A Note from Our Team
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a neuromodulation tool for the treatment of medical conditions such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and others. To date there have been limited tools to optimize care.
This product began as a TMS-specific, web-based, educational modules was developed from the workbook: Train Your Brain: Your Record of Care with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). The authors were asked to make the product available to others outside our clinics. The exercises and tools in this secure, HIPAA complaint educational platform have been used in the care of patients since 2014, and we believe they help us produce higher than typical patient outcomes. This version was developed, copywritten, revised, and adapted for broader world-wide use to help technicians, physicians, and clinicians optimize TMS treatment.
This educational program and its modules have helped patients by providing:
- standardized, consistent content while starting care,
- encouragement and meaning for regular monitoring of symptoms,
- education and access to non-copywritten assessment tools which patients and clinicians can use to monitor symptoms,
- behavioral activation and cognitive behavioral learning modules which can augment TMS sessions
Our hope is to share this tool to help more patients get well. We believe, using this website with the assistance of a dedicated, informed Care Team treatment plan will help improve care. There is a significant amount of scientific literature validating tools like this can help, please see references below.
In the current version we have removed all data collection from the patient, which has reduced the expense, which has allowed us to reduce the cost to patients. With the modifications, we believe this current product to be more accessible, and still highly relevant for care. The online content remains considerable despite the revisions and updates; still, no one will likely use all of the materials during care. Care teams (physicians, clinicians, technicians and operators) can help patients decide what will be most helpful.
If you are ready to begin your journey, go to the blue Start Here button.
We wish you wellness,
The Train Your Brain Team
References on using similar CBT and Behavioral Activation Tools, as well as TRAIN YOUR BRAIN with TMS:
- Vedeniapin, A. Cheng, L., and George. M.S. Feasibility of Simultaneous Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Left Prefrontal rTMS for Treatment Resistant Depression. Brain Stimul. 2010 Oct; 3(4): 207–210. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC296286/
- Isserles M, Rosenberg O, Dannon P, Levkovitz Y, Kotler M, Deutsch F, Lerer B, Zangen A. Cognitive-emotional reactivation during deep transcranial magnetic stimulation over the prefrontal cortex of depressive patients affects antidepressant outcome. J Affect Disord. 2011 Feb;128(3):235-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.038. Epub 2010 Jul 21, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20663568
- Donse, L, Padberg, F, Sack, AT, Rush, AJ, and Arns, M. Simultaneous rTMS and psychotherapy in major depressive disorder: clinical outcomes and predictors from a large naturalistic study. Brain Stimulation Journal. 11, 2018, 337-345, https://www.brainstimjrnl.com/article/S1935-861X(17)30960-9/fulltext
- Russo, G, Tirrell, E, Busch, A, and Carpenter, L.L. Behavioral activation therapy during transcranial magnetic stimulation for major depressive disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018 April 236:101-4, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032718300272?via%3Dihub
- Firth, J, Torous, J, Nicholas, J, Carney, R, Pratap, A, Rosenbaum, S, Sarris, J. The efficacy of smartphone-based mental health interventions for depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. World Psychiatry. 2017;16:287–298, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5608852/
- Evans K, Cochran, CD, and Cochran M. Outcomes and feasibility from the first TMS specific web-based intervention. Poster at Virtual CTMSS Annual Meeting, August 2020-October 2020. CLICK HERE for pdf.
- Yarrell S, Garrison L, & Cochran M. Not Where or When, but How: Improving depression outcomes with TMS + an online workbook. Poster at CTMSS Annual Meeting. Colorado Springs, Colorado. May 4-6, 2023 CLICK HERE for pdf.
About the Author
Michelle R. M. Cochran M.D., DLFAPA, FCTMSS
Since 2011, Dr. Michelle Cochran has offered repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to her patients as an option for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. Dr. Cochran and her partners and staff have trained extensively in the use of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) including training at Berenson Allen’s Non-Invasive Brain Institute, Duke University and other specific advanced device trainings.
She was a founding member and has been very active in the Clinical TMS Society on many levels including serving on the executive committee as the Vice President-Elect, President, and Past president (2016-2019). She is very active in multiple committees and in 2017, she developed PULSES: The Clinical TMS Society’s International Certification Course with the support of the CTMSS Board and fellow dedicated colleagues in this organization. Dr. Cochran has had the fortune to travel nationally and internationally on behalf of the society to improve the awareness, and accessibility TMS neuromodulation. She is a fellow of the Clinical TMS Society and has received several awards from this organization.
She is a current distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, the APA Chair for the Caucus on Neuromodulation, board certified by American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and National Board of Physicians and Surgeons, the current president of the Tennessee Psychiatric Association, and a member of Tennessee Medical Association, Nashville Academy of Medicine, Tennessee Women in Medicine, Southern Psychiatric Association, and the Clinical TMS Society.
Currently, Dr. Cochran works as the Chief Medical Officer of the Synaptic Psych: Hope for Your Brain. This clinic is a physician-psychiatrist owned practice, which offers in-network evidenced-based care including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation when appropriate. Synaptic Psych has multiple clinics in Tennessee (Nashville, East Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, and Memphis).
This product was developed with the assistance of employees and partners in our offices. Special thanks to Lauren Valencia LCSW, Kayla Evans, Lauren Vedros, Lillian Garrison, Sean Yarrell LPC-temp, Jonathan Becker D.O., and others for their work and dedication in the development of this product.
