Click here to learn about our treatment programs for teenagers.
For Confidential Help, Call:
(866) 729-1012

TMS Therapy Now Offered at SunCloud Health

TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation. If that sounds scary, it’s anything but. TMS is a proven outpatient treatment for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that has you wearing a lightweight headset with an attached magnet that sends out pulses. It is completely painless, and you remain awake during the procedure.

We now provide TMS to our patients with treatment-resistant depression who meet the criteria.

What is TMS exactly?

A non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve depression and OCD symptoms. Because this treatment involves delivering repetitive magnetic pulses, it is sometimes called repetitive TMS or rTMS.

TMS is often prescribed for depression or OCD when first-line treatments such as medication and therapy are ineffective.

Although the mechanism behind TMS is not entirely clear, most experts believe the magnetic pulses activate regions of the brain that show decreased activity in people with depression.

TMS may be right for you if: You have taken medications such as anti-depressants without results, or you have experienced bad side effects from those medications. A SunCloud provider can advise you if TMS is a good and safe option for you.

How long does TMS treatment last?

You normally sit for the treatment once a day for four to six weeks. The duration of treatment depends on your response to it. Your SunCloud Health provider will advise you on the optimal duration for you as you progress through your course of treatment.

What happens during a therapy session?

Once you’re seated, your provider will be sure you’re not wearing metal jewelry or metal-framed glasses. You’ll be given earplugs to protect you from the loud clicking sounds the magnet makes.

A headset with the magnet will then be placed on your head. Your provider will give you single-pulse test stimulations to determine the optimal pulse strength and best placement of the magnet.

When treatment starts, you’ll hear rhythmic clicking sounds, with occasional pauses. Your session will last anywhere from several minutes to a half hour. Normally you can leave immediately after your session, with no restrictions on driving.

Are there side effects with TMS? Side effects are rare. When they occur, they normally don’t last longer than a few minutes after your session. Possible side effects include:

  • Headache
  • Slight pain in the scalp or neck
  • Dizziness
  • Tingling or twitching facial muscles

Benefits of TMS therapy include: No surgery required, it’s painless, serious side effects are very rare, it works well with other treatments including medication and therapy, and it’s effective. Success rates vary by condition and for each person, but research clearly shows it works. That’s good news for the 30 to 50 percent of people with depression whose first-line treatments are inadequate.

Do the positive results of TMS last? Symptom relief may last weeks, months, or longer. Patients often continue with their first-line treatments after they finish their TMS course. If symptoms return, TMS treatment can be repeated.

What to know about TMS at SunCloud Health

  • TMS treatment will be available for adults (18+).
  • Treatment will be provided at our Northbrook residential location only, but is available to all patients in the SunCloud Health system who meet the treatment criteria.
  • TMS treatment is covered in-network by most commercial health insurance policies.

The TMS device we use is manufactured by Magstim, learn more.

To learn more about TMS therapy at SunCloud Health, call us today.

1-866-729-1012

Rachel Collins, LCSW
Site Director of Northbrook PHP and IOP

Rachel Collins, LCSW, is the Site Director of SunCloud Health’s Northbrook Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs for both adolescents and adults. Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to complete her master’s degree in social work from Michigan State University. She has since worked in a wide range of settings, including inpatient treatment, PHP/IOP programs, therapeutic group homes, and private practice. Rachel specializes in treating trauma (using Cognitive Processing Therapy) and anxiety, practicing through a relational, compassionate, and client-centered lens. She is passionate about creating a therapeutic space in which clients feel safe and able to explore various parts of themselves with curiosity as opposed to judgement. In addition to her leadership and clinical work, she is passionate about creating art, and learning about the intersection between creativity and mental health.

Kayla Corirossi, MA, LCSW
Site Director, Naperville PHP/IOP (Adolescents & Adults)

Kayla Corirossi, MA, LCSW, is the Site Director of SunCloud Health’s Naperville Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs for adolescents and adults. She brings extensive experience working with individuals across the lifespan, including adolescents, adults, and geriatric populations, and specializes in the treatment of mood disorders, trauma, substance use, family systems, forensic populations, and individuals in crisis.

Kayla has worked in a wide range of clinical and community settings, including community-based interventions, police crisis response, correctional facilities, inpatient treatment, PHP/IOP programs, and with vulnerable and underserved populations. In addition to her clinical and leadership work, she is passionate about providing mental health education and advocacy within the community.

Kayla earned her Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Psychology and Sociology from Aurora University and went on to complete her Master’s degree in Forensic Social Work, also at Aurora University. Her clinical approach is evidence-based, compassionate, trauma-informed, and integrative, emphasizing collaboration and individualized care.

Driven by a personal mission to meet individuals where they are, Kayla is committed to helping clients feel safe, supported, and understood. She strives to create a natural and empathetic healing environment while ensuring individuals from all backgrounds and identities know they are not alone and have access to meaningful resources and support.

Elizabeth E. Sita, MD
Medical Director of Adult Services
Dr. Elizabeth E. Sita, MD, is a Board Certified psychiatrist specializing in the care of patients with eating disorders. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of Chicago and graduated with Highest Honors. She then earned her medical degree at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and was recognized with the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Psychiatry. She subsequently completed residency with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, where she was elected Chief Resident and received the Resident Psychiatrist Leadership & Service Award. Upon completing her training, Dr. Sita came to Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, where she served as Assistant Medical Director of the Center for Eating Disorders and Director of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Services before transitioning to lead the new inpatient eating disorder unit as Medical Director of Eating Disorder Services at Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital – Chicago. In these roles, she has cared for a multitude of adolescents and adults struggling with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other eating disorders as well as severe, cooccurring mood, trauma, personality, and substance use disorders. Dr. Sita has been recognized throughout her training and practice for a commitment to excellence in patient care and for her ability to engage patients in their most challenging moments. Her passions include the care of treatment-resistant eating and mood disorders as well as questions of medical capacity and end-of-life decision making. She believes that, first and foremost, human connection is key to mental health and well-being and strives to share this philosophy in each and every patient encounter. She is excited to bring her expertise to SunCloud Health as the Medical Director of Adult Services!   VIDEO: Meet Elizabeth E. Sita, MD, Medical Director of Adult Services  
Lacey Lemke, PsyD
Assistant Vice President of Clinical Services

Dr. Lacey Lemke (she/her) is a licensed clinical health psychologist with specialized expertise in the treatment of eating disorders and the practice of medical and health psychology. She completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology with a Primary Care emphasis at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Lemke went on to complete both her predoctoral clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship through Ascension Health, where she gained advanced training working with individuals experiencing eating disorders and self-injurious behaviors, as well as within pediatric subspecialty settings including endocrinology, neurology, and adolescent medicine.

Dr. Lemke is deeply committed to providing evidence-based, compassionate care and collaborates closely with interdisciplinary teams to ensure comprehensive treatment. Her professional mission is to support patients in achieving their fullest potential by guiding them to the most appropriate level of care and empowering them to make meaningful, sustainable progress toward improved health and well-being.

VIDEO: 2. Meet Lacey Lemke, PsyD.