What to Expect
Your step-by-step guide to TMS treatment at UCLA — from your first call to lasting results.
Seven Steps to Feeling Better
Every patient's experience is a little different, but here is the typical path from referral to results.
Referral
Your journey begins with a referral from your current healthcare provider — a psychiatrist, primary care physician, or therapist. They can send a referral to our team by fax at (310) 825-7642, by email to TMSReferrals@mednet.ucla.edu, or through our online referral form. You can also call us directly at (310) 825-7471 to get the process started.
Evaluation
Within about one week of your referral, you will meet with a UCLA psychiatrist for a comprehensive evaluation. During this visit, your doctor will review your medical history, discuss your symptoms and previous treatments, and determine whether TMS is a good fit for you. This is also your opportunity to ask questions and learn what to expect.
Insurance Authorization
Our team handles the insurance pre-authorization process for you. For depression — the most commonly treated condition — authorization typically takes 1 to 2 weeks. We work with all major insurance plans, including Medicare, and know how to present your case for the best chance of approval. For situations not covered by your insurance, our care management team and insurance specialists will review your benefits and explain your options.
First Session
Your first treatment session is slightly longer than the rest — typically about 45 to 60 minutes. Your psychiatrist will identify your "motor threshold" (the minimum energy level needed to stimulate your brain) and use it to calibrate your personalized treatment settings. Then you will receive your first treatment. Most patients describe the sensation as a firm tapping on the scalp.
Daily Treatment
A standard course of TMS consists of 30 to 36 sessions, delivered Monday through Friday. Each visit typically takes 20 to 30 minutes, including a brief check-in with your psychiatrist — though sessions may run longer when treatment includes multiple components. You will sit in a comfortable chair, fully awake, and can listen to music or relax during the session. There is no anesthesia, no sedation, and no recovery time — you can drive yourself and return to your normal activities immediately. Every five sessions, you’ll complete brief rating scales on an iPad so your team can track your progress and fine-tune your treatment.
Monitoring & Adjustment
A board-certified psychiatrist meets with you at every session. Your doctor tracks your progress, checks in on how you are feeling, and makes any adjustments to your treatment plan as needed.
Completion & Follow-Up
At the end of your treatment course, your psychiatrist will assess your results and discuss next steps. Many patients experience lasting relief — one study found that 70% of patients who responded to TMS maintained their benefit for at least a year. Your doctor may recommend extension sessions if required to help sustain your improvement. Retreatment is also possible and previous benefit is typically highly reproducible.
Quick Answers About Treatment Day
TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is a non-invasive treatment that uses focused magnetic pulses to stimulate specific brain networks involved in mood, pain, and behavior. By delivering pulses at precise frequencies over several weeks, TMS encourages the brain to form new connections — a process called neuroplasticity — helping to "reset" circuits that aren't functioning properly. Sessions are brief, require no anesthesia, and you can drive yourself home immediately after.
Approximately two-thirds (~66%) of patients treated for depression report substantial benefit from TMS. For OCD, 50 to 60% of patients see significant improvement. For tinnitus, about 50% report meaningful reduction in symptoms. Results vary by individual, and your UCLA psychiatrist will monitor your progress closely at every session.
Yes. TMS does not cause sedation or impair cognitive function in a way that affects driving ability. You can drive yourself to and from every appointment, and return to work or your normal activities immediately after each session.
Most patients describe a tapping or clicking sensation on the scalp that can be uncomfortable during the first few sessions but becomes much more tolerable over time. We can adjust the coil position, offer a topical numbing cream, or use an ice pack if needed. The vast majority of patients find treatment very manageable.
Yes, caffeine is fine before TMS. The important thing is to keep your caffeine habits consistent throughout treatment — avoid dramatically increasing or decreasing your intake, as this can affect brain excitability and treatment calibration.
Medically reviewed by Evan Einstein, MD, MPH · Last reviewed June 2026