Take Control of Your TMS Journey
Facebook Instagram X-twitter Linkedin

TMS for Depression

trio of smiling people - two women, one man - walking on sunny nature trail

Deep TMS for Depression

Finding effective treatment for depression can be challenging. Many of our clients have previously tried multiple treatments including medications and psychotherapy without the desired benefit or with undesired side effects (eg. emotional dulling, weight gain, sexual side effects, stomach upset and others). Some of our clients seek out Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMS) as an alternative therapy for depression because they are uncomfortable with these more traditional treatment options.

All our clients have the desire to get better and improve their depressive symptoms so that they can:
  • Engage fully and freely in their relationships
  • Contribute meaningfully at work or home
  • Look forward to the future with excitement
It may be difficult to believe that any treatment can be helpful if you have not found success with other treatment approaches. Please know that you are not alone in these experiences and that these are very common reasons why clients from across Canada and North America seek out treatment at TMS Life. As you will learn below, Deep TMS is a highly effective treatment for depression.

How Does TMS Treatment for Depression Work?

Deep TMS is a Health Canada-approved treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) that uses targeted electromagnetic pulses to gently stimulate areas of the brain involved in mood regulation. Deep TMS is a modern advancement that builds upon earlier versions of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and it is designed to reach deeper and broader brain regions which research suggests may improve outcomes for individuals living with depression. During TMS treatment sessions for depression, you’ll remain comfortably seated and fully awake. All clients are able to return to their regular activities—including work or driving—immediately afterward.

When to Consider Deep TMS Treatment for Depression

In Canada, our clinical guidelines recognize TMS as a first-line treatment option after just one unsuccessful antidepressant trial. You don’t need to spend years trying multiple medications before exploring this approach. In addition, due to its safety profile, it is increasingly being studied as a first-line option before medications with excellent outcomes.

Deep TMS at TMS Life may be right for your depression if you:
  • Prefer a holistic approach to mental health treatment
  • Prefer a personalized, targeted and non-medication approach to treatment
  • Prefer rapid improvement of symptoms
  • Continue to have depressive symptoms impacting your relationships, work/school/home and general zest for life
  • Have medical conditions or side effects that make medications difficult to tolerate.

What Makes Deep TMS Different

Not all TMS systems are the same. Deep TMS uses a specialized coil design that allows electromagnetic fields to penetrate deeper into the brain and stimulate larger neural networks involved in depression.

Key advantages include:
  • Deeper brain penetration — The technology targets mood regulation circuits more directly than traditional TMS approaches.
  • Broader network engagement — Deep TMS stimulates interconnected brain regions rather than focusing on a single narrow point.
  • Strong clinical outcomes — Research demonstrates meaningful response and remission rates across large patient populations.
  • Comfortable and convenient — Treatment requires no sedation, causes no downtime, and doesn't impair cognitive function.
  • Flexible treatment options — We offer both standard, accelerated 5-day protocols and 1-day neuroplastogen enhanced protocols when clinically appropriate.

Personalized Depression Treatment with qEEG Brain Mapping

We are the only clinic in Canada to use qEEG Brain Mapping to inform Deep TMS protocols for Depression. Quantitative Electroencephalogram or qEEG is an investigational and non-invasive brain mapping tool that measures electrical activity across different brain networks and provides us with objective data about how your brain networks function, including patterns commonly associated with depression and other mental health conditions. qEEG is rapidly advancing the entire field of TMS and our clinic is on the frontier of this exciting advancement in the field.

Benefits of qEEG-guided treatment:

  • Personalized targeting — We can identify which brain regions may benefit most from stimulation, tailoring your treatment to your unique brain patterns and allow us to “prime” the brain for treatment properly.
  • Optimized protocols — Treatment planning becomes more precise and individualized rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.
  • Progress tracking — We can measure brain changes over time, providing objective markers of your progress.
  • Data-driven decisions — You and your treatment team gain greater confidence in treatment planning and adjustments.
  • By combining qEEG with Deep TMS, we create a more individualized, evidence-based approach that is especially valuable for complex or treatment-resistant cases.
Contact Us Now

TMS Effectiveness

In our clinic, 3 out of 4 Clients experience a significant clinical reduction in their symptoms or remission. Due to our accelerated protocols, these changes are observed within 1 to 2 weeks after the acute treatment course.

For those that do not respond to treatment, we continue to explore treatment options and provide guidance for next steps which may or may not be available at the clinic. We continue to find success even in the most treatment-resistant cases with our goal to eventually be able to find improvement for all our clients.

