TMS for Depression in Inglewood, CA
For adults whose depression hasn't lifted with antidepressant medication, TMS offers a non-invasive, drug-free path that works differently from a pill. Here's an honest look at what it is and who it may suit.
Major Depressive Disorder is a medical condition
Depression isn't a character flaw or a lack of effort. Major Depressive Disorder is a diagnosable medical condition involving persistent changes in mood, energy, sleep, appetite, concentration, and the ability to feel interest or pleasure.
- Low mood or emptiness that persists most of the day, most days
- Loss of interest in things that used to matter
- Fatigue that rest doesn't fix
- Sleeping far too much or far too little
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 or call 911.
Different people, different biology
Antidepressants work systemically: they circulate through the body and alter the availability of certain neurotransmitters. For many people that helps a great deal. For others, the improvement is partial, arrives slowly, or comes with side effects that are hard to live with.
A partial response is common and it isn't a personal failure. It's one of the main reasons brain-stimulation approaches were developed in the first place.
Compare the two approaches neutrally on our TMS vs antidepressants page. Do not change any medication without talking to your prescribing clinician.
How TMS targets mood-regulating regions
Rather than circulating through the body, TMS delivers focused magnetic pulses to a mapped region of the brain that participates in mood regulation. The pulses stimulate nerve cells there, engaging connected circuits. Repetition across a course of sessions is what allows change to accumulate.
The full mechanism, including treatment mapping and safety screening, is explained on how TMS works.
What is FDA-cleared, and what is not
FDA-cleared indication. In the United States, EXOMIND is intended for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in adult patients who have failed to achieve satisfactory improvement from prior antidepressant medication in the current episode.
Off-label use. Any use outside of that indication is considered off-label and is offered on a cash-pay basis, based on provider judgment and emerging research. Off-label uses are not FDA-cleared indications. Conditions such as anxiety, OCD, sleep, focus, cravings, and binge eating are not presented here as U.S. FDA-cleared EXOMIND indications.
What your evaluation involves
- A review of your symptom history and current diagnosis
- The medications you have tried, the doses, and how you responded
- Therapy history and any other care you're receiving
- Standardized symptom rating so progress can be measured over time
- TMS safety screening for implants, devices, and seizure history
- Insurance review, if you plan to use benefits
Your evaluation is conducted by Robin Riley-Garner, PA-C. Robin is a certified physician assistant, not a psychiatrist or physician, and works within a collaborative care model.
What patients should expect
- Short sessions, typically under 30 minutes, several days a week for several weeks
- No anesthesia, no sedation, and no recovery time afterward
- Mild scalp discomfort or headache is the most common side effect, usually early on
- Change tends to be gradual — often noticed by people around you first
- Ongoing symptom monitoring and honest conversation about whether to continue
Individual results vary. TMS is not a cure, and no outcome is guaranteed. This page is patient education, not medical advice. We do not promise cures, permanent results, or specific success rates.
Make Space for More of Life
When depression continues despite previous treatment, it can affect relationships, work and the moments that once felt meaningful. TMS may offer another treatment option for eligible adults.
If antidepressants have repeatedly fallen short, read treatment-resistant depression, or start with insurance coverage.
You don't have to keep waiting to feel like yourself.
Schedule a consultation and get a straight answer about whether TMS is a reasonable next step for you.
Free consultation · No card required · No obligation