How Behavioral Therapies Help Prevent & Manage Migraine

Day 7 (2026)

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Key Questions

How do psychological or behavioral treatments for migraine, such as biofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), physiologically impact the body and brain?
What are the core evidence-based behavioral treatments for migraine?
Can behavioral therapies be used alone, or are they most effective when combined with medications?
What is the functional model of migraine treatment? How does it differ from the traditional medical diagnostic model?
How does the functional model identify factors contributing to migraine vulnerability and guide collaborative treatment planning?
What evidence supports the effectiveness of CBT for migraine, and what benefits does it offer compared to pharmacological treatments?
What are the risks of an avoidance-only approach to triggers? How does the “Learning to Cope” approach provide an alternative?
How can common migraine triggers, like food or light, be accurately identified given the complex behavioral and biological interactions?
How does hypervigilance affect the migraine cycle, and what practical strategies can break this cycle?
What guidance is offered to individuals who have had negative or dismissive experiences with psychological treatments for chronic pain?
How can people with migraine find clinicians with expertise in behavioral treatments?

Interview Notes

Paul R. Martin, PhD
International Headache Society
Study: “An integrative cognitive behavioral therapy program for adults” with migraine: A feasibility study
Study: “Behavioral management of the triggers of recurrent headache: A randomized controlled trial”
Comprehensive Clinical Psychology (Second Edition), Chapter 8.25: Headache and Migraine

Treatments Mentioned

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
Attention diversion training
Autogenic training
Biofeedback training
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)
Progressive relaxation training
Relapse prevention training

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Disclaimer: The Migraine World Summit aims to bring you a variety of perspectives and expertise, free from bias or judgment. Alternative theories presented in this video have not been medically reviewed. Views expressed in this interview do not necessarily represent the views of the Migraine World Summit. Please always consult your health care professional and do your own research before making changes to your treatment plan. Captions are auto-generated and may contain errors.

Expert

Paul R. Martin, PhD

Adjunct Professor
Monash University & Griffith University

Paul R. Martin is an adjunct professor at Monash University and at Griffith University in Australia. He is a clinical and health psychologist who completed his training at the Universities of Bristol and Oxford. He has held a number of professional leadership positions, including national president of the Australian Behaviour Modification Association, and director of science and then president of the Australian Psychological Society.

His main research interest has been headache and migraine, with subsidiary interests in stress, depression (including postnatal depression), and social support. He has authored/edited eight books and 170 journal articles and chapters. In 2003, he received a Centenary Medal “for service to Australian society and medicine,” and in 2015, he received a Medal of the Order of Australia “for service to medicine in the field of psychology.”