Depression can make ordinary tasks feel neurologically expensive. Getting out of bed, concentrating at work, answering a message, or enjoying time with people you love may require more effort than you can explain. If medication and therapy have not provided enough relief, you may wonder whether another path is available.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is one such option. It is a noninvasive brain-stimulation treatment that uses carefully timed magnetic pulses to influence neural circuits involved in mood regulation. In 2026, interest in TMS is growing among patients in New Haven who want an evidence-based treatment that does not require anesthesia or a hospital stay.
At Light-tunnel Behavioral Health Services Inc. in New Haven, treatment decisions are personalized to your symptoms, medical history, goals, and previous treatment response. The practice is NP/PMHNP-owned and led, featuring Dr. Omolola Aragbada, PMHNP: a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, not a physician.
What Is TMS Therapy for Depression?
TMS uses an electromagnetic coil positioned near your scalp. The coil produces brief magnetic pulses that pass through the skull and induce a small electrical field in targeted cortical tissue.
For major depressive disorder, treatment commonly focuses on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area involved in motivation, attention, emotional regulation, and communication with deeper mood-related networks.
A helpful metaphor is to think of depression as a network with poorly synchronized electrical traffic. Some circuits may be underactive, while communication between the prefrontal cortex and limbic regions may become inefficient. TMS does not “erase” your emotions or force your brain to feel happy. Instead, repeated stimulation may help nudge an impaired network toward more flexible and coordinated activity.
BrainsWay Deep TMS
BrainsWay Deep TMS is one of the most extensively researched Deep TMS systems. It uses a helmet containing a patented H-coil rather than a traditional figure-8 coil. The H-coil is designed to stimulate a broader and somewhat deeper volume of prefrontal tissue.
The goal is not simply to reach “deeper” brain tissue for its own sake. The goal is to influence clinically relevant networks while maintaining an appropriate safety and tolerability profile. Your clinician must determine which device, target, and protocol are appropriate for you.
How Does TMS Work in the Brain?
The physiological process occurs in several stages:
- Magnetic induction: The coil generates a rapidly changing magnetic field.
- Neural activation: That field induces an electrical current in superficial brain tissue.
- Network communication: Stimulation affects neurons in the targeted cortex and their connected pathways.
- Repeated neuroplastic change: With repeated sessions, the brain may gradually adjust how these circuits communicate.
Researchers often describe this as neuroplasticity: the brain’s capacity to modify the strength and organization of its connections. Think of a stuck mechanical gear: one session may loosen it briefly, but repeated, precisely timed movement may help the system operate more smoothly.
The exact antidepressant mechanism remains an active area of neuroscience research. TMS may influence cortical excitability, synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitter systems, and functional connectivity between prefrontal and limbic regions. No single explanation captures every patient’s response.
What Does a Session Feel Like?
During a typical session, you remain awake and seated in a comfortable chair. The treatment team maps an individualized motor threshold and positions the coil according to the prescribed protocol.
You may notice:
- Tapping or clicking sensations on the scalp
- Mild facial or scalp muscle movement
- A feeling of pressure from the helmet
- Temporary scalp sensitivity or a headache
Treatment time varies by protocol. Many Deep TMS sessions take approximately 20–40 minutes, and you can generally return to ordinary activities afterward. Unlike electroconvulsive therapy, TMS does not require general anesthesia, and it is not intended to produce a seizure.
Who May Be a Candidate for TMS?
TMS may be considered for adults with major depressive disorder, particularly when:
- One or more antidepressants have not provided adequate improvement
- Medication side effects are difficult to tolerate
- Depression continues despite psychotherapy and medication management
- You prefer a localized, non-systemic treatment option
- Symptoms are impairing work, relationships, sleep, motivation, or daily functioning
TMS is not a universal treatment, and it is not a sign that you have “failed” at recovery. Treatment resistance is a clinical description: not a judgment about your effort. Depression can involve biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, and sometimes the first treatment simply is not the right fit.
A comprehensive evaluation is especially important if you have:
- A history of bipolar disorder, mania, or hypomania
- Psychotic symptoms
- Seizures or significant neurological illness
- Metal or electronic implants in or near the head
- A cochlear implant or other implanted medical device
- Current suicidal thoughts or an inability to remain safe
If you have bipolar depression, TMS may require a different clinical discussion than treatment for unipolar depression. Your psychiatric history, current mood state, medications, and risk factors must be reviewed before treatment begins.
What Does the Evidence Show?
TMS is supported by randomized controlled trials, although study results do not guarantee that any individual will respond.
In a prospective, double-blind, multicenter randomized controlled trial, Levkovitz et al. (2015) studied 212 outpatients with major depression who had not responded adequately to antidepressants or could not tolerate them. In the per-protocol analysis, response was higher with active Deep TMS than sham treatment: 38.4% versus 21.4%: and remission was 32.6% versus 14.6% at the primary assessment point. The study used an H-coil system and included a continuation phase (Levkovitz et al., 2015).
A separate randomized clinical trial compared H1-coil Deep TMS plus medication, figure-8-coil rTMS plus medication, and medication alone. Both TMS groups performed better than medication alone, while the Deep TMS group showed greater symptom reduction than the figure-8 group on some measures; remission rates between the two TMS approaches were not significantly different (Filipčić et al., 2019).
These findings support TMS as a meaningful treatment option, but they do not mean it is a cure or that it works equally well for everyone.
Why Is Interest in TMS Growing in New Haven?
Patients in New Haven are increasingly asking about TMS for practical and clinical reasons:
- It is outpatient: You can receive treatment without hospitalization.
- There is no routine anesthesia: You remain awake and can generally resume your day afterward.
- It targets brain circuits directly: TMS offers a different therapeutic pathway from oral medication.
- It can fit into a broader care plan: TMS may be coordinated with therapy, medication management, and psychiatric follow-up.
- It offers another option after discouraging treatment experiences: A lack of response to medication does not mean that improvement is impossible.
- Local access matters: Receiving care in or near New Haven may make it easier to attend the repeated sessions required for an acute treatment course.
A typical course involves treatment five days per week for several weeks, followed by individualized continuation or maintenance planning when clinically indicated. Consistency matters. The brain’s response is usually gradual rather than dramatic after one appointment, and your care team will monitor symptoms over time.
What to Do: and What to Avoid: Before TMS
Do:
- Tell your clinician about every medication, supplement, and substance you use.
- Report seizures, fainting episodes, head injuries, neurological conditions, or implanted devices.
- Discuss any history of mania, hypomania, psychosis, or suicidal thinking.
- Attend scheduled sessions consistently.
- Tell the treatment team if scalp discomfort, headaches, mood changes, or unusual symptoms persist.
- Continue therapy and medication only as directed by your treating professionals.
Avoid:
- Stopping psychiatric medication without medical guidance.
- Withholding information about alcohol or substance use.
- Assuming TMS will produce immediate results.
- Treating online testimonials as a substitute for an individualized evaluation.
- Using TMS as a replacement for emergency psychiatric care during a crisis.
To explore whether TMS may be appropriate, visit Light-tunnel Behavioral Health Services Inc.’s TMS therapy page, learn about psychiatric evaluations, or contact the practice. Insurance coverage and eligibility vary, so ask about benefits verification during the intake process.
Medical Safety Disclaimer and Emergency Resources
This article is for general education and does not diagnose depression or recommend a specific device, treatment protocol, or medication plan. TMS must be prescribed and administered by qualified healthcare professionals after a complete psychiatric and medical evaluation. Potential risks include headache, scalp discomfort, facial muscle twitching, hearing-related concerns, and rare seizure. Certain metal or electronic implants may make TMS unsafe.
If you may hurt yourself, cannot stay safe, or are experiencing a psychiatric emergency:
- Call or text 988 in the United States for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if there is immediate danger.
- Do not wait for a TMS consultation to address an urgent safety concern.
Continue the Series
Read the next post: The Spectrum of Elevation: Recognizing Manic and Hypomanic Phases in Bipolar Disorder
References
- Levkovitz, Y., Isserles, M., Padberg, F., et al. (2015). Efficacy and safety of deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for major depression: A prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial. World Psychiatry, 14(1), 64–73. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20199
- Filipčić, I., et al. (2019). Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation using a figure-8-coil or an H1-Coil in treatment of major depressive disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 114, 113–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.04.020
- O’Reardon, J. P., Solvason, H. B., Janicak, P. G., et al. (2007). Efficacy and safety of transcranial magnetic stimulation in the acute treatment of major depression: A multisite randomized controlled trial. Biological Psychiatry, 62(11), 1208–1216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.01.018