Mobile Psych is pioneering an accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) program for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder that delivers 80 sessions in just 2–4 days. This intensive protocol targets two key brain regions and pairs with self-guided virtual reality (VR) therapy, offering new hope to adults with ADHD who haven’t found relief with traditional treatments. (While our focus is on adult ADHD, emerging research suggests this approach may benefit younger patients as well.)
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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, FDA-approved treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain's mood-regulating areas. It's particularly effective for individuals who haven't responded to traditional therapies.
Our accelerated TMS protocol condenses the traditional 6-week treatment into just 2 to 4 days, delivering 40 personalized sessions. This intensive approach leads to faster symptom relief and improved patient outcomes.
Our program includes self-guided VR therapy sessions that complement TMS treatment. These immersive experiences aid in emotional processing and cognitive engagement, contributing to more comprehensive healing.
Our cash-only model offers a straightforward rate starting at $5,000 for the complete program. This approach eliminates insurance delays, hidden fees, and allows for immediate, personalized care.
+$1,500
Our new advanced protocol can deliver the same treatment (up to 80 sessions) in 2 days.
+$3,000
If you Have Both PTSD and depression, both can be treated at the same time. No need for recurrent visits.
+$900
ADD 3 qEEGs to monitor the response.
Meta Description: Experience rapid relief from PTSD with Mobile Psych’s intensive 2–4 day, 40–80 session TMS program combined with virtual reality therapy. Evidence-based, non-invasive treatment (starting at $5,000) – a patient-focused approach worth traveling for.
PTSD can feel overwhelming, but breakthrough treatments offer new hope. Mobile Psych in San Antonio provides an innovative 4-day PTSD treatment program that combines accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) with Virtual Reality (VR) therapy. This intensive approach condenses weeks of therapy into just a few days, targeting both the brain and mind for fast, effective relief. Our protocol is grounded in clinical research and designed to be accessible and patient-friendly. Below, learn how our program works, why it’s effective, and what to expect from your journey toward recovery.
Program Highlights (Infographic suggestion):
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-medication, non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to safely stimulate specific brain regions. Unlike medications (which can cause side effects or take weeks to work) or talk therapy alone, TMS directly targets neural circuits involved in mood and fear responses. In PTSD, certain brain areas (such as the prefrontal cortex) may be underactive or dysregulated. TMS helps “reset” these areas, promoting healthier brain activity linked to improved mood, reduced anxiety, and better emotional control.
Evidence-based efficacy: Multiple studies have shown that TMS can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms. For example, a 2020 meta-analysis of clinical trials found large improvements in core PTSD symptoms with active brain stimulation compared to sham (placebo) treatments【1】. Patients receiving TMS often report fewer flashbacks, better sleep, and a decrease in hyperarousal symptoms after a course of treatment. Importantly, TMS benefits aren’t just short-term—improvements have been observed to last weeks or months beyond the last session【1】. This makes TMS a promising option for those who have struggled with or plateaued on standard therapies.
Safety and side effects: TMS is FDA-approved for depression and is being utilized off-label for PTSD based on growing evidence of its efficacy. It has a strong safety record: the most common side effect is a mild scalp headache or tingling during sessions, which is usually brief. Unlike medications, TMS does not cause systemic side effects (no drowsiness, weight gain, or dependency). Our team screens each patient to ensure TMS is appropriate, and we monitor you throughout the treatment. TMS does not involve any anesthesia or memory loss (it is not electroshock therapy). You remain awake and alert, seated comfortably while a magnetic coil gently delivers pulses to your head. Many patients read or listen to music during sessions. The procedure is well-tolerated, and you can resume normal activities immediately after each session.
