By Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry - May 25, 2025

A message from Dr. David Woo

At Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry, we meet our patients where they are, both mentally and emotionally, and often at the edge of hope. Many patients arrive at the practice after years, sometimes decades, of trying treatment after treatment, feeling exhausted, dismissed, and alone.

One such patient, whom we’ll call Emma, as she asked that her real name not be used, came to our practice after a lifelong struggle with major depression and chronic insomnia. After countless medications and dead-end doctors’ visits, she felt she was running out of options.

But by listening to Emma to understand her history and goals, we crafted a personalized TMS treatment plan that helped her find real, lasting relief.

Emma’s story is one of resilience, strength, and perseverance. By sharing it, she hopes that others will feel less alone and take the next steps to pursue treatment with the belief that healing is possible.

– Dr. Woo 

A Lifelong Battle with Depression and Insomnia

For decades, Emma lived under the weight of depression. “I’m 63 years old, and I remember having my first serious episode of depression in high school,” she shared.

Over the years, she tried nearly everything: from antidepressant medications like SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), mood stabilizers, and ketamine. Yet despite her efforts, her symptoms persisted. And, like so many others, she learned to hide her pain and “suffered quietly.”

On top of the depression, chronic insomnia was a constant companion. It began in her 20s and steadily worsened over the years. She tried seemingly every sleep medication available, both on-label and off, but was still getting only four hours of poor-quality sleep a night. 

According to Emma, when she was honest with her sleep doctors about the medications she was taking to try to help her sleep, they “berated” her for irresