CHAMP Zoom Groups

The purpose of the CHAMP Education Groups are to help patients with non-medication strategies to improve headache management, pain coping, and quality of life. The groups are meant to be complementary to medical treatments. Patients will learn strategies to improve lifestyle choices, decrease stress, pacing, relaxation, explore self-talk and communication strategies to support changes that are self-directed and empowering. 

Rules and Requirements

• You are required to sign in 30 minutes before the group starts to privately verify your identity.
• Equipment: You must remain in camera and have a mic while in the group.
• Present: We ask that you not attend from work, public space or while out for a walk.
• Dress code: We dress as if you were attending a CHAMP appointment (no smoking or doing any other tasks).

Lifestyle Assessment – Learn about the theories of migraine thresholds, triggers, and protective factors. Find out what the gold standards lifestyle recommendations are for people with headaches, particularly migraine. Explore how to make effective goals and get started improving your lifestyle and headache management.

Active Coping Strategies: Relaxation and Pacing Block

• Active Coping Strategies: Part A: Reflect on the multidimensional experience of pain and how to take control and feel empowered. Learn about the stress/relaxation responses and how stress impacts headaches and coping. Practice diaphragmatic breathing.
• Active Coping Strategies: Part B: Examine pacing and activity balance between productive, self-care, and leisure pursuits. Reflect on values and choices in developing a lifestyle that helps to keep headaches well managed. Practice mindfulness.

Active Coping Strategies: Communication Block

• Active Coping Strategies: Part C: Explore the interrelationships between thoughts, words, and actions in daily life and headache management. Examine supportive and unsupportive thought patterns as you move toward having a kind and supportive inner voice that is an ally in your headache management. Practice progressive muscle relaxation.
• Active Coping Strategies: Part D: Gain awareness about the differences between assertive, passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive communication styles and how stress and pain may have influenced your communication styles in the past. Learn how to use assertive communication styles to communicate your needs and wishes to others so that you are empowered to make positive changes to improve your headache management and coping. Practice imagery/visualization techniques for relaxation.

Medication: Go over different type of medications, supplements used in migraine/headache management. Taught by a pharmacist. Patients can ask their medication questions.