Modifying migraine headache through rational stage directed hypnotherapy: A cognitive-experiential perspective

Abstract

Abstract Recent techniqites designed to modify migraine headache have emphasized physiological modification via hypnosis only or biofeedback. Psychological factors, however, have been identified as causal in many psychophysiological disorders such as migraine. The present casc study describes the results of utilizing Rational Stage Directed Hypnotherapy (RSDH) of Tosi (1974, Tosi and Marzella (1975), and Tosi (1980a) in the treatment of an individual suffering from severe migraine headaches. RSDH, designed to attend to both physiological and psychological factors, is a cognitive-experientially based, stage directed, systematic psychotherapeutic regimen which utilizes hypnosis and hypnotic imagery to enhance the rational restructuring of negative cognitive/emotional/ physiological/behavioral states. In the present case study, RSDH demonstrated superior effects over the hypnosis only treatment and baseline in reducing migraine head aches. The client demonstrated improvement on both self-report measurement (frequency of migraine headaches) and objective test results (MMPI, Hathaway & McKinley, 1951; Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, Fitts, 1969). In describing this case, particular attention was given to analyzing cognitive distortions via hypnotic imagery in a temporal framework. Analysis and restructuring of past traumatic events which were symbolically affecting the client's current behavior were particularly ignificant aspects of the treatment process.