Traditional TMS therapy for PTSD, as offered in research or some clinics, might involve one session per day over 4–6 weeks. While effective, that timeline can be a barrier for busy patients or those traveling from out of town. Mobile Psych’s accelerated protocol delivers 40 to 80 TMS sessions over just 2–4 days, providing an intensive dose of treatment in a fraction of the time. This “compressed” approach, sometimes called accelerated TMS, is at the cutting edge of psychiatric care. By concentrating sessions, we aim to induce rapid neuroplastic changes – essentially jump-starting the brain’s healing process.
Dual targeting of the brain: Our program uses both unilateral and bilateral DLPFC stimulation. In simple terms, we stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on the right side, the left side, or both sides during the course of treatment. The DLPFC is a key brain region involved in emotion regulation and executive function. Stimulating the right and left sides can have slightly different therapeutic effects, and by leveraging both approaches, we provide a more comprehensive treatment:
What an accelerated session day looks like: Over the 2–4 day treatment period, you will undergo multiple TMS sessions each day. We space these sessions out (with short breaks in between) to ensure comfort and safety. Our team uses advanced TMS protocols (such as intermittent theta-burst stimulation, a rapid form of TMS) that make each session brief – typically only a few minutes per session. This allows us to deliver a high number of sessions per day without exhausting the patient. For example, a patient might receive ~10 sessions per day, alternating targeting of right and left DLPFC. Each session feels similar – a tapping sensation on the scalp – and we continuously check in to ensure you’re feeling okay. By the end of each day, many patients describe a feeling of mental clarity or calm that accumulates with each round of stimulation.
Despite the intensity of delivering dozens of sessions in a short span, studies indicate accelerated TMS is well tolerated. In our clinic experience, patients manage the schedule remarkably well – some liken it to a focused “PTSD boot camp” for the brain. We provide a comfortable environment, snacks and hydration, and periodic rest periods to prevent fatigue. Throughout the process, our medical staff is on hand to address any discomfort (for instance, offering Tylenol for a mild headache if needed). Most patients, however, complete the 4-day protocol with minimal side effects and a profound sense of accomplishment.
Rapid results: Because this approach condenses treatment, you may notice improvements quickly – even within the treatment weekend itself. Many report that by Day 3 or 4, their nightmares have lessened, or they feel able to enter a grocery store without panicking for the first time in years. While individual results vary, the goal is that by the end of the 4-day program you experience measurable relief. We will objectively assess your PTSD symptoms before and after (see Treatment Process below) to quantify the changes. It’s not unusual to see clinically significant drops in PTSD symptom scores by the final day. Keep in mind that TMS effects can continue to build in the days and weeks after treatment; the brain’s adaptation to stimulation may unfold over time. We will schedule follow-ups to track your progress, and additional booster sessions can be arranged down the line if needed to maintain gains.
A standout feature of our PTSD program is the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) exposure therapy. VR therapy uses immersive computer-generated environments to help patients confront and process traumatic memories in a controlled, therapeutic setting. During VR sessions, you wear a comfortable headset that places you in lifelike simulations related to your trauma. With the guidance of a trained therapist, you’ll gradually face triggers or recreate aspects of the traumatic event, all within the safety of virtual reality. This process, known as virtual reality exposure therapy, is a form of evidence-based psychotherapy designed to reduce PTSD symptoms by extinguishing fear responses and empowering you to reframe traumatic memories.
How VR therapy works: PTSD often causes intense reactions to cues or reminders of the trauma, leading to avoidance behaviors. Avoidance provides short-term relief from anxiety, but it prevents the brain from ever relearning that those cues (in the present) are actually safe. VR therapy tackles this by exposing you to safe simulations of trauma-related scenarios. For example, a combat veteran might virtually patrol a quiet city street or drive a Humvee through a desert scene; a survivor of a car accident might sit in a virtual vehicle on a calm road. Throughout these exposures, you remain aware that you’re in a treatment room, but the realism of VR helps evoke the relevant thoughts and feelings. The therapist can pause or adjust the scenario at any time, offering coaching, relaxation techniques, or cognitive strategies to help you cope with the feelings that arise. Over repeated sessions, this exposure desensitizes you to trauma cues – your brain learns that seeing a crowded market or hearing a loud boom (in the VR environment) does not inevitably lead to harm. In essence, VR therapy allows you to confront your past without being re-traumatized, breaking the cycle of fear and avoidance.
