For individuals living with mental health conditions, treatment can feel like a revolving door of medications and therapy sessions that never quite deliver lasting relief. When talk therapy stalls and prescriptions bring more side effects than solutions, it’s easy to feel like options are running out. But there’s new hope grounded in real neuroscience: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
The science behind TMS therapy offers an exciting, evidence-based treatment path for those whose conditions haven’t responded to traditional approaches. At Shanti TMS, a physician-led clinic in Portland, this innovative therapy is helping adolescents and adults regain control over their lives. Whether you’re exploring alternatives for treatment-resistant depression or seeking non-medication strategies for OCD or anxiety, understanding how TMS works on the brain can offer clarity, hope, and direction.
TMS Therapy Explained
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS, is a non-invasive, FDA-approved treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific areas of the brain. It’s most commonly used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), especially in patients who haven’t found relief with antidepressants or talk therapy. Over the years, its applications have expanded to include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), addiction-related conditions, and chronic pain.
Unlike electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which delivers electrical currents throughout the brain, TMS is highly targeted. It does not require anesthesia, and patients remain awake and alert during the treatment session. The therapy involves placing a small magnetic coil gently against the scalp, usually over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area known to be underactive in people with depression. This coil emits short magnetic pulses that stimulate neurons in that region, enhancing activity in parts of the brain that regulate mood and emotional processing.
How TMS Works
Understanding the science behind TMS therapy means digging into how our brains function and where they sometimes falter. In conditions like depression and OCD, certain brain circuits can become underactive or misfire. Traditional treatments like medication aim to regulate brain chemicals, but not everyone’s brain chemistry responds predictably.
TMS works differently. It targets the brain at the level of neural activity, not just neurotransmitters. The magnetic pulses used in TMS are similar to those in an MRI machine and are strong enough to penetrate the skull and activate brain cells without damaging tissue. When these pulses are delivered repeatedly in a process called repetitive TMS (rTMS), they begin to rewire patterns of brain activity, encouraging healthier function in mood-related areas.
One of the most targeted areas in TMS is the prefrontal cortex, which plays a key role in regulating mood, decision-making, and motivation. In individuals with depression, this region often shows reduced activity. By stimulating the prefrontal cortex, TMS helps wake up this part of the brain, restoring connectivity with deeper structures like the limbic system, which is involved in emotion processing.
Over a series of sessions, typically five days a week for four to six weeks, these changes in brain activity can build into sustained improvements in mood, focus, and emotional regulation.
How Effective Is TMS?
Research into the effectiveness of TMS has been extensive, particularly for treatment-resistant depression. According to Harvard Health Publishing, 50% to 60% of individuals with depression who haven’t found relief through medication experience significant improvement with TMS therapy. Of those, about one in three achieve full remission, meaning their symptoms disappear entirely.
These are not just promising numbers; they represent real change in the lives of people who may have felt hopeless or stuck. For patients at Shanti TMS in Portland, these results translate into the ability to return to school or work, reconnect with loved ones, and rediscover joy in everyday life.
Importantly, the benefits of TMS often come without the side effects associated with medications, such as weight gain, fatigue, or sexual dysfunction. This makes it a compelling choice for people who are sensitive to medications or who prefer a drug-free approach.
Who Can Benefit from TMS Therapy?
TMS is most commonly prescribed for adults and adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder, especially when other treatments haven’t worked. However, research and clinical practice have shown that the treatment also holds promise for other mental health and neurological conditions.
At Shanti TMS, patients have received support for:
- Treatment-resistant depression
- Adolescent depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Addiction-related conditions
- Chronic pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia or neuropathic pain
Because the science behind TMS therapy involves modifying patterns of brain activity, it can be applied across a range of conditions where those patterns are disrupted. Every brain is different, and that’s why an individualized assessment is key to determining if TMS is a good fit.
At Shanti, each treatment plan is physician-led and personalized, ensuring that the therapy is tailored not just to the diagnosis, but to the individual behind it.
What a TMS Session Feels Like
One of the most reassuring things about TMS therapy is how simple and tolerable the sessions are. Most people describe the sensation as a light tapping on the scalp. The first session usually includes a motor threshold test to find the correct dose of magnetic energy for your brain. Once that’s established, treatments begin, typically lasting about 20 minutes.
Patients remain fully awake and can return to their normal activities immediately afterward. There’s no need for recovery time, making it easy to fit into daily life. Common side effects are mild and may include scalp discomfort or slight headaches, particularly in the first few sessions. These often fade as the brain adjusts to the treatment. Serious side effects, such as seizures, are extremely rare, especially when TMS is administered by trained professionals like those at Shanti TMS.
The Lasting Effects of TMS on the Brain
One of the most exciting aspects of the science behind TMS therapy is the way it promotes neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt, reorganize, and form new connections. This is the same biological process that underlies learning and recovery from injury.
Repeated TMS sessions encourage the brain to form new, healthier patterns of activity, which can lead to long-lasting relief even after treatment ends. While some people may need occasional maintenance sessions, many experience significant improvement that holds over time. In this way, TMS is more than symptom management; it’s an opportunity for the brain to reset and heal.
Why Choose Shanti TMS in Portland?
At Shanti TMS, care is personal, not procedural. As a locally owned and physician-led clinic, we personally guide your care from beginning to end, ensuring you’re supported by the same trusted medical team every step of the way. There’s no confusion, no handoffs, just clear, compassionate support from people who genuinely know your story.
Because we operate from one Portland location, your schedule stays consistent and you’re always welcomed by familiar faces. There’s comfort in knowing what to expect and who you’ll see each time you walk through our doors. Just as important, a licensed physician is on-site every day, available to every patient. You’re never left wondering who’s managing your treatment or whether you’ll get answers to your questions.
Above all, we lead with compassion in every aspect of care. We take time to connect, to listen, encourage, and support you throughout your TMS journey. It’s this personal approach, backed by clinical expertise, that makes healing at Shanti both effective and deeply human.
Insurance Support That Makes Treatment More Accessible
We understand that the cost of mental health treatment can be a major concern. At Shanti TMS, we believe that healing should never feel out of reach because of finances. That’s why we work with most major insurance providers to help make TMS therapy more accessible and affordable for our patients.
Verify your insurance coverage to find out if your plan includes TMS treatment. It’s fast, confidential, and obligation-free. We’ll guide you through every step of the process, so you can move forward with confidence and clarity.