Welcome to TMS at Inspire TMS Denver

Sam Clinch • August 19, 2025

We’re so glad you are here and taking this step to better your mental health. This guide is your companion in understanding how to maximize the benefits of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Below, you’ll find practical advice and insight into what to expect during treatment, how to stay on track, and how to optimize your results.


Want a Copy to Keep?


Download our "Welcome to TMS" flyer for tips on how to get the most out of your treatment.


1. Maximize Your TMS Results

Attend Your Sessions Consistently


You can miss some sessions here and there - life happens. But TMS is most effective with consistent sessions, so do your best to stick to your schedule.


Be Patient and Promising


TMS works for over 80% of patients, but results can take 2–3 weeks or longer to show. Stay hopeful and consistent—this is a marathon, not a sprint.


Mindset Matters


What you do during treatment matters. Try to stay mentally engaged: listen to music, chat with your tech, or repeat positive mantras. Avoid things that make you sleepy or disengaged.


Limit Alcohol and Drug Use


Alcohol, cannabis, and recreational drugs can interfere with how TMS works. It’s best to limit or avoid these substances during treatment to improve your chances of success.


Take Medications Consistently


If you take psychiatric medications, continue them unless advised otherwise. Studies show TMS works even better when paired with regular medication.


Talk to Your TMS Tech


Be honest! Share how you’re feeling - including if you’ve used substances, are struggling with symptoms, or feeling stuck. Your tech is there to help you get the best outcomes.

2. Check for Contributing Factors & Optimize Support

Ensure Basic Labs Are Done


Common conditions like hypothyroidism, anemia, or sleep apnea can contribute to depression. Make sure these are checked and managed for better outcomes.


Consider Supplements


Some supplements may help:


  • L-methylfolate (7.5–15 mg) especially if you have an MTHFR gene variant
  • Omega-3s (EPA:DHA 2:1 ratio) can support brain health
  • Vitamin B12 & D may help if levels are low


Be Open to New Medications


If previous medications haven’t worked, don’t lose hope. Newer meds—or even past ones that once worked - may be helpful after TMS.


Consider Genetic Testing


Alcohol, cannabis, and recreational drugs can interfere with how TMS works. It’s best to limit or avoid these substances during treatment to improve your chances of success.

3. Lifestyle Habits to Support Your Treatment

Stay Hydrated


Water is essential for brain function. Avoid alcohol, and aim to stay hydrated every day to support your results.


Attend Therapy During TMS


Therapy can enhance TMS outcomes. It helps reinforce healthy behaviors and provides a strong foundation for recovery.


Prioritize Sleep Hygiene


Try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule - even on weekends. A good night’s rest helps you stay alert and responsive during treatment.


  • Pro tip: If you’re groggy, a small amount of caffeine before your session might help - unless you’re sensitive to it.


Keep a Journal


Tracking how you feel daily helps you and your provider monitor progress. Journaling can reinforce positive thinking and identify subtle changes over time.


Exercise and Eat Healthy


Exercise boosts mood and motivation. One study showed people who exercised saw a 43% improvement in depression compared to those who didn’t. Regular movement and a healthy diet support your brain and treatment outcomes.


You're Not Alone


Each step you take brings you closer to feeling better. Stay committed, be open, and trust the process - because lasting change is possible.

Every Question Answered

Want to know more about TMS? Check out this in-depth guide to TMS therapy with transparent and easy to understand explanations about TMS processes, protocols, and treated conditions.

