This past year, I experienced an extremely traumatic family crisis that completely upended my…read moreworld. For months, I struggled with severe anxiety, depression, and debilitating PTSD symptoms. Medication was only helping a little bit, and I didn't want to rely solely on it. I was looking for something that could provide more immediate and lasting relief, which led me to the Brain Wellness Center in San Ramon for TMS treatment.
Before beginning treatment, I was in profound distress. I experienced intense visceral emotional reactions and PTSD symptoms that felt overwhelming. My trigger responses were debilitating and sometimes turned violent--I was throwing things, breaking things, and unable to control my rage. The emotional flooding was extreme, often leaving me gasping for air and doubled over in pain. I had strong urges to self-harm and uncontrollable impulses toward physical aggression, which I sometimes acted on. I couldn't engage in any therapeutic work--I couldn't even look at books about my type of trauma without becoming dysregulated. My mind was trapped in constant rumination and obsessive thoughts. The anxiety was so severe that I felt like I was losing myself.
After completing 50 sessions of TMS, the transformation has been remarkable. I developed motivation for basic self-care like going to sleep early and taking vitamins--things that felt impossible before. When triggered now, I still feel anger surge through me, but I no longer have the urge to be physically aggressive. I can now engage in therapeutic work, reading books about my trauma and participating in therapy discussions. I still feel discomfort, but it's manageable--not the dysregulating panic I experienced before. I've learned to disengage and down-regulate when triggered. I'm calmer and better able to care for myself instead of drowning in obsessive thoughts. The compulsion toward physical aggression has dramatically decreased. My anxiety is much less intense--I can redirect my attention to self-care, and the upset no longer overwhelms me. Most importantly, I'm no longer on my knees or doubled over in emotional pain. I am able to walk toward healing.
The doctors at Brain Wellness Center are truly exceptional. Both Dr. Hashemian and Dr. Palmer are deeply compassionate, excellent listeners, and incredibly knowledgeable--they've been doing this work for decades and are true experts. I felt confident I was in capable hands. What I appreciated most was their honest approach with no sales pressure. They truly want you to make the best choice for you, whether that means working with them or another TMS specialist. They were thorough in their assessments and committed to tracking progress systematically. Week by week, I could literally see the steady decline in my anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms through their comprehensive measurements. The most dramatic improvement was in my anxiety symptoms. I would say that I started feeling really noticeable relief from my symptoms after about 6 sessions.
Next to the treatment's effectiveness, I was most impressed with the staff. Mayra, Angelica, Autumn, and Olivia work seamlessly as the techs and coordination team. They are incredibly kind, consistently professional while genuinely warm and caring, and highly skilled. You can tell they're happy in their work environment. They were efficient with scheduling, accommodating with changes, and excellent at follow-through and communication. Appointments always started on time, and the facility was meticulously clean. I felt genuinely taken care of throughout all 50 sessions.
TMS at Brain Wellness Center gave me my life back. I went from being unable to function, violent in my reactions, and contemplating self-harm to being able to engage in healing work, regulate my emotions, and move forward with my life. The relief I sought--something more immediate and lasting than medication alone--is exactly what I found.
If you're struggling with depression, anxiety, or PTSD, I cannot recommend Brain Wellness Center highly enough. Thank you to Dr. Hashemian, Dr. Palmer, Mayra, Angelica, Autumn, and Olivia for helping me find my way back to myself. The healing journey continues.
