Lisa Douglass

Lisa Douglass

Sleep Consultant
.
SSC
Under 1 year
experience
Sydney, Australia / Virtual worldwide
Tailored to each family and situation
https://www.gentlestepstoslumber.com.au/consultations
Starting from

$375

In home consult and support
In home consultation, Personalised sleep plan and 4 weeks of support.
$
420
Phone consultation and support
Phone consultation, personalised sleep plan and 4 weeks support
$
375
Free discovery call
10 minute introductory call
$
0

Lisa Douglass

Welcome, I’m Lisa!
​If you’re reading this while feeling completely exhausted, wondering when you’ll ever get a stretch of uninterrupted sleep again—take a deep breath. You are in the right place, and you don't have to navigate this alone.

​With over 15 years of experience working in early childhood education, I’ve spent my career surrounded by little ones and the wonderful families raising them. Over the years, I saw firsthand just how vital healthy sleep is—not only for a child’s growth, regulation, and happy development, but for the well-being of the whole family. I watched so many loving, capable parents run on empty, feeling overwhelmed by conflicting advice. That passion for helping families thrive is what led me to establish Gentle Steps to Slumber.

​I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all sleep training or leaving babies to cry it out alone. Healthy sleep is so much more than just troubleshooting a bedtime routine; it’s about understanding your child’s unique temperament, developmental stage, and family rhythm.
​My approach is built on compassion, flexibility, and gradual steps. We take things at a pace that feels comfortable for you and your child, making steady, gentle adjustments that build confidence and security. I am right there alongside you to guide, encourage, and tweak our approach so it fits seamlessly into your daily life.

​I support families across Sydney's Northern Beaches and surrounding areas are who are ready for a gentler way to restore rest. Whether you’re dealing with frequent night wakings, short naps, chaotic bedtime battles, or simply feeling overwhelmed by sleep transitions, I love working with parents who want a supportive, balanced partner in their corner.
My philosophy

Whether you room-share, bed-share, or want independent sleep, there is no one-size-fits-all approach here. We’ll take gentle, customised steps together to get your whole family the restful sleep you deserve.

Credentials & Certifications

SSC

SSC

Sensitive Sleep Consultant Certification

✓ Verified by SlumberMatch

Specialties

Toddler sleep: 1-3 years, Short naps, Frequent night wakings, Night weaning, Room sharing transitions, Co-sleeping to independent sleep, Anxiety-sensitive sleep support, Gentle / no-cry-it-out approaches, Neurodivergent children

Case Studies

Anonymized · with permission
2.5-year-old struggling with 90-minute bedtime stalling and middle-of-the-night wakings, with a baby sibling on the way.
​To support the parents' desire for a gentle approach, we established clear bedtime boundaries with choices and implemented a gradual "Camping Out" method so dad could stay in the room while fading support.
​Within two weeks, bedtime battles vanished, and the toddler achieved solid, full nights of sleep, giving the parents their evenings and energy back.
3-year-old reliant on co-sleeping and frequent night checks, plus a 3-month-old requiring heavy rocking to settle.

​To support independent toddler sleep while respecting her need for connection, we introduced pre-bedtime sensory cuddle time and a gentle "progressive reassurance" check-in plan. For the 3-month-old, we adjusted settling techniques to a comfortable, seated approach to relieve mum's back pain while keeping baby calm.

​The toddler gained the confidence to sleep independently in her own bed, and mum learned low-strain settling routines that made bedtime peaceful for both children.

Reviews

6
verified reviews · from booked clients only
Sare & Dan
Sare & Dan
August 5, 2026
☆☆☆☆☆

We cannot recommend Lisa highly enough. We came to her feeling exhausted, and unsure how to help our toddler through ongoing sleep struggles. From the very beginning, she was calm, supportive, knowledgeable and completely non-judgemental. What made the biggest difference was how personalised her approach was for our family. She took the time to understand our toddler's temperament, our routines and our parenting style, and created a plan that felt realistic and achievable. Within a short period of time, we saw improvement; but more importantly, we felt so much more confident and settled because we had a planned approach. Thanks to her guidance, our whole family is now sleeping better and life feels so much happier and calmer. Thank you Lisa!

Ali B.
Ali B.
August 5, 2026
☆☆☆☆☆

Lisa supported us with sleep advice for our 2.5 year old, giving us tailored advice that we were comfortable with. She has a lovely calm demeanour giving us confidence with the approach. We have seen improved sleep outcomes based on her advice and would highly recommend her service.

Renata H.
Renata H.
August 5, 2026
☆☆☆☆☆

We had such a positive experience working with Lisa. From the very beginning, what stood out the most was her genuine empathy, she didn't just come in with a one-size-fits-all plan, she really took the time to understand our situation and what we were comfortable with as parents. She listened carefully, asked thoughtful questions, and made us feel heard rather than judged. The strategies she suggested were practical, gentle, and actually realistic to implement in a busy family. I'd highly recommend her to any parent looking for support. It's rare to find someone who combines deep knowledge, passion and a calm, understanding approach.

Pete S.
Pete S.
August 5, 2026
☆☆☆☆☆

I was lucky enough to work with Lisa, and honestly, the experience was incredible. Having someone calm, supportive, and knowledgeable guiding me made such a difference. From the very beginning, she was practical, reassuring, and never made me feel judged. What stood out most was that her approach felt realistic and tailored to my toddler and our situation, not just a one-size-fits-all program. On top of that, she genuinely cares and she exceeded every expectation I had. I'm so grateful for her help and would absolutely recommend her to any family needing support with sleep.

Nat & Andrew
Nat & Andrew
August 5, 2026
☆☆☆☆☆

Lisa was very knowledgeable. Took all the time to listen and suggest solutions for our fussy sleeper. Very personable and considered ways to adapt and modify our current situation in ways that we were comfortable with.

Vera L.
Vera L.
August 5, 2026
☆☆☆☆☆

Lisa was incredibly understanding and took the time to tailor her advice to our family's unique sleep situation. Her practical, personalised approach made a real difference—we've seen a big improvement in our children's sleep. Highly recommend her support!

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Starting from

$375

In home consult and support
In home consultation, Personalised sleep plan and 4 weeks of support.
$
420
Phone consultation and support
Phone consultation, personalised sleep plan and 4 weeks support
$
375
Free discovery call
10 minute introductory call
$
0