Latest Posts

By Sam Clinch December 16, 2025
Short Answer  If you’ve been living with depression for a long time - trying medication after medication, attending therapy, sometimes even pursuing intensive programs - it’s completely understandable to feel exhausted. Treatment fatigue is real: the disappointment after another treatment that doesn’t “stick,” the side effects , the energy it takes to keep trying. That fatigue matters, and it deserves to be acknowledge d. This page is for people who are tired of trying the same things and want a different kind of option: a scientifically supported, non-drug treatment that works by directly engaging the brain’s circuits. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an option for many people with long-term, treatment-resistant depression. Below, we explain what TMS does, why it can help when other approaches haven’t, what the evidence says, and how clinics like Inspire TMS Denver approach long-term care with compassion and real outcome tracking.
By Sam Clinch December 16, 2025
How the FDA views affects teen treatment Device- and label-specific: The FDA clears devices and their indications, and those clearances may include age ranges. Because clearance is device- and indication-specific, whether a teenager is “on-label” depends on the device used by the clinic and the diagnosis being treated.  Practical result: Some systems have adolescent labeling, which allows clinics to treat teens consistent with labeling; where devices do not include a teen label, treatment would be off-label and requires extra care and documentation. Inspire explicitly offers TMS to individuals as young as 15 when clinically appropriate and in line with device/label guidance.
By Sam Clinch December 13, 2025
Quick summary (the short answers) Medicare: Often covers TMS for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder when the plan’s clinical criteria (such as prior medication trials) are met and prior authorization is approved. Inspire routinely helps patients with Medicare benefits checks and authorizations. Medicaid: Coverage varies by state . Some state Medicaid plans cover TMS with strict medical necessity criteria; others do not. Inspire collects your insurance details and runs a state-specific benefits check. Pre-authorization: Nearly always required. Insurers want documented prior treatment attempts, objective symptom measures (PHQ-9), and a psychiatrist’s letter of medical necessity. Inspire will run the authorization for you once you approve.
By Sam Clinch December 12, 2025
What Inspire TMS Denver accepts and what that means In-network / insurer relationships: Inspire states it accepts major commercial insurers and works with patients to obtain coverage - including Medicare and Tricare, where criteria are met - and the clinic routinely runs benefits checks and prior authorizations on a patient’s behalf. That means you don’t need to guess whether a policy will pay - Inspire will verify for you. Common Medicare / commercial rules (examples): Different payers have specific clinical criteria. For example (from the clinic’s pricing documents): Anthem - typically requires failure of two different antidepressants from different classes (or intolerance). Medicare -may require failure of one previous antidepressant (or intolerance) Tricare - covers TMS when it is medically necessary and prior less-intensive interventions have failed or are inappropriate. These examples illustrate typical insurer frameworks, but your plan may differ. What’s often covered vs not covered: Commonly covered: FDA-cleared TMS for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder when prior treatment criteria are met and prior authorization is approved. Often not covered (or considered “off-label”): accelerated TMS protocols , certain indications (some anxiety/insomnia/experimental uses), and some PTSD/anxiety uses; these may require self-pay or sliding-scale payment. Inspire notes it offers sliding-scale/self-pay for off-label care and for financial hardship.
By Sam Clinch December 12, 2025
How TMS is different: a quick, plain-language explanation TMS uses a magnetic coil to stimulate specific areas of the brain associated with mood and emotional control. It’s non-invasive, does not require anesthesia, and is performed in an outpatient setting. Instead of changing chemistry like antidepressants or providing a rapid but medication-based reset like ketamine , TMS aims to retrain brain circuits by repeatedly activating under-performing regions so they function more normally over time. Inspire’s patient materials stress this neuroplastic, circuit-based approach and describe mapping, stimulation and physician oversight used to personalize treatment.
By Sam Clinch December 11, 2025
What is “treatment-resistant depression” (TRD)? Clinically, TRD is commonly defined as depression that has not sufficiently responded to an adequate trial of two different antidepressants (from at least two different classes) given at therapeutic doses and durations. Some insurers and clinical guidelines use this “two-trial” rule when deciding whether to cover advanced treatments like TMS. Medicare and commercial payers may have slightly different wording (for example, Medicare sometimes requires one failed antidepressant; Anthem often requires two). The key idea is consistent: TRD means standard medication strategies haven’t produced an acceptable response.
By Sam Clinch December 10, 2025
Your main options while you’re in Colorado Short/accelerated courses If you have very limited time, accelerated TMS (iTBS or compressed protocols) lets clinics deliver many sessions over a few days rather than weeks. Inspire offers accelerated regimens (MagVenture-capable) and lists accelerated TMS as an option for patients who need a fast course, but note: accelerated courses are often not covered by insurance and usually require self-pay or sliding-scale arrangements. Maintenance or “rescue” sessions Maintenance or “rescue” sessions If you’ve completed a full course and need occasional boosters to maintain gains while away, maintenance TMS (weekly, biweekly, or monthly sessions) is common. Clinics also provide rescue or extension courses when symptoms re-emerge. Maintenance often requires a clinician discussion to set frequency, and many insurers do not routinely cover maintenance so clinics may offer packages or discounted session bundles. Full course continuation If your original acute course was interrupted, many clinics will pick up or adjust your plan; this typically requires review of previous mapping and progress measures and coordination with your home TMS provider. Inspire performs mapping and tailors plans to each patient’s needs.
Soldiers in uniform seated in a circle; one person comforts another, all in a support group setting.
By Sam Clinch December 9, 2025
Short answer: Yes — Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is increasingly used to treat PTSD symptoms, and many patients report improvements in intrusive memories (flashbacks), hypervigilance and reactivity. At Inspire TMS Denver we tailor TMS protocols to each person’s needs and monitor results closely, offering standard and advanced TMS options for trauma-related symptoms.
Woman in blue scrubs smiles in front of an
By Sam Clinch December 9, 2025
Who is this page for? If you’re searching “ TMS therapy near me ” because medications or therapy haven’t worked, this guide walks you through what TMS is, the types of TMS offered at Inspire TMS Denver, who qualifies, what a typical course looks like, cost & insurance realities, and real patient experiences so you can decide whether to book a free consultation. Inspire is a doctor-led clinic that specializes in evidence-based TMS and personalized care.
By Sam Clinch November 20, 2025
Recognizing the Signs of Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder is often misunderstood or misdiagnosed due to its fluctuating nature. Common signs include: Periods of extreme energy or euphoria (mania or hypomania) Sudden shifts to sadness, fatigue, or hopelessness (depression) Difficulty concentrating or making decisions Sleep disturbances (sleeping too much or too little) Impulsive or risky behavior Feelings of irritability or agitation  While everyone experiences mood shifts occasionally, those with bipolar disorder often find these changes disruptive to work, relationships, and daily life.
Show More