Depression treatment

Depression

Depression is a serious illness, and a leading cause of disability in Canada. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems, making it difficult to function at work and at home, making even the smallest tasks feel impossible.
TMS has been Health Canada approved for the treatment of depression since 2002, with high remission and response rates, and next to no side effects.

Anxiety treatment

Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most common mood disorders, with up to 1 in 4 Canadians suffering at one point in their life. Anxiety symptoms will vary person to person and can be both psychological and physical.
Research has shown TMS to be effective in the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or anxiety that is comorbid with depression.

PTSD

PTSD

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur after direct or indirect exposure to a traumatic event. PTSD is characterized by four core symptoms: re-experiencing, hyperarousal, avoidance of trauma-related stimuli, and negative cognition and mood. TMS has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing and/or eliminating the symptoms of PTSD.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder  (OCD) treatment

OCD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) which lead to repetitive behavior (compulsions). Optimind is proud to use Magventure TMS, which is FDA approved in the treatment of OCD.

Major Depressive Disorder (depression), anxiety, PTSD, and OCD are very common and debilitating mood disorders. These illnesses and their symptoms are as exhausting as they are challenging.

TMS is an evidence-based treatment that has been proven to treat these mood disorders with high rates of effectiveness, and without major side effects often found in pharmacology.

Optimind is the longest standing, most experienced TMS clinic in the region with a highly trained and truly caring team. The results experienced by our clients to date demonstrate success for our past clients, and hope for our future clients.

Optimind Client Results

Treatment Resistant Depression

  • 47% of clients achieved full remission*
  • 41.7% of clients had symptom reduction greater than 30%
  • 11.3% of clients subclinical response

*Remission identified as BDI ≤9 PHQ9 ≤5

Comorbid Anxiety

  • 51.4% of clients achieved full remission*
  • 30.8% of clients had symptom reduction greater than 30%
  • 17.8% of clients subclinical response

*Remission identified as GAD7 ≤5

PTSD

  • 60.8% of clients achieved full remission*
  • 22.7% of clients had symptom reduction greater than 30%
  • 16.5% of clients subclinical response

*Remission identified as PCL5 ≤ 33

If you or a loved one is suffering from Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, or OCD, contact our team to discuss how we can help.

We’re here to help you Just. Feel. Better.


How TMS Works

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a safe and effective non-invasive brain stimulation technology that was originally approved by Health Canada for the treatment of depression in 2002.

TMS uses MRI-strength magnetic pulses to induce small electrical currents in a designated focal area of the brain. When applied repeatedly, these pulses strengthen or weaken the connections between neurons, known as synapses.

TMS is painless, with no systemic side effects and minimal risk. It is an evidence-based treatment used around the world with a long and successful history as a safe and effective treatment option.


What to Expect

1

Meet and Assessment:

Welcome to Optimind!

Most of our clients start with a complimentary consultation to learn about what Optimind has to offer, and how we can help you. While TMS treatment is well established around the world, it is relatively new to BC and to Vancouver Island in particular, so it is typical to have lots of questions.

Following that, the first step of your treatment journey will be booking a consultation with our Clinic Physician and completing a health history questionnaire and standardized psychological testing (psychometry). These evidence-based tools inform and assist our physician to prescribe the best and most appropriate treatment. These tools also establish an individual baseline to objectively track and measure your response to treatment.

Our physician will compose an individualized treatment protocol for you to maximize results. And importantly, will also use this opportunity to ensure all of your questions are answered; it is our collective goal to make you as comfortable and happy as possible.

2

Your Treatment:

Once we have confirmed the protocol appropriate for you, your course of treatment will be booked. TMS protocols are completed over a four to six week period. Daily sessions are approximately 30 minutes five days per week.

During your treatment session, you will recline in a comfortable chair and relax while our highly trained technician navigates the TMS coil to the appropriate brain region and safely and painlessly stimulates your brain at your own individualized strength.

If Cognitive Training is in your treatment plan, this will follow immediately after your TMS session.

After your treatment session is over you can immediately return to your normal day’s activities, including driving, work, or play. To learn more about TMS treatment at Optimind view information provided by our Medical Director Dr. Drew Digney here.

3

Evaluation: Your Result!

That’s it!

On completion of your treatment course we will once again ask you to complete a number of questionnaires. While we monitor progress with both daily check in and objective measures every two weeks, at the end of your treatment course the full psychometry is repeated. We will review with you both the positive changes that you have experienced along with these objective measures in evaluating your treatment outcome.

Whatever is needed to best support your outcome, we accommodate. Sustainability of the treatment effect varies by individual as well as by condition treated. For depression treatment, where there is an abundance of data, many people find a single course of TMS is all that is needed to achieve a remission or response that is sustained. Some clients will benefit from ‘top up’ or ‘booster’ sessions down the road which can be effective as individual treatment(s) versus a full course of treatment. We work with you to see what works for you!

