---
type: Service
title: TMS Therapy
description: FDA-cleared transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression and depression with comorbid anxiety, delivered in courses of roughly 20+ sessions under psychiatrist supervision.
resource: https://carmahealth.com/services/tms-therapy
tags: [carmahealth, service, tms, transcranial-magnetic-stimulation, depression, anxiety]
timestamp: 2026-07-08T20:00:00Z
---

# TMS Therapy

## Overview

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) at [CARMAhealth](../carmahealth.md) is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate mood-regulating areas of the brain. Patients remain awake, no anesthesia is used, and the site states patients can drive themselves to and from appointments. It is positioned for patients with major depressive disorder who have not responded well to antidepressant medication, and the site notes it can be combined with [medication management](./medication-management.md), [ketamine therapy](./ketamine-therapy.md), or [Spravato](./spravato.md). Each TMS plan is designed and supervised by a board-certified psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner, beginning with a [psychiatric evaluation](./psychiatric-evaluation.md).

## How it works (as described by the provider)

1. **Psychiatric evaluation** — symptom, history, and goal review to determine TMS candidacy.
2. **Mapping and calibration** — a one-time, roughly 30-minute session mapping the scalp treatment area and calibrating pulse intensity to the individual threshold.
3. **Treatment sessions** — five days a week for four to six weeks; each session lasts about 20 to 30 minutes; the headline claim is "as few as 20 sessions." No downtime is described; most patients read, listen to music, or relax during sessions.
4. **Assessment and maintenance** — the site states many patients notice improvement within two to three weeks; after the final session the psychiatrist assesses progress and discusses a maintenance plan.

Side effects described by the site: mild scalp discomfort or headache that typically decreases over the first week; the site states TMS does not cause weight gain, sexual dysfunction, nausea, fatigue, sedation, or systemic side effects.

## Conditions addressed

- [Depression](../conditions/depression.md) (major depressive disorder)
- Depression with comorbid [anxiety](../conditions/anxiety.md)
- [Treatment-resistant depression](../conditions/treatment-resistant-depression.md)

## Availability & locations

An in-person service. The telehealth page states practitioners refer patients needing TMS to in-person locations in [Austin](../locations/austin-tx.md) or [Dripping Springs](../locations/dripping-springs-tx.md). Availability at [Coral Springs, FL](../locations/coral-springs-fl.md): unable to verify from the source pages.

## Insurance & payment

Per the site: many major plans (Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, United Healthcare, Medicare) cover TMS for treatment-resistant depression, typically requiring documentation of at least two failed antidepressant trials; CARMAhealth handles verification and prior authorization. Self-pay figures given by the site: $300–$500 per session, $6,000–$15,000 for a full course; with insurance, copays of $50–$250 per session.

## Claims noted

- The site states TMS has been FDA-cleared for multiple conditions since 2013, including major depressive disorder and depression with comorbid anxiety (citing a National Library of Medicine article).
- The site cites Harvard Health for a 50–60 percent clinically meaningful response rate in treatment-resistant depression, with roughly one-third of responders achieving full remission, and states most patients maintain improvement for a year or more.

## Sources

- Canonical page: https://carmahealth.com/services/tms-therapy
- Machine-readable mirror: https://mr.carmahealth.com/services/tms-therapy
- Retrieved 2026-07-08.