Individuals who are good candidates for TMS therapy include:

• Individuals who have struggled with depression and have not had success with antidepressant medications (either because those medications were not effective or because they experienced negative side effects).
• Individuals who have either commercial or government insurance.
• Individuals seeking evidence-based, non-drug treatments for other mental health and cognitive conditions, including obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, addiction and smoking cessation, PTSD, BPD, ADHD, Parkinson’s Disease, schizophrenia, and chronic pain.

The following patients may be ineligible for TMS treatment, and should speak with their psychiatric professional in more detail before proceeding with TMS treatment:

• Individuals with a history of seizures
• Individuals who actively use drugs
• Individuals with non-removable metal in or near their heads (other than braces or dental fillings), including:
  • Aneurysm clips or coils
  • Stents in the neck or brain
  • Deep brain stimulators
  • Electrodes to monitor brain activity
  • Cochlear implants in your ears
  • Shrapnel or bullet fragments in or near the head
  • Facial tattoos with metallic or magnetic-sensitive ink

Generally, if it is safe for a patient to receive an MRI, then it is safe for the patient to receive TMS.

Yes. TMS is safe, effective, and FDA-approved. That’s why all major insurance companies cover TMS treatment. It is not completely clear why TMS is not a more commonly treatment option, despite offering a lifeline for thousands of people who could not find relief from depression using traditional oral antidepressant medications and therapy. One reason is that insurance companies make coverage and reimbursement difficult (at Ahwatukee Behavioral Health & Wellness, we take care of speaking to your insurance company on your behalf). Another reason is that psychiatric professionals are accustomed to traditional modalities of psychotherapy and medication prescriptions. Many of them opt not to invest in expensive TMS machines and hire the administrative and clinical staff necessary to offer TMS to their patients.

Regardless of the reason, TMS is becoming more popular each year for two reasons. First, more and more people are discovering its benefits for treating depression and taking advantage of their insurance benefits to obtain coverage. Second, researchers are learning more about how TMS can be used to treat other mental health conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder, and addiction / smoking cessation, among others. As these treatments become more popular, insurance companies will likely reimburse for these treatments with more regularity as well.

TMS treatment are typically 36 treatment sessions, spaced over the course of 7-8 weeks. Patients usually attend Monday through Friday, and may decrease their frequency of treatment during the last couple of weeks, based on their treatment course and conversations with their psychiatric providers. Patients who have prior commitments and cannot participate in 5 treatment sessions per week should consult with their psychiatric provider to discuss the potential for arrangements that will accommodate their schedule while still insuring that they receive the benefit of their TMS treatment.

The first TMS appointment is the longest appointment (typically 45 minutes to 1 hour). During this appointment, your psychiatric professional will perform a brain mapping and motor threshold, which ensures that the magnetic pulses delivered during the rest of your treatment sessions target the correct area of the brain.

Your daily treatment sessions will take approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Your TMS Treater will greet you, ask you some questions regarding your treatment’s progress, and ask you to remove any magnetic sensitive objects (e.g., jewelry, hearing aids, hair pins).

Consistent with best practices, you will receive earplugs during treatment, although Ahwatukee Behavioral Health & Wellness’s machine is one of the quieter TMS machines that are available. The machine will then deliver intermittent pulses – typically on and off for approximately 19 minutes. During that full treatment session, you will be accompanied by your TMS Treater. Some patients enjoy speaking to their TMS Treater during their treatment sessions, while others enjoy reading, watching television, or listening to music.

Most patients report that TMS is a pain-free experience. Some patients report mild discomfort around the area of the scalp where the machine’s coil delivers its magnetic pulse. Also, during the first week or two of treatment, some patients report headaches. However, the majority of patients report that the experience of TMS feels like a “tapping” sensation against their head that is not painful and which they become accustomed to after a few treatment sessions.

TMS is covered by all major insurances for treatment of depression, and Ahwatukee Behavioral Health & Wellness is a proudly in-network with all major insurances. If you are interested in receiving TMS therapy for something other than depression, your insurance may not cover that treatment. If you’d like to learn more about insurance coverage, fill out this form and our TMS Coordinator will contact you to discuss your insurance coverage and, if necessary, reach out to your insurance provider on your behalf.

Yes. Please fill out this form and our TMS Coordinator will contact you shortly.

We offer TMS therapy at 16515 S. 40th St., Ste. 119, Phoenix, AZ 85048. We are continually expanding our service offerings, and will be opening locations in Surprise, AZ, and North Phoenix, AZ, in the coming months. If you are interested in receiving TMS therapy, but live too far from our office, please give us a call. We can either contact you in the future or provide a recommendation for another facility that is closer to you.