Ask most people how mental health conditions like depression and anxiety get treated and you’ll hear two answers: talk therapy and medication. Ask about transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, and you’ll mostly get blank looks, even from some people who work in health care.
Catherine Crosbie, owner-operator of Body Works Med Spa & Wellness, hears the same question often enough that she wrote a blog post about it: “Why haven’t I heard of TMS?” It’s a fair question. TMS has been around since 1985, and Health Canada first approved it as a treatment for depression in 2002.
Why TMS is under the radar
While mental health professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, and counsellors are typically familiar with traditional TMS, the reality is it can be difficult to access. A patient usually needs to have tried, unsuccessfully, at least one antidepressant to get referred to a psychiatrist who can then refer them for TMS.
Anyone who has tried to see a psychiatrist in Nova Scotia knows how long that can take, and even with a psychiatrist’s referral for TMS, there’s usually another long waitlist to receive the therapy. Additionally, traditional TMS may require one treatment every day for 20-30 days, which few people can fit in around a job and family.
Body Works also says that traditional TMS devices tend to overheat and may be complicated to run, which makes it tough to keep appointments on schedule.
Exomind, the TMS device that Body Works uses, and their program were designed to improve accessibility and deliver a better patient experience. For example, the program accepts self-referrals as well as doctor referrals. Patients do not require a diagnosis and there’s no wait to get started. Treatment plans are often shorter, too, with many running as few as six treatments. Instead of feeling like they’re “in the system”, patients receive treatment in a warm and welcoming environment. Currently, Body Works is the only clinic offering Exomind in Atlantic Canada.
Think of it like a traffic jam
Anyone who has sat through the Armdale roundabout at 5 p.m. will get the analogy Body Works uses to explain how TMS works on depression.
Picture depression as a traffic jam at a busy intersection. A stoplight has failed, there’s been a fender-bender, and almost nothing is getting through. TMS is the crew that shows up to direct traffic, fix the light, and build a better system for the trouble spot.
In plain terms, Exomind sends gentle magnetic pulses to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain tied to mood, emotional processing, and decision-making. The pulses help neurons in the brain build new and stronger connections, a process called neuroplasticity.
Body Works says it isn’t about forcing happiness or anything else into the brain. Rather, it restores healthier thinking patterns and builds resilience. Most people find that after Exomind therapy, things that used to knock them flat don’t hit as hard.
Crosbie puts it simply in her own writing about the treatment: “You’re not broken – you’re just stuck.”
What it’s like to do an Exomind TMS treatment
At Body Works, it all starts with a free consultation, in person or online. You fill out intake forms and meet with a member of the team, who consults on whether Exomind is a fit. Dr. Christine McClelland, a medical doctor and psychiatrist, leads the Exomind program and oversees treatments.
While a brain therapy can seem intimidating, Body Works says that treatments are generally easy and comfortable. You lie down with the device’s applicator resting against your head, and it gives off a light tapping sensation. One treatment takes under 25 minutes and there are no limitations on driving, going back to work, or much of anything.
“I was apprehensive to try Exomind, but I’m so glad I did,” one patient told the clinic. “Treatments were easy to do and I’ve never felt better.”
One patient’s story
Body Works has shared the story of a patient it calls Jennifer. She had always been the high-energy one, a pillar of her community. After a change in her life, she started coming home from work and lying on the couch all evening. She stopped seeing friends and gardening, her sleep got worse, and she was drinking more than usual. It went on for months.
Jennifer grew up in a family where they didn’t talk about mental health. If they were struggling, they dealt with it quietly or pretended it wasn’t happening. Eventually, she admitted to herself that she was depressed and went looking for solutions. She decided to do a short Exomind treatment plan, started right away, and found the treatments quick and easy. She told the clinic she felt a little better after each treatment and declared herself no longer afflicted by the end of her treatment plan.
Who comes in
Body Works offers Exomind for all kinds of mental health and wellness indications, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, binge-eating disorder, post-concussive symptoms, ADHD, insomnia, brain fog, and chronic stress. You can even do it to improve mental sharpness and decision-making in the absence of a mental health issue, as some celebrities and other high-performers have been known to do. Like medication, it may be used as an on-label or off-label treatment.
At Body Works, some Exomind patients have struggled with mental health and wellness for years. Others are going through something specific, like a family crisis, and want help staying steady while they get through it. Some do it as an alternative to medication, while others use Exomind alongside their medication.
“For the first time in years, I’m feeling rested and energetic,” says one patient, Tim, who had been dealing with insomnia.
Booking a consultation
Exomind isn’t covered by MSI, but it is tax-deductible and covered by some health spending accounts. Body Works also offers third party financing for patients who prefer to pay in low monthly installments.
The clinic is located at 1535 Dresden Row, Suite 206 and there are a few ways to book a free consultation. You can go to bodyworksmedspa.janeapp.com and choose “Exomind TMS free consultation,” call 902-405-0858, or email info@bodyworksmedspa.ca.
Body Works does not provide emergency mental health services. If you need immediate help, go to your nearest emergency department or call 911.
