Be The Change Offers Revolutionary Alternative Therapy at Their Mental Health Clinic in Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa, California -

Be The Change in Mental Health (BTC) offers a nontraditional approach to treating depression and related mental disorders. Led by CEO Dr. Marisha Chilcott, BTC is one of the leading clinics for TMS Therapy in Northern California. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive, non-drug therapeutic method designed to support people who do not respond satisfactorily to prescription medications.

According to the National Institute of Health, antidepressants have a 40 - 60% "response rate" in patients. Those numbers do not mean that patients get "well" but only that they get somewhat "better." Furthermore, while antidepressants can be life-changing for some people, many of their unwanted side effects leave others at odds with taking the medication. For people like this, Dr. Chilcott says TMS Therapy could be a viable option for relief.

“TMS has been FDA approved since 2008, but many people with depression have no idea this treatment is available to them,” says Dr. Chilcott. “TMS Therapy has a 70%-80% response rate in patients who have failed medication management, and so for many of our patients, it’s the only thing that’s given them relief.”

TMS has been on the rise in recent years due to the work of Dr. Scott and other professionals at the forefront of the movement. Since its inception, the treatment continues to produce results for people with different types of mental health issues, varying from depression to PTSD, anxiety, etc.

“TMS Therapy is a noninvasive therapy that uses targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate key areas in the brain that are known to be underactive in depression,” says Dr. Chilcott. “We offer NeuroStar TMS – the original of the FDA approved TMS therapy systems.”

When a patient comes in to be treated for depression with TMS Therapy, they can expect a calming experience. The treatment provider will invite them to recline in a comfortable chair. Then a small metal coil is positioned onto the patient’s head. As treatment begins, the patient will feel taps on their head and hear a clicking sound. The duration of the treatment is approximately 18 minutes. During the time, the patient is free to relax, read a book, watch TV, or chat with the treatment provider.

“We put our patients on a 4 - 6 week program, depending on their situation,” Dr. Chilcott says. “Many of our patients feel the benefits as soon as 15 sessions. They describe feeling lighter, happier, having less frequent depressive episodes, and generally feeling more positive about life.”

TMS Therapy isn’t the only treatment option Be The Change provides. The clinic also administers ketamine assisted-psychotherapy. Ketamine and other psychedelics have been the subject of study in therapy for decades. Ketamine is legal in the United States for therapeutic treatment, but others like psilocybin mushrooms and MDMA have yet to be de-criminalized in California. The ketamine experience can benefit people struggling with PTSD, depression, or any type of trauma-based mental illness.

“Ketamine assisted-psychotherapy is a game changer,” says Dr. Marty Lajoie, the clinic’s Director of Psychological Services. Dr. Lajoie, who is a licensed psychologist and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist, has worked with many people suffering with mental health disorders over his 20 year career. He believes psychedelics have a bright future ahead of them in the mental health industry.

“We’ve seen remarkable breakthroughs with this type of treatment,” he comments. “It’s only a matter of time now before psychedelics begin to edge out many pharmaceuticals.”

Studies show that ketamine assisted-psychotherapy has numerous therapeutic benefits. Patients report feeling euphoria, a sense of peace and calm, and many say they experience a “spiritual release.” Dr. Lajoie says ketamine and other psychedelics are finally losing their stigma that’s been so heavily imprinted on them for decades. Scientists have been working to decriminalize many of these psychedelic treatments, but the journey is still ahead of them. Be The Change in Mental Health wants to be on the forefront of psychedelic therapy in Northern California.

“The discussion of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is going in a great direction, and we’re anxious to get approval for psilocybin and MDMA at our clinic,” says Dr. Lajoie. “When we do, Be The Change will be one of the first to be able to treat patients in Sonoma County.”

Many people wonder if insurance covers TMS and other psychedelic therapies. At Be The Change, they will work with insurance agencies to find avenues to get partial or complete coverage of treatment.

“We’re committed to helping our patients get the treatment they’re looking for, and if that means taking on insurance companies, we’ll do that too!” says Dr. Chilcott.

To find out more information about Be The Change’s services, contact Dr. Marisha Chilcott at 7078007568 or by email at info@btcmentalhealth.org. The address is 2800 Cleveland Ave Ste C, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.