so he probably was! Every time we heard about babies that slept for hours at a time or went the whole night, we just didn’t think it was ever possible. We were kind of hopeless by the time we met with Shoshana because we tried everything (or so we thought).
We were also apprehensive to try a sleep training programme because our baby has reflux, so we weren't sure if it was kind, or safe. The programme ended up being both kind and safe and the best thing for him!
We decided to seek support because we could see that, without active changes from a knowledgeable third party, things were not going to improve. We met families with babies younger than ours who slept through, and families with 1.5-year-olds who still have terrible sleep patterns- so we realised that it was time to intervene at 6 months. We were hoping to get just a few hours' worth of stretches with maybe one or two feeds and a calmer baby.
Wow, working with Shoshana was a dream from the start. She came in with fresh hope, knowledge and tools that we implemented and it literally started helping on the very first day. Shoshana was the right balance of kind and supportive, but firm. This is what we needed to get us through the programme. She always made sure to give us positive feedback on our work with the programme and advice about where to go next.
I especially loved how, after a video call with lots of new info, Shoshana would succinctly summarise it in a follow up email with bullet points and a clear action plan for us to follow. Such a dream to a sleep deprived mind!
Shoshana always responded in very good time to any queries and answered in full. It’s clear she knows a lot on the subject and we felt supported throughout. This was especially good because if my husband and I ever had a difference of opinion on what to do in a particular circumstance- we could just ask Shoshana!
I found learning about my baby's individual sleep patterns and the science behind my baby's sleep super helpful and it gave us the foundations of why we are doing what are doing. It aided us in decision making when unsure.
When we received the programme, we felt hope because Shoshana was confident from the start that she could get our baby to sleep through the night. Once he started sleeping through the whole night, without needing us at all, it was like a huge weight lifted off our shoulders. We caught up on months' worth of lost sleep, evenings together and sometimes evenings out! We travelled confidently and we could predict our lives more. Our baby smiles more and is able to tell us when he is tired and goes down nicely. There used to be so much crying around tiredness and every wake up but now - it’s silent and calm. Seeing our baby able to self sooth is the best skill we could’ve given him from this programme.
We noticed small changes within days, like longer sleep stretches and a better feeding schedule, and big changes within weeks. Now, our baby sleeps through the night independently. Our lives are more predictable and healthy. We are able to socialise in the evening and enjoy the day with the baby. My husband and I are really looking forward to celebrating our second anniversary this weekend, confident that the babysitter should have only a calm, sleeping baby on a monitor to look at!
S.E. parent to 6 month old, Salford – (September 2026)
This has been such a life‑changing experience for the whole family
Before working with Shoshana, my son Eli would only go to sleep whilst being breastfed, held or rocked in the pram. He had been like this from day one. If I put him in his cot, he would just scream until I came to take him out again. This meant I never had an evening, because he would only settle at around 9pm, or even sometimes 10pm. During the day I would often have to take him for a walk to put him to sleep. His schedule was highly unpredictable which made it very difficult to manage alongside looking after my three‑year‑old and getting on with my day. Eli was also waking to feed 1–2 times a night. I had tried a few times to sleep train him without much success.
By the time Eli reached 12 months I was ready for change. He needed to sleep better, and I needed to get some time to myself and a more predictable routine.
Shoshana has been fantastic, from the initial consultation and explanation of the sleep cycle to the advice and detailed programme she put in place. I really valued that she gave me different options to try, putting me in the driving seat. In the end, we went for a sleep method that I felt comfortable with, which has worked a dream.
Shoshana also supported me through the more challenging aspects of the programme. Eli only cried for short amounts of time, and within a week he was settling happily in his cot. Shoshana has such an approachable, supportive and non‑judgemental manner and was amazing at troubleshooting any issues that arose. She was extremely responsive to emails to support with how the programme was going. I also really valued her excitement and confidence in putting the programme in place for Eli, which made me feel really ready to give it a go, as to be honest, I was sceptical at first.
I felt supported throughout the week and Shoshana gave me plenty of time to check in with her and troubleshoot any issues that arose. She also gave tailored advice to support me, e.g. managing the reduced feeds at night, which I found hard the first few nights until my body adjusted.
It was interesting to hear about the sleep science, such as why a bath improves readiness for sleep. All the science was useful information and developmentally appropriate for Eli. He also loves having the body lotion massage with techniques that Shoshana recommended which really calms him down.
I began to notice progress after a few days. Eli was settling much better and after a week he wasn’t even crying at all when I put him in his cot which was incredible. He now lies down ready to go to sleep. He also started to settle during the day for naps in his cot, which he had only ever done once before.
I feel much calmer knowing Eli will be asleep by 7pm. I’m not stressed planning how I will put Eli to sleep every night or afternoon. It meant I could focus on my older child after putting Eli to bed rather than juggling both bedtimes, sometimes for several hours.
Now, Eli is sleeping for 12 hours a night which is amazing. I’ve noticed he is much happier in the evenings and much calmer about going to sleep. My routine is much more predictable and calmer and I feel I have more time to myself in the evenings. It’s been so nice to sit down and have dinner with my husband and spend more quality time without one of us holding Eli. My wellbeing has definitely improved so much. Just knowing I will get an evening means I can spend more quality time with Eli during the day. And having a nap in the cot during the day is such a gamechanger.
I felt very confident to work with Shoshana because of her many years’ experience working with children as an OT and supporting parents in challenging situations, as well as the sleep course she has recently completed.
