Nowon-gu in Seoul is accepting applications for "Sweet Sleep," a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program designed to help senior residents overcome insomnia, the district announced.
Cognitive behavioral therapy-based group counseling program draws strong response since its 2024 debut; five-session course runs June 16 to July 14, with weekly sleep diary to support in-depth analysis
"Sweet Sleep" is a tailored CBT program for seniors seeking to improve their sleep quality. Rather than relying on medication such as sleeping pills, the program combines individual consultations with group sessions to help participants better understand insomnia and build healthy sleep habits on their own.
To ensure focused, high-quality counseling, each session is limited to around eight participants.
The program runs every Tuesday morning from 10:30 a.m. for 90 minutes, from June 16 to July 14, for a total of five sessions.
Each session covers sleep education, relaxation therapy and group counseling, in that order. Participants will also keep a weekly sleep diary throughout the program to help them understand the relationship between sleep and emotions, identify improvements suited to their individual sleep patterns and achieve a greater sense of psychological stability.
The program is entirely free. Nowon-gu residents aged 65 or older who wish to participate may apply in person at the Nowon Senior Counseling Center on the fourth floor of the Surak Senior Welfare Center. Registration runs from May 11 to May 29 and is accepted on a walk-in basis only. A total of 10 spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. However, applicants must be able to attend all five sessions. For further details, contact the Nowon Senior Counseling Center directly.
The Nowon Senior Counseling Center, which opened in July 2023, is the first district-run counseling facility dedicated exclusively to seniors in the country. It supports the mental well-being of older residents through distinctive programs, including group counseling through psychodrama and communication-focused group counseling using the MBTI personality assessment.
Since opening, the center has served approximately 2,704 seniors and conducted a total of 6,051 counseling sessions as of April 2026. Backed by the empathy and support of professional counselors, seniors have consistently reported high satisfaction as they regain emotional stability and experience positive changes in their daily lives. In one case, a senior who visited the center suffering from severe anxiety and insomnia caused by noise from neighboring units learned through counseling how to communicate with neighbors and recovered a sense of calm, returning to a comfortable daily routine. Word-of-mouth from seniors who have experienced the benefits firsthand has driven a steady increase in referral visits.
"Insomnia goes beyond a simple sleep problem — it can affect overall physical and mental health, which is why forming healthy sleep habits is so important," Nowon District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said. "I hope this program helps seniors restore their mental well-being and enjoy a more comfortable daily life. We will continue to spare no effort in supporting a healthy and happy later life."
Nowon-gu in Seoul is accepting applications for "Sweet Sleep," a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program designed to help senior residents overcome insomnia, the district announced.
"Sweet Sleep" is a tailored CBT program for seniors seeking to improve their sleep quality. Rather than relying on medication such as sleeping pills, the program combines individual consultations with group sessions to help participants better understand insomnia and build healthy sleep habits on their own.
To ensure focused, high-quality counseling, each session is limited to around eight participants.
The program runs every Tuesday morning from 10:30 a.m. for 90 minutes, from June 16 to July 14, for a total of five sessions.
Each session covers sleep education, relaxation therapy and group counseling, in that order. Participants will also keep a weekly sleep diary throughout the program to help them understand the relationship between sleep and emotions, identify improvements suited to their individual sleep patterns and achieve a greater sense of psychological stability.
The program is entirely free. Nowon-gu residents aged 65 or older who wish to participate may apply in person at the Nowon Senior Counseling Center on the fourth floor of the Surak Senior Welfare Center. Registration runs from May 11 to May 29 and is accepted on a walk-in basis only. A total of 10 spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. However, applicants must be able to attend all five sessions. For further details, contact the Nowon Senior Counseling Center directly.
The Nowon Senior Counseling Center, which opened in July 2023, is the first district-run counseling facility dedicated exclusively to seniors in the country. It supports the mental well-being of older residents through distinctive programs, including group counseling through psychodrama and communication-focused group counseling using the MBTI personality assessment.
Since opening, the center has served approximately 2,704 seniors and conducted a total of 6,051 counseling sessions as of April 2026. Backed by the empathy and support of professional counselors, seniors have consistently reported high satisfaction as they regain emotional stability and experience positive changes in their daily lives. In one case, a senior who visited the center suffering from severe anxiety and insomnia caused by noise from neighboring units learned through counseling how to communicate with neighbors and recovered a sense of calm, returning to a comfortable daily routine. Word-of-mouth from seniors who have experienced the benefits firsthand has driven a steady increase in referral visits.
"Insomnia goes beyond a simple sleep problem — it can affect overall physical and mental health, which is why forming healthy sleep habits is so important," Nowon District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said. "I hope this program helps seniors restore their mental well-being and enjoy a more comfortable daily life. We will continue to spare no effort in supporting a healthy and happy later life."
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