PTSD
The past doesn’t have to keep happening.
Living with PTSD can feel like being trapped in a nightmare you can’t wake up from. Flashbacks, night terrors, overwhelming anxiety and numbness take hold and stay. You may be worn out from reliving the past, or from trying to outrun it.
What it can feel like
Everyone’s experience is different. These are some of the things people tell us.
- Flashbacks to what happened
- Nightmares, or not being able to sleep
- Avoiding people, places or events that remind you
- Being hyper-alert to sounds
- Feeling jumpy or easily startled
- Getting upset, angry or irritable easily
- Doing reckless or self-destructive things
- Low mood or a negative outlook
- Anxiety and panic attacks
If you’re having thoughts of suicide, please call or text 988 now, any time of day. You’ll reach someone who can help.
You’re not the only one.
Dr. Mark Liker, neurosurgeon and founder
What treatment looks like
Short sessions while you’re awake and comfortable. No anesthesia, no medication, and you drive yourself home.
In their own words
Paying for it
Questions people ask
What is PTSD, really? Is it just about trauma?
PTSD starts with living through or witnessing something traumatic, but it’s more than bad memories. It can disrupt your sleep, take over your emotions and keep you stuck in fear. It’s a real, brain-based condition, and healing is possible.
I’ve tried therapy and medication, but I still feel stuck. Can TMS help?
It may. Many of our patients come to us after trying other treatments. TMS works differently: it stimulates brain areas involved in mood and fear, without medication. We’ll tell you honestly what’s realistic for you.
How does TMS work for PTSD?
TMS sends gentle magnetic pulses to the brain areas involved in mood, memory and fear. We use your own MRI and qEEG to guide each session precisely.
Will I feel anything during treatment?
You may feel light tapping on your scalp with each pulse, and most people tolerate it well. There’s no anesthesia and no recovery time, so you can get back to your day right after.
Is TMS safe?
TMS is generally well tolerated and has been used in clinics for years. Scalp discomfort and headache can occur, and seizures are rare. It’s FDA-cleared for depression but not for PTSD, so treating PTSD with it is off-label; we’ll explain what that means and go over the risks before you decide.
How long does treatment take?
Most people come daily, five days a week, for about 6 to 8 weeks, with sessions of 20 to 30 minutes. We watch your progress closely and adjust the plan as your brain responds.
What makes BrainStim Centers different?
Many TMS centers use one approach for everyone. We use neuro-navigation, brain mapping and your own alpha peak frequency to tailor each session to you.
Can TMS help with my anxiety, sleep or depression too?
It can for some people. Many people with PTSD also live with anxiety, insomnia and depression, and your plan takes all of them into account.
Living with PTSD can feel like being trapped in a nightmare you can’t wake up from. Flashbacks, night terrors, overwhelming anxiety and numbness take hold and stay. You may be worn out from reliving the past, or from trying to outrun it.
We understand how heavy that is. We offer alpha peak frequency guided TMS, a non-invasive, drug-free treatment designed to help the brain heal, not just mask symptoms. Many of our patients find real relief, even when nothing else has worked.
We pair MRI and qEEG brain scans with precise neuro-navigation, so your treatment is built for your brain. You deserve to feel safe, grounded and free again.
Reliving it
- Flashbacks to what happened
- Nightmares, or not being able to sleep
- Avoiding people, places or events that remind you
Always on alert
- Being hyper-alert to sounds
- Feeling jumpy or easily startled
- Getting upset, angry or irritable easily
- Doing reckless or self-destructive things
Inside
- Low mood or a negative outlook
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Feeling numb or cut off from your feelings
- Trouble concentrating or remembering
- Thoughts of suicide
How we treat ptsd
Built from your brain data
We use your MRI, a qEEG and your own alpha peak frequency to guide each session to the right place.
Calming the fear center
PTSD is linked to imbalance between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, which control fear and emotion. TMS helps restore a healthier balance.
Sleep and calm return
TMS can improve sleep and ease hyperarousal, like irritability and a strong startle response.
Help for what comes with it
Many people with PTSD also live with depression. TMS is FDA-cleared for depression, though not for PTSD itself, so when depression comes with PTSD, treating it can be part of your plan.
Why people choose TMS here
- Fewer flashbacks and nightmares
- Feeling less on edge
- Feeling more connected to yourself and others
- Better sleep
- Relief from the depression and anxiety that often come with PTSD
- Drug-free, with no recovery time
Treatment plans
Standard TMS
36 sessions, once a day, Monday to Friday. About 30 minutes a day for 6 weeks, then tapering off for the last 6 sessions. Some insurance plans cover it case by case. Otherwise it’s cash pay.
Accelerated TMS
50 sessions, 10 a day for 5 days. 15-minute sessions every hour, with 45 minutes off the machine in between. Cash pay.
Paying for treatment
Some plans, case by case
TMS is FDA-cleared for depression and often covered for it. For PTSD, some plans cover treatment case by case. We’ll verify your insurance for you. A benefits check isn’t a guarantee of payment, and we’ll tell you before you start about anything your plan may not cover, such as imaging or a brain map.
We offer flexible payment options to make care accessible. We offer payment plans. Financing may also be available through CareCredit, subject to credit approval and the lender’s terms.
The numbers
- 5 in 100 American adults have PTSD in a given year, about 13 million people. (VA National Center for PTSD)
- About half of them also have major depression, which TMS is FDA-cleared to treat. (Review of 57 studies (Rytwinski et al., 2013))
- TMS calms the overactive fear center and improves sleep and emotional balance, without medication. Many of our patients find real relief, even when nothing else has worked.
A patient’s story
Jonathan: Jonathan flew in from another country for relief from PTSD and anxiety, and says treatment changed his life.
Dr. Liker explains: What makes BrainStim Centers so different than every other TMS clinic in the country?