I would 100% recommend Shoshana because of her highly approachable and supportive manner, her in‑depth knowledge about all things sleep‑related and OT‑related, and fantastic tailored advice. I in no way expected that Eli would go to sleep on his own after a week! This has been such a life‑changing experience for the whole family. My husband and I have found Shoshana’s advice and support invaluable.
Thanks so much Shoshana for your help!
-M.D., parent to Eli, age 13 months, Barnet (July 2026)
This sleep programme genuinely changed my life …
Before receiving sleep support, Zach was waking approximately 3 times per night and needed to be nursed back to sleep. If I tried rocking him, it would take 45mins- 1 hour to get him back to sleep and in his cot. Nap times were also a struggle, if I didn’t nurse him to sleep, it could take up to an hour of rocking to get him to settle. This was just not compatible with regular family life- I couldn’t spend an hour away from my other children to put Zach to sleep. I dreaded every nap time! The unpredictable wake times together exhaustion was starting to take its toll on my mental health and but I was reluctant to seek help because sleep training methods that I had heard about seemed too harsh and I was worried that this would negatively impact my child. Zach was a few weeks away from his first birthday and I was getting ready to go back to work so it felt like the right time to establish a sleep routine. I was also becoming desperate for a full night of sleep- the exhaustion was impacting my patience with my children and my husband!
I found Shoshana a pleasure to work with! I felt that all my concerns regarding sleep training were addressed- I was concerned about sleep training affecting his stress levels and his attachment and Shoshana took the time to explain the science to me as well as showing me the research so that I felt reassured. Throughout the programme I received detailed feedback via email as well as calls. I appreciated having direct calls when I felt emotional and unsure about sleep training- Shoshana was always empathetic and patient. The emails following were extremely thorough and I was able to share them with my husband so we were both on the same page. I felt more confident to implement a sleep change that was scientifically proven. At points when I was wavering and it took Zach longer than expected to fall asleep, I found the science reassured me- this was part of a healthy baby developing a healthy skill. I also encouraged by Shoshana's mindset: teaching a baby to sleep is as beneficial to baby as it is to us. Shoshana consistently enforced this message which made me feel empowered to make the sleep changes, and that science was on my side.
We noticed progress after the first night! With Shoshana’s guidance and support, I felt confident implementing the sleep training programme and was therefore able to be consistent. He started sleeping through the night within a few days- I'm not sure who was in a better mood, me or him!!! I also stopped dreading naps as I now had a set method to put him down. His days became more predictable and so we were able to really enjoy the time that he was awake!
We travelled to America shortly after implementing the sleep programme. I was very nervous that the jet lag would impact his sleep patterns and I would be back to nursing him to sleep on holiday. Shoshana reassured me to take each bedtime as it comes and to be as consistent as I feel I can whilst in a different time zone. I can honestly say that without Shoshana’s help I would have spent most of the holiday nursing my baby! He now had the ability to settle himself in his cot so was able to nap when needed to make it through the long days. It changed our holiday!
An occupational therapist of Shoshana’s calibre, coupled with her kind and patient manner, made the sleep training experience more positive and empowering than I could have ever hoped for. I knew that everything she was suggesting was evidence based and she demonstrated a deep understanding of the science of infant sleep. I felt that I could trust her and that all her methods were safe for my baby. I highly recommend Shoshana for any sleep concerns! She was patient and understanding and took my parenting style into account. I wanted to continue breastfeeding and she made sure that her programme was tailored to this. She was not judgemental and made sure that the programme was compatible with our family life. The lack of judgement allowed me to truthfully tell her when I found parts difficult. She was then able to support me in the way that I needed so that I could continue to be consistent.
This sleep programme genuinely changed my life- I feel confident that my children and I will be healthy and well- rested and I would not have been able to achieve this without Shoshana!
-S.V., Barnet, parent to Zach, age 11 months (August 2026)
An incredible experience!
Before working with Shoshana, nights with our 18 month old were stressful and unpredictable since he was born. Our little one struggled both to settle and stay asleep, waking anywhere from three to ten times every night. As parents, we were exhausted and felt helpless, unable to give him the rest he needed. At times it even felt as though he was frustrated by being awake but did not know how to settle himself. This clearly impacted him, as he often seemed overtired, unsettled, and unable to establish a consistent day and night routine.
The sleep programme made an enormous difference for both us and our baby. It was carefully tailored to our situation, with Shoshana taking the time to understand our child, our routines, and our concerns in detail. She was consistently professional, reassuring, and responsive, checking in regularly and guiding us throughout. We were always given a clear explanation of the different techniques and options available, and it genuinely felt like a collaborative process rather than something prescriptive.
We were particularly drawn to Shoshana because of her professional expertise and her strong grounding in science based approaches. Combined with her warm, calm, and supportive manner, we felt confident and secure in her guidance from the very beginning.
Our baby began to sleep for 12 hours per night within just two nights, something we never thought possible. While there were a few ups and downs over the next few days and weeks, Shoshana helped us through it all and we saw improvements continuing to build steadily.
Now, our baby is noticeably calmer, happier, and more settled during the day, and nights have been completely transformed. He falls and stays asleep with ease, and as parents we are more rested, reassured, and confident that we have done the very best for our child.
-Ian Westbrook, parent to 18 month old, Barnet (June 2026)
Booking a discovery call or a package
Book a free 15 minute discovery call
Fill out the form below to book a free, no-obligations chat to discuss your sleep concerns.
I will get back to you as soon as possible.