  • Personalized targeting — We can identify which brain regions may benefit most from stimulation, tailoring your depression treatment to your unique brain patterns.
  • Optimized protocols — Treatment planning becomes more precise and individualized rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.
  • Progress tracking — We can measure brain changes over time, providing objective markers of your progress.
  • Data-driven decisions — You and your treatment team gain greater confidence in treatment planning and adjustments.
  • By combining qEEG with Deep TMS, we create a more individualized, evidence-based approach—especially valuable for complex or treatment-resistant cases.

A Message of Hope

Living with depression can feel exhausting and isolating, especially when treatments haven’t worked as you’d hoped. Deep TMS for depression offers a scientifically grounded, non-invasive option that has helped many people reconnect with their sense of well-being, motivation, and emotional balance.

You don’t have to navigate this journey alone, and you don’t have to settle for simply getting by. There are paths forward, and we’re here to help you explore them.

Ready to Learn More?

If you’re curious whether Deep TMS or qEEG-guided treatment might be right for you, we’d be happy to answer your questions and discuss your options. Our team is here to provide the information and support you need to make informed decisions about your care.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We look forward to being part of your journey toward better mental health.
Start today

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Referrals are not required. Patients interested in receiving TMS are encouraged to reach out to the clinic directly either via telephone or e-mail. A member of our team will respond as soon as possible.
No, it’s not yet covered by OHIP. In 2016, Health Quality Ontario (HQO) submitted a report to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and it recommended that TMS Therapy be a covered benefit of OHIP. We are hopeful that TMS Therapy will be covered in the next couple of years but we don’t know for sure.
Please contact your benefit or insurance provider to see if you qualify for full or partial coverage of TMS therapy. TMS is covered by most healthcare spending accounts. If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident or workplace incident (WSIB) your insurance will likely cover it if it is necessary and reasonable. TMS is covered for Military and RCMP Veterans with direct billing to the insurance provider.
TMS sessions typically cost $250 per session in Ontario. Standard acute treatment requires between 30 to 50 sessions. Many individuals will benefit from and be recommended maintenance sessions.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our team about pricing and payment options.
We generally recommend that clients continue on their current medication regime during TMS Treatment. This way we are able to identify whether any changes are related to TMS or not.
Some patients are able to stop their antidepressants once they respond to TMS Therapy. Some prefer to stay on them as the two therapies act synergistically to help relieve depressive symptoms. It is determined on a case by case basis. Studies have shown that TMS treatments can “revive” an antidepressant that had lost most, if not all, its beneficial effects on a patient. That antidepressant can also be used to do the Maintenance Therapy if continuing with periodic TMS treatments is not possible.
TMS therapy is not at all like Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT). ECT is a treatment based on using electricity to induce seizures. It is very effective and in many cases, it is a life-saver. ECT requires anesthesia and can have serious side-effects, including memory loss. It is only done in a hospital. On the other hand, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation uses magnetic pulses to non-invasively stimulate specific brain regions. TMS therapy is performed in our office while the client is alert and awake. It requires no anesthesia, is not associated with memory loss and has no systemic side effects.
Yes, TMS Therapy has been approved by Health Canada for clinical use in Canada since 2002.
Individuals who have failed ECT OR previously failed a complete course of rTMS (at least 30 sessions) are less likely to benefit from the treatment. However, there are many examples of individuals who have responded to TMS after ECT and also responded to different protocols of TMS.
Individuals with a seizure disorder, implanted medical devices in or near the brain (cochlear ear implants, pacemakers) or who have ferromagnetic materials in the head or neck (dental work is fine) are not able to have TMS Therapy.
Living with a treatment resistant condition such as depression, OCD or PTSD can be insufferable and has serious consequences including harm to self and harm to others. TMS Therapy is a safe and effective treatment and it is worth trying if medications and psychotherapy are not working.
Similar to all treatments for mental health, the duration of benefit from TMS varies from individual to individual. Maintenance treatment is often recommended to reduce the risk of relapse.
Research has shown that TMS Therapy is a promising treatment to reduce anxiety. Many of our clients experience a reduction in their social and general anxiety symptoms during and after treatment.
There are many different types of TMS and different protocols. We provide Deep TMS using brainsway technology. They have demonstrated clinically significant response rates in 60% of individuals treated for depression and OCD.
The cost effectiveness of TMS Therapy has been demonstrated across many studies. It appears expensive in Canada because individuals are paying for it directly without any subsidy from the government. TMS is a specialized treatment that requires expensive technology, training and staff. All of which are factored into the pricing.
TMS Therapy is a treatment that many would recommend as first line if it was more widely available in our current healthcare system. TMS is helpful for many concerns but the greatest evidence is for individuals with treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, OCD and PTSD.