For individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health conditions, a single treatment approach doesn’t always lead to complete relief. That’s why at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions in Colorado Springs, we have always offered multiple treatment options so patients can receive the care options they need from one clinic.
Our comprehensive and integrative approach to mental health care emphasizes using multiple evidence-based therapies to create the best outcomes for each patient. That gives patients the best chance to find significant relief from depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health issues.
Because we use multiple therapies, including TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), ketamine infusions, Spravato (esketamine), and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), it’s helpful to understand how these treatments work together.
As a leading Colorado Springs psychiatrist, we strive to educate patients, their families, and other members of the community on how the different mental health treatments at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions can work together to achieve a better result.
Today we’re going to take a look at how TMS therapy at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions can be used alongside other treatment options to achieve better mental health outcomes.
What Is TMS Therapy?
First, it’s important to understand what TMS is. TMS is an FDA-approved, non-invasive treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and other mental health conditions. It works by delivering magnetic pulses to targeted areas of the brain that are underactive in individuals with depression. These magnetic pulses use a stimulus/response mechanism to stimulate brain activity and help overcome dysfunctional neural pathways.
At Colorado Psychiatry Solutions, we offer TMS therapy using both Brainsway Deep TMS and MagVenture TMS systems. Brainsway provides deeper stimulation to broader regions of the brain, while MagVenture offers more focused stimulation. Having a choice of TMS devices allows us to personalize treatment based on each patient’s individual characteristics, to deliver the treatment option most likely to yield a positive outcome.
Why Combine TMS With Other Treatments?
You may be asking “If TMS is such an excellent depression treatment option (and it is), then why the need to combine TMS with other therapy options?” And it’s a good question.
Mental health is complex, and so are the mechanisms of action behind each type of therapeutic intervention. TMS is unique because it targets the brain’s structure and function directly, but it doesn’t alter brain chemistry in the same way medications or ketamine do. By combining TMS with therapies that work through different mechanisms, we can often achieve results faster while also obtaining a longer-lasting, sustainable improvement.
TMS and Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Ketamine therapy is the fastest-acting depression treatment available today. Ketamine works by acting on the NMDA receptors in the brain, increasing levels of glutamate and helping form new neural connections.
While ketamine provides rapid relief for depression and anxiety, the effects may be short-lived without follow-up or concurrent therapy. Combining ketamine therapy with TMS therapy gives us a better overall result:
· Patients may experience faster symptom reduction initially from ketamine therapy
· TMS can extend and stabilize the benefits of ketamine therapy by reinforcing healthier neural pathways
· Alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms through ketamine therapy makes it easier for patients to continue with TMS treatment, which takes a longer time to achieve its full effect
· Together, these therapies can help patients transition off traditional antidepressants or reduce the dosage required over time
TMS and Spravato (Esketamine)
Spravato, the nasal spray form of esketamine, is another breakthrough treatment for depression. Approved for use in treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation, Spravato is available at our offices in Colorado Springs and Monument on an outpatient basis.
Like ketamine, Spravato acts on the glutamate system. It provides rapid symptom relief similar to ketamine therapy. Combining Spravato with TMS therapy provides many of the same benefits as combining TMS and ketamine therapy.
TMS and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) combines the biological effects of ketamine with guided psychotherapy. This integrative approach can help patients explore suppressed trauma, shift cognitive patterns, and enhance emotional processing.
TMS complements KAP in several important ways:
· TMS helps solidify the neuroplastic gains made during KAP, so that insights from therapy are more likely to yield a positive result
· KAP may unlock deeper emotional material, and TMS can assist patients with regulating mood and maintaining emotional equilibrium between sessions, thus helping to process the emotions explored during therapy
· The combination of TMS, ketamine, and psychotherapy often results in faster progress and longer-lasting benefits, especially in patients with complex trauma, PTSD, or dissociation
A Personalized, Patient-Centered Approach
At our Colorado Springs psychiatry clinics, we use a personalized care model that allows a high degree of flexibility in treatment options. Having multiple options available lets us choose the right combination of therapies for each patient.
Many of our patients come to us after trying medication, talk therapy, or even other TMS providers without finding lasting relief. If you’ve struggled with treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, or anxiety, combining TMS with other therapies available at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions might be the right approach for you.
By taking advantage of the unique strengths of TMS, ketamine, Spravato, and KAP, we can help our patients achieve deeper, longer-lasting relief than otherwise available.
If you’re interested in starting TMS therapy in Colorado Springs or want to learn more about how TMS can complement your current treatment plan, please schedule a consultation at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions. You will receive a thorough evaluation, an accurate diagnosis, and a treatment plan constructed uniquely for you, taking advantage of the multiple therapy options available at our offices in Colorado Springs and Monument.
Call Colorado Psychiatry Solutions today at 719-622-6522 or request an appointment online.
