Starting TMS shouldn’t feel like a leap into the unknown. The process at Discovery Texas Interventional Psychiatry is deliberate and step-by-step, with your care team guiding you at each stage. Here’s exactly how it works, from your first conversation through your daily sessions.
The TMS Process, Step by Step
1. You share your symptoms with your care team
This often happens during therapy sessions, nursing check-ins, or through standardized assessments such as the PHQ-9 and the Brief Adult Questionnaire Survey (BAQS). These tools help your team understand your symptoms clearly and track them over time, so the conversation about TMS is grounded in real information rather than guesswork.
2. Your clinical and TMS team evaluate whether TMS is appropriate
Your team reviews your symptoms, your treatment history, and your medical safety information to determine whether TMS may be a good fit. This is also where contraindications are ruled out, so the recommendation you receive is based on a full picture of your health.
3. If eligible, your provider completes education and consent with you
Before anything begins, you’ll learn how the treatment works, what to expect day to day, and what the realistic benefits and limits are. You’ll have the chance to ask every question on your mind. Informed consent isn’t a formality here — it’s the moment you decide, with full information, whether to move forward.
4. A mapping appointment personalizes your treatment
Your provider locates your individual treatment settings — including your motor threshold and the precise coil position — so your sessions are tailored to you. Once mapping is complete, your daily schedule is set. You can read more about this step on our How TMS Works page.
5. You begin TMS sessions, monitored by your provider
Sessions are completed in our clinic with trained TMS staff, and your provider monitors your progress throughout your course of care. Standardized check-ins continue during treatment, so your plan can be adjusted based on how you’re actually responding.
The Assessments That Guide Your Care
One of the things that sets careful TMS care apart is measurement. Rather than relying on impressions alone, your team uses validated questionnaires to track your symptoms before, during, and after treatment. The most widely used is the PHQ-9, a brief nine-question screen for depression severity that clinicians use across the country. Pairing it with the Brief Adult Questionnaire Survey (BAQS) gives your team a fuller view of how you’re doing.
These scores do real work. They help determine whether TMS is appropriate in the first place, they create a baseline to measure change against, and they give your provider an objective signal of progress over the course of treatment. If you want to understand the condition these tools measure, the National Institute of Mental Health’s overview of depression is a reliable, plain-language starting point, and MedlinePlus offers patient-friendly information on depression and its treatments.
Because the numbers are tracked over time, you and your provider can have honest, specific conversations about what’s working. That’s very different from simply hoping you feel better — it’s a measured approach that keeps your care accountable to your actual results.
Wondering if TMS could be right for you?
Your provider and TMS team determine eligibility. Individual responses vary.
When and Where TMS Is Offered
At DTIP, TMS treatment sessions take place at the PHP/IOP level of care in the Dallas area. PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) and IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) are structured outpatient levels of care that provide meaningful clinical support while you continue to live at home. Delivering TMS within that structure means your treatment is surrounded by a broader team rather than happening in isolation.
You can begin learning about TMS and discussing your symptoms with your team at any point in your care. If TMS looks appropriate, your provider may review and complete education and consent with you beforehand, so you’re ready to begin without unnecessary delay. This coordinated approach reflects our connection to Discovery Point Retreat, which makes it straightforward to move between levels of support when depression is part of a larger clinical picture.
How You’ll Feel During Treatment
Most people tolerate TMS well and continue their normal daily activities throughout their course of care. You stay awake during sessions, there’s no sedation, and you can drive yourself to and from your appointments. Many people use the time to rest, listen to music, or simply decompress for a few minutes in the middle of their day.
Side effects, when they happen, are usually mild — most commonly some scalp discomfort or a mild headache early on, which tends to ease as treatment continues. Your provider reviews what to watch for during your consent conversation, and the care team is available if anything feels off. The point is that you’re never navigating treatment alone; support is built into the process from the first conversation to the last session.
Preparing for Your First Visit
There’s very little you need to do to get ready, which surprises some people. TMS doesn’t require fasting, sedation, or any special preparation the day of. You can eat normally, take your usual medications unless your provider tells you otherwise, and plan to drive yourself. Comfortable clothing is fine, and you’re welcome to bring headphones or something to occupy the time.
It does help to come with your questions written down. The education and consent conversation is your opportunity to understand the plan, the realistic benefits, and the limits of treatment, and it’s easier to cover everything when you’ve jotted down what’s on your mind. It’s also useful to have a sense of your treatment history — which medications you’ve tried and how they worked — since that informs your provider’s recommendation.
Finally, plan for the schedule. Because a course of TMS typically involves weekday sessions over several weeks, it helps to think ahead about timing, transportation, and how appointments will fit around work or family. Our team can talk through logistics with you, and we’ll verify your insurance benefits so you have a clear picture before you commit. If a question comes up between visits, you can always reach out.
Key Terms
PHQ-9
A brief, widely used nine-question screening tool that measures the severity of depression symptoms. It’s used to assess eligibility and to track progress over time.
BAQS (Brief Adult Questionnaire Survey)
A questionnaire your care team may use alongside the PHQ-9 to build a fuller picture of your symptoms and how they change during treatment.
Mapping
The first treatment visit, where your provider identifies your individual settings — including motor threshold and coil position — so your sessions are personalized.
PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program)
A structured outpatient level of care offering intensive clinical support during the day while you continue living at home.
IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program)
A flexible outpatient level of care with fewer hours than PHP, providing structured support that fits around work or other responsibilities.
Helpful Resources
- NIMH — Depression: Signs, symptoms, and evidence-based treatments from the National Institute of Mental Health.
- MedlinePlus — Depression: Patient-friendly information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, including a note on rTMS.
- NIMH — Brain Stimulation Therapies: How rTMS and related treatments work.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Free, confidential support 24/7 by call or text to 988.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is each TMS session?
Session length depends on the treatment approach your provider recommends. Standard sessions and Theta Burst sessions differ in length; your team will tell you what to expect for your specific plan.
Can I drive after a TMS session?
Yes. TMS does not require sedation, so you can drive yourself to and from your appointments and return to your normal activities right away.
How soon will I notice a difference?
This varies from person to person, and results are not guaranteed. Your provider tracks your progress throughout treatment using tools like the PHQ-9, so changes are measured rather than assumed.
Do I need a referral to start?
Not necessarily. You can begin the conversation with our team directly, and we’ll help you understand the next steps. Your provider determines eligibility after reviewing your symptoms, history, and medical safety information.
What if I’m already in another program?
TMS at DTIP is delivered at the PHP/IOP level of care and can be coordinated with your broader treatment. Because we’re connected to Discovery Point Retreat, moving between levels of support is straightforward when it’s clinically appropriate.
Will I be on my own during treatment?
No. Your provider, nursing team, and TMS-trained staff are involved throughout. Standardized check-ins continue during your course of care, and the team is available if you have questions or concerns at any point.
Is TMS covered by insurance?
Many plans cover TMS for Major Depressive Disorder when medical-necessity criteria are met, though coverage and authorization vary by plan. We verify your benefits for you before treatment begins so there are no surprises. You can learn more on our Insurance & Cost page.