And regardless, we love to see clients just to say hello! It is one of the pleasures of what we do that we get to know our clients over the time they spend at Optimind, so staying connected is welcome and encouraged.

We are really excited about what we are able to offer, and we’d love to share it with you.

It would be our absolute pleasure to meet you!


Our Team

The highly skilled Optimind team is driven by one common goal: to improve lives.

Together, our team holds decades of medical and technical expertise, including specialized training specifically in noninvasive neural stimulation (TMS) at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital’s Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention at CAMH, and International Clinical TMS Certification through the University of Maastricht.

At Optimind we are client focused and research-driven, using objective evaluative tools and leading-edge training and technology.

We offer an innovative, persistent, and compassionate approach – connect with us to learn more.

The Team at Optimind Clinic specialise in Memory Loss Treatment
Kim Meyer, MA Founder/CEO

Kim Meyer, MA

Founder/CEO

Dr. Drew Digney, MD, CCFP(EM)

Dr. Drew Digney, MD, CCFP(EM)

Medical Director

Dr. Melinda Zeron Mullins, PhD, MD, CCFP(EM)

Dr. Melinda Zeron Mullins, PhD, MD, CCFP

Oak Bay Clinic Physician

Dr. Tatiana Gregoryanz, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Tatiana Gregoryanz, MD, FRCPC

Psychiatric Director

Madison Meyer, BSc, BCIA

Madison Meyer, BSc, BCIA

Clinical Education Director

Max Meyer Technical Director

Max Meyer

Technical Director

Lauren Ritchey

Treatment Coordinator & TMS Technician

Craig Babiuk, MSc, PT

Craig Babiuk, MSc, PT

Innovation & Partnerships Advisor

Darius Millar Strategic Advisor

Darius Millar

Strategic Advisor

Edison

Edison

Therapy Dog in Training

Gus, Therapy Dog in Training

Gus

Therapy Dog in Training

Marley - Clinic Therapy Dog

Remembering Marley

Founding Therapy Dog

What Our Clients Say

The service provided by Optimind is exceptional. The TMS procedure was quick, and there were no side effects. I credit them with curing my depression and anxiety with their treatment. Thank you so much, Optimind!

T.D.

Results for me came quickly and strongly, within 1-2 weeks. Depression and anxiety that began to respond poorly to medication just dissolved away. I have never had such a robust response to treatment—it almost defies belief. It has been maybe 15 years since I’ve felt this well. Moreover, I now know I have somewhere to go if I happen to relapse, a treatment that works, and is free of the side-effects that accompany medication. Because of Optimind, I feel safe from my mental illness.

K.E.

Miracles abound! Love creates miracles. Thank you for all the love. To have immediate relief from PTSD symptoms is life changing! My Certified Service Dog says “YES” to this process as she gets relief too. I’m a better person to myself, loved ones and community and most importantly I’m still here. Thank you Optimind for raising my vibration which pays it forward to everyone. What a beautiful ripple effect! You guys “ROCK!” I just wish I found you 30 years sooner! Love and gratitude :o))

J.F.

It truly changed my life, with very positive impacts on my depression, anxiety, OCD and trauma which I had experienced over many years. My memory is also much better. All these positive changes were confirmed with before and after validated tools. I now feel like the real “me”, and feel like when I was 15 years old, the happiest time of my life.

B.B.

The return of my executive functioning skills (your thinking, planning, organizing skills) has been wonderful too because you need all those things to make it back to employment, but it also allows you to dream again, to wonder where life will go after treatment, which path you will choose, because gosh suddenly there’s so many and they all look good!

A.Y.

TMS combined with cognitive training at Optimind gave me the energy, focus, and outlook to not only get a new job, but to sign up for singing lessons. Of course I was still nervous, but no longer stopped by anxiety. Life is good!

N.F.

You have given me my life back. I am consistently amazed at how different I feel now. Your support, kindness, and wisdom has helped me greatly.

K

And suddenly you will realize the dread and hopelessness you have been carrying on your back is gone and has been replaced with hope, yes, but also excitement, possibility, and maybe reconciliation–with family, with friends, and most importantly, with yourself

A.Y.

We have our daughter back. She is laughing, joking, interacting with us and other people she hasn’t talked to in a long time. We are so grateful.

G.L.

I am only 11 treatments into TMS and I finally have ME back

L.M.

Our Partners

This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you are in immediate danger of harming yourself or others, call 9-1-1, or head to your nearest emergency room. You can also call or text 9-8-8 to reach the Suicide Crisis Helpline. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Young people can chat anytime with Kids Help Phone by calling 1-800-668-6868. Services are available in English and French.”

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