Headache

This book describes the conceptualization, assessment, and evidence-based behavioral treatment of migraine and tension-type headache - two of the world’s most common medical conditions, and also frequent, highly disabling comorbidities among psychiatric patients. Headache disorders at their core are neurobiological phenomena, but numerous behavioral factors play an integral role in their onset and maintenance - and many health or mental health providers are unfamiliar with how to work effectively with patients to ensure optimal outcomes. This book, the first major work on the topic for 20 years, provides much-needed help. The first part consists of a concise yet scholarly overview of relevant psychological factors and outlines the behavioral conceptualization of headache. The second part is a step-by-step, manual-type guide to implementing behavioral interventions within clinical practice settings, supplemented by a brief review of their efficacy and mechanisms of action. This evidence-based, structured approach to behavioral treatment of headache can be individually tailored to unique patient presentations and needs.Mental health practitioners and trainees, as well as other healthcare professionals who want to improve their headache patients’ outcomes by supplementing routine medical treatment of headache with empirically supported behavioral strategies, will find this book invaluable.