Additional Questions
Why do you combine TMS therapy with ketamine treatments?
We invented the TMS/k technique as we sought a way to make high-intensity TMS more tolerable. We continue to use TMS and ketamine together because they work together to act as a powerful dual-mechanism approach to healing the brain - we've found synergistic instead of additive benefits when co-administered. Ketamine acts rapidly to spark neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to build new neural pathways—and provides quick relief from severe depressive symptoms. TMS then acts as a localized structural stabilizer, using targeted magnetic pulses to strengthen and lock in those newly formed pathways over time. By pairing them, we drastically improve the depth and longevity of your recovery compared to doing either treatment alone.
What does the timeline look like for a combination TMS/ketamine protocol?
Your protocol is individually customized based on your initial physiologic baseline. To be clear, the best impact is when the modalities are co-administered vs. sequential applications. Each outpatient visit is designed to fit seamlessly into your week without requiring any hospital visits. You will recognize benefits by the 5th or 6th application (loved ones may notice somewhat sooner), and a typical case of "depression" might take 30 applications in total. A small minority of the patients have felt the need for tune-ups or occasional maintenance applications. Treatments start at 3/week and eventually taper downward.
How does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) help with brain injuries?
Brain injuries—whether traumatic (like concussions, sports injuries, or whiplash) or non-traumatic (such as post-stroke, long-COVID neuroinflammation, or oxygen deprivation)—leave areas of the brain starved for energy and locked in a state of chronic inflammation. Inside our specialized FDA-cleared Class II hyperbaric chambers, you breathe 100% pure oxygen at an increased atmospheric pressure. This forces oxygen deep into your blood plasma, bypassing damaged blood vessels to flood starving brain tissue, reduce swelling, ignite cellular repair, and stimulate stem cell mobilization for true neurological recovery.
What is your "nature-based care" approach for inborn errors of metabolism and maldigestion?
True brain health relies on a healthy gut and proper cellular energy production. For individuals dealing with maldigestion or complex inborn errors of metabolism (genetic conditions where the body can't properly turn food into cellular energy), a standard approach isn't enough. Our nature-based care blends advanced biochemical testing with personalized clinical nutrition, bio-identical cofactors, targeted nutrient replacement and environmental therapies. We don't just manage your symptoms with synthetic blockades; we work naturally to bypass metabolic roadblocks, optimize your digestive biome, and ensure your brain is getting the foundational nutrients it needs to thrive.
Which combination therapies do you offer?
We specialize in advanced neuro-recovery and functional medicine, offering a highly integrated care ecosystem. Our marquee combination protocol is co-administered TMS and ketamine therapy—a technique we originally developed and pioneered to improve the baseline patient experience and overall results. Additionally, we structurally support neurological rehabilitation by combining these brain-stimulation protocols with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) using our FDA-cleared Class II chambers, and foundational nature-based care targeted at fixing underlying inborn errors of metabolism and maldigestion.
What is the benefit of combination therapies over individual treatments?
When used individually, both TMS and ketamine are excellent modalities. However, we realized that co-administering them unlocks synergistic rather than just additive benefits. Ketamine acts quickly at a cellular level, acting as a rapid catalyst for neuroplasticity to open up new, healthy communication paths in the brain. TMS then acts as the localized structural stabilizer, using targeted magnetic pulses to physically strengthen and permanently "lock in" those newly built pathways. While individual treatments can sometimes result in temporary fixes or slower timelines, combining them builds a more robust, deeply integrated, and longer-lasting framework for recovery.
What is the success rate of this combination therapy?
Clinical data and emerging systematic reviews show that combining TMS and ketamine results in substantially higher efficacy and longer-lasting remission rates for treatment-resistant depression compared to using either approach as a standalone monotherapy. Because ketamine effectively "primes" the brain's pathways, it allows the targeted neuromodulation of TMS to achieve a much deeper impact. In practice, the vast majority of our patients recognize a distinct clinical response by their 5th or 6th application. Furthermore, because the structural changes are reinforced by both mechanisms simultaneously, only a very small minority of our patients ever require subsequent long-term maintenance or "tune-up" applications.
How much does this treatment protocol cost?
Financial transparency is incredibly important to us. Because we offer multiple distinct modalities, the exact cost varies depending on your personalized clinical protocol: • TMS Therapy: Standard TMS is FDA-approved and widely covered by most major commercial insurance providers and Medicare for treatment-resistant depression. For patients using insurance, out-of-pocket costs are often limited to standard specialist copays once deductibles are met. For private pay, a full course of standard TMS typically ranges from $5,500 to $12,000. • Ketamine & Specialty Infusions: Because ketamine for mood disorders is typically an off-label use, it is generally out-of-pocket, with standard clinical infusions averaging $450 to $950 per session nationally. • regarding co-administered TMS/ketamine treatment cost, and is it covered by insurance? for our much more effective protocol—where TMS and ketamine are co-administered for maximum synergistic impact—we charge a transparent flat fee of $850 per day of administration. A typical ""case"" of unipolar depression may require 30 applications over the months in-order to enjoy a form of remission. Highly co-morbid conditions (those with additional diagnoses like substance use disorder or neuropathic pain) typically require more extensive treatment to get to some form of remission. • HBOT & Metabolic Care: These specialized protocols are customized during your intake and priced based on the required length of your treatment plan.
Does insurance cover these treatments?
Navigating insurance for our pioneering efforts can be complex due to the varying structures of health plans: • Self-Funded (Self-Insured) Plans: If your employer sponsors a self-funded health plan, these insurers routinely pay our full fee. We have excellent success working with these types of policies. • Fully Insured Commercial Plans: Commercial insurance companies frequently apply arbitrary rules specifically designed to limit their financial payouts. Currently, many of these plans automatically deny claims if standard TMS and any ketamine-based care are administered within a span of 2 days. While the State of Illinois has made clear legal decisions that substantiate our billing methods, these commercial insurers have chosen to disregard that guidance. Because these are obscure, rigid decisions by fully insured plans, trying to alter their internal denials is generally ineffective. Our Work-Arounds and Advocacy: We refuse to let corporate insurance barriers stop you from getting the care you need. We are always aggressive and open to negotiating creative solutions on your behalf, including pursuing "gap exceptions" or "single-case agreements" with your provider. Our dedicated intake team will review your specific employer plan upfront, explain exactly which category your policy falls into, and help you map out the most financially viable path forward before you begin treatment. We never want insurance loops to be a barrier to your healing. Our dedicated intake team handles the entire prior-authorization process for you. We will review your specific insurance policy upfront and build a comprehensive, clear financial breakdown before your first treatment session so there are absolutely no surprises.
Do I have to choose between these therapies, or do they work together?
They are intentionally designed to be a cohesive ecosystem. For instance, a patient might utilize HBOT to reduce brain inflammation resulting from accrued brain injury, clear the way with metabolic and digestive support so the body can physically heal, and also utilize the TMS/ketamine protocol to remodel the function of mood and cognitive centers. During your comprehensive intake, we determine the exact sequencing of therapies that your specific nervous system needs.
