Understanding Your Brain and How Illness Affects It
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Think of your brain as a complex and busy communication center. Billions of nerve cells, called neurons, talk to each other using chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters. These signals travel through circuits and directlycontrol almost everything in your body from your mood and thoughts to your sleep and energy levels.
With illness, some of these communication circuits can become unbalanced or underactive. Specifically, the areas of the brain responsible for behavior, body function, mood regulation, motivation, and decision-making may not be as calm or active as they should be. These are all real medical conditions with biological basis; not a sign of weakness or something you can simply "snap out of."
Neuromodulation: Using Energy to Help Your Brain's Circuits
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"Neuromodulation" is a category of advanced treatments that use targeted energy, like magnetic pulses or tiny electrical currents, to gently and non-invasively reset and rebalance the communication circuits in your brain.
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TMS is a non-invasive treatment that uses focused magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of illnesses like depression and OCD, but not only those two. It’s an innovative option for those who haven't found full relief from medication or behavioral therapies.
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During TMS, an electromagnetic coil is gently placed against your scalp near your forehead. This coil delivers painless magnetic pulses that pass through the scalp and stimulate the nerve cells in the part of the brain involved in mood control. This process "wakes up" the underactive neurons, helping to restore healthy communication and improve mood. A typical course of treatment involves sessions five days a week for three to six weeks.
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You’ll be seated comfortably in a specialized treatment chair, and you'll be awake and alert for the entire session. The TMS Technician will place the coil on your head and begin the treatment. You will hear a clicking sound and may feel a light tapping sensation on your scalp where the coil is placed. Sessions are typically less than 40 minutes and may be as efficiant as 3 minutes, and you can return to your normal daily activities right after.
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Yes, TMS is an FDA-approved treatment for depression, OCD, to help with smoking cessation, and is considered very safe. The most common side effects are temporary and mild, such as a headache or discomfort at the application site on the scalp. To ensure safety, staff will ask you before every session about any changes in your health or medications.
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CES is another type of non-invasive neuromodulation offered at our clinic. It uses a very low-intensity electrical current applied to the head through small electrodes to help treat milder anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
Infusion Therapies: Advanced, Rapid-Acting Medications
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These are specialized treatments that involve the controlled administration of fast-acting medications in our supervised clinical setting.
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Ketamine and the FDA-approved nasal spray, SPRAVATO® (esketamine), are medications used to treat severe depression, including treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and major depressive disorder with acute suicidal thoughts. They work very differently from traditional oral antidepressants.
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These medications work on a specialized neurotransmitter system in the brain (the NMDA receptor). By potently targeting this pathway, they can help rapidly form new communication pathways between brain cells. This can lead to a quick reduction in depressive symptoms for many patients.
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SPRAVATO® is a nasal spray that you administer yourself inside our clinic, under the direct supervision of our healthcare staff. Because of its unique effects and to ensure your safety, all patients are monitored by a healthcare provider for at least two hours after administration. It is a strict requirement that you arrange for transportation home afterward, as you are advised to not drive or operate heavy machinery until the following day.
Combining Therapies for Personalized Care
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Neuropsychopharmacology is the field of medicine that focuses on how medications affect the brain and nervous system to alter mood, thoughts, and behavior. Prescribing one or more oral daily medications that affect the brain and nervous system is a common example of this.
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Behavioral therapy, often called "talk therapy" or psychotherapy, helps people identify and change unhealthy thinking and behavior patterns. While Mynd Thera PLLC does not offer psychotherapy in-house, we believe it is a vital component of mental wellness and will collaborate closely with your outside therapist or find appropriate resources.
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At Mynd Thera, we believe in the "unconditional pursuit of excellence in care," which means creating a personalized treatment plan for you. Combining treatments is often the most effective approach. For example:
TMS + Medication + Therapy: A patient might receive TMS to directly stimulate and "un-stick" the brain's mood circuits. At the same time, their oral antidepressant (neuropsychopharmacology) or another medication works to keep neurotransmitter levels balanced. Sometimes medications can make the brian more receptive. With their brain more "plastic" or "able to change", they may find they make faster progress in behavioral therapy, learning new coping skills.
SPRAVATO® + Medication + Therapy: A patient with severe, treatment-resistant depression may use SPRAVATO® for rapid symptom relief for suicidal ideation. This quick improvement can provide the motivation and clarity needed to engage more deeply with their care providers and work on long-term strategies, while their daily oral medications provide a stable foundation.
Your provider will conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine the best combination for your unique situation, always respecting your right to be the ultimate decision-maker in your care.
Other Psychiatric Services
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Mynd Thera PLLC has a specialized focus on delivering advanced treatments like TMS and SPRAVATO®. Therefore, we do not offer emergency psychiatric services, but we do offer psychotherapy ("talk therapy"), and general management of oral medications. You do not have to switch other services to us if you do not want to. We see ourselves as partners with your existing healthcare team and will work closely with your primary care doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist to ensure your care is seamless and integrated.
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Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a safe and highly effective medical procedure, typically performed in a hospital setting under general anesthesia. It is used for very severe, life-threatening depression or other serious mental health conditions. While ECT is an important treatment option in psychiatry, Mynd Thera PLLC does not offer ECT. If your care team determines it is the right option for you, we can provide a referral to a trusted facility that does.
We are committed to being a community that transforms lives and partners with you to promote mental wellness. If you have more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.