Clinical efficacy of VR therapy: Virtual reality is not just a gimmick; it’s a well-studied tool in PTSD treatment. Research over the past two decades has shown that VR exposure therapy can be as effective as traditional forms of prolonged exposure therapy. In fact, a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis found that VR exposure therapy led to significantly greater reductions in PTSD symptoms than no treatment (waitlist) and achieved outcomes comparable to conventional psychotherapy【4】. In other words, patients who underwent VR treatment improved much more than those who didn’t get therapy, and they improved about as much as those who underwent standard talk-therapy exposure. Another recent clinical trial in 2023 focused on veterans with chronic PTSD found that adding VR therapy resulted in a significant reduction in PTSD symptom severity compared to a control group receiving usual care【5】. Participants in VR treatment reported fewer intrusive memories and lower distress levels, underscoring the power of immersion in facilitating emotional processing.
One advantage that is harder to quantify but very important is patient engagement. Traditional exposure therapy requires you to vividly imagine your trauma and describe it out loud – an exercise that many find so distressing that nearly half of patients may drop out of therapy. By contrast, VR provides a gentler entry point; it feels more like “being there” than “remembering,” which for some can be less daunting than summoning painful memories internally. Therapists have observed that patients often become actively engaged in VR sessions, sometimes even “pausing” the scenario to remark, “This is exactly what it looked like” or “This situation reminds me of X.” This engagement can translate into better therapy adherence. While exact numbers vary, studies of real-world PTSD therapy show high attrition (some analyses report around 30–50% of patients do not complete traditional exposure protocols). The immersive and even intriguing nature of VR may help overcome some of that dropout problem by making therapy more tolerable and even empowering. Patients feel in control – they can say, “Stop” or “Slow down” at any time in VR, which builds confidence. Over time, as you master the virtual scenarios, you gain genuine confidence to face real-life triggers without the same fear response.
Combining VR with TMS – a comprehensive approach: Mobile Psych is one of the few centers offering combined TMS and VR therapy for PTSD. This approach addresses PTSD on two fronts: the biological and the psychological. TMS primes and stabilizes brain networks, potentially making them more receptive to learning and therapy, while VR sessions provide the active emotional processing and relearning experience. There is exciting scientific support for the synergy of such methods. In a 2024 study published in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers combined non-invasive brain stimulation with VR exposure for military veterans, and found the combination significantly improved PTSD outcomes compared to VR therapy alone【6】. The group receiving the combined treatment had greater reductions in symptom severity one month later, and they showed faster calming of their physiological responses during the VR sessions (meaning their bodies learned more quickly that the stimuli were safe)【6】. These findings underscore that by engaging the brain on multiple levels – both neurochemical and experiential – we can possibly achieve deeper healing.
In practical terms, during our 4-day program you will typically have a VR therapy session each day (or as clinically indicated) in addition to the TMS sessions. Many patients find that doing VR after a morning of TMS is especially effective: the TMS may put you in a calmer state and enhance neuroplasticity, so you feel ready to tackle emotional work in VR with less anxiety. Our VR sessions are always one-on-one with a licensed therapist guiding you. The content of the VR exposure is tailored to your trauma history – we have specialized software for various scenarios (combat-related, accidents, and others) and can adjust details like time of day, environmental cues, sounds, and more to closely mirror your experiences. This personalized immersion, when repeated over consecutive days alongside intensive TMS, can lead to remarkable breakthroughs. By the end of treatment, patients often report that situations or memories which used to trigger severe reactions now feel “manageable” or “distanced,” as if the memory has lost its harmful power. That is the goal: you retain the memory, but it no longer controls you.