TMS Therapy Long Island: FDA-Approved Treatment for Depression & OCD

Standard TMS (also called rTMS or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation) is the original FDA-approved protocol with the longest track record and most extensive research support. This approach involves one daily treatment session, five days per week, for approximately six weeks.

Each session delivers high-frequency magnetic pulses (typically 10 Hz) to your left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The stimulation activates neurons in this underactive brain region, gradually restoring normal activity patterns over the course of treatment. Sessions last 19-37 minutes depending on the specific protocol parameters.
The standard protocol delivers 3,000 pulses per session. Over a typical course of 36 sessions, you receive over 100,000 total pulses, enough cumulative stimulation to produce lasting changes in brain function.

Treatment Schedule:

• One session per day, Monday through Friday
• Six weeks of daily treatment (30 sessions)
• Six additional “booster” sessions over three weeks
• 36 total treatments

Session Experience: You’ll sit in a comfortable chair while we position the TMS coil against your scalp. The device delivers magnetic pulses that feel like tapping on your head. Most patients read, watch videos on their phone, or simply relax during sessions. You’re awake and alert throughout.

Timeline for Results: Most patients begin noticing improvement within two to four weeks. Benefits typically continue building throughout the treatment course and often persist for months to years after completion.

Accelerated TMS compresses weeks of treatment into days by delivering multiple sessions per day. Our protocol delivers 50 treatments over five consecutive days, based on the groundbreaking Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy (SAINT) protocol that achieved remarkable results in clinical trials.

This approach is ideal for patients who need faster results, can take a week away from normal responsibilities, or haven’t responded adequately to standard TMS.

Stanford researchers developed the SAINT protocol after recognizing that depression is a medical emergency for many patients. Waiting six weeks for standard TMS to work isn’t acceptable when someone is severely depressed or experiencing suicidal thoughts.

The accelerated approach uses intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS), a newer form of TMS that delivers therapeutic pulses in concentrated bursts. Each iTBS session takes only about three minutes compared to 19-37 minutes for standard rTMS, but research shows equivalent effectiveness.

A 2024 meta-analysis published in BMC Psychiatry examined accelerated TMS studies and found that depression scores significantly decreased following treatment, with no significant difference in effectiveness between accelerated and standard protocols. The analysis also found evidence of long-term maintenance effects, with depression scores at follow-up remaining lower than immediately post-treatment.

Stanford’s original research reported response rates approaching 90% with remission rates around 80% in treatment-resistant patients. A 2024 pilot study published in Brain Stimulation using a pragmatic accelerated protocol found 70% response rates and 55% remission rates at four-week follow-up, with effect sizes nearly three times the magnitude typically considered “large.”

Treatment Schedule:

• 10 sessions per day for 5 consecutive days
• Sessions spaced approximately one hour apart
• 50 total treatments completed in one week
• Each iTBS session takes approximately 3 minutes

A Typical Treatment Day: You’ll arrive in the morning and receive your first session. After each treatment, you’ll have about 50 minutes before your next session. Many patients work on laptops, make phone calls, read, or relax between sessions. Lunch is taken between sessions. You’ll finish in the late afternoon.

The five-day schedule typically runs Monday through Friday. You’ll need to arrange transportation for the treatment week since we recommend not driving during the intensive treatment period.

Timeline for Results: Many patients notice improvement within the first few days of treatment. Research shows depression scores typically decrease progressively each treatment day. Benefits are often well-established by the end of the five-day protocol and maintained at follow-up.

One-Day TMS (ONE-D) represents the most condensed treatment option available, delivering 20 TMS sessions in a single day combined with medications that enhance brain plasticity. This protocol is designed for patients who need the absolute fastest possible treatment timeline.

The ONE-D protocol builds on accelerated TMS principles but compresses treatment even further. You receive 20 iTBS sessions over the course of one day, spaced to allow optimal brain response between treatments.

What makes ONE-D unique is the addition of two medications that enhance neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to form new connections. By temporarily increasing plasticity during intensive TMS delivery, the protocol aims to maximize the brain changes that produce antidepressant effects.

One-day TMS protocols represent the cutting edge of TMS research. While not yet FDA-approved as a specific protocol, the approach builds on established principles. Research has shown that multiple daily TMS sessions are safe and effective, neuroplasticity-enhancing medications can augment TMS effects, and compressed treatment timelines can produce rapid improvement.

Early studies of intensive single-day protocols show promising results, though this remains a newer approach with less long-term data than standard or five-day accelerated protocols.

You’ll meet with one of our psychiatrists for a comprehensive evaluation. We’ll review your treatment history, discuss your symptoms and goals, and determine whether TMS is appropriate for your situation. If you’re a good candidate, we’ll explain the different protocol options and help you choose the best approach.

We’ll also verify your insurance coverage for standard TMS. Coverage typically requires prior authorization, which our team handles for you.

At your first treatment, we’ll determine your motor threshold, the minimum magnetic intensity needed to activate your motor cortex. This calibration ensures your treatment is personalized to your brain’s responsiveness.

You’ll sit in a comfortable chair while we position the TMS coil against your scalp. The device delivers magnetic pulses that feel like tapping on your head. Some patients find the sensation unusual at first, but most adjust quickly. You’re awake and alert throughout.

TMS has an excellent safety profile compared to medications. The most common side effect is mild scalp discomfort or headache during or shortly after treatment, which typically responds to over-the-counter pain relievers and often diminishes as treatment progresses.

Unlike antidepressants, TMS doesn’t cause weight gain, sexual dysfunction, emotional blunting, or withdrawal symptoms. It’s safe for elderly patients and doesn’t interact with other medications.

Unlike some TMS clinics run by non-psychiatrists, our practice is led by board-certified psychiatrists who specialize in treatment-resistant conditions. We understand the complexity of depression and can evaluate whether TMS is truly the right option or whether another approach might work better.

TMS is one tool in our comprehensive treatment toolkit. If TMS alone doesn’t provide complete relief, we can add medication management, therapy, ketamine treatment, or other approaches without referring you elsewhere. Your care stays coordinated under one roof.

We’re one of the few practices offering standard, accelerated, and one-day TMS protocols. Whether you need insurance-covered treatment that fits around work or the fastest possible results, we have an option for you.