IMAGE - Illustration of the brain. Image courtesy brainsinternational.com

Indigo Mind presents integrative health practitioner Dr. Chris Gilbert of Kaiser Chronic Migraine Clinic.

"Oliver Sacks’ fine book Migraine emphasized the role of psychological stress in creating migraines; modern research has clarified how the stress that can trigger a migraine comes in many forms, from sunlight to aged meat to unrelenting ambition. A migraineur can learn to prevent the cascade of physiological events that strain and overload a genetically hypersensitive brain. This presentation will describe some of the non-medication, do-it-yourself approaches taught at Kaiser San Francisco’s chronic headache program. These include various types of biofeedback, strategic relaxation, self-hypnosis, and trigger identification and avoidance. Some of these self-regulation techniques will be demonstrated."

Chris Gilbert, PhD, is a licensed psychologist working at the Kaiser Permanente Chronic Pain program in San Francisco. His education includes B.A. from UCLA (anthropology) and doctorate from Michigan State University (psychology). He taught at Ramapo College in New Jersey and was certified in biofeedback by BCIA in 1980. He has written and presented seminars and workshops on biofeedback, headaches, breathing disorders, chronic pain, hypnosis, and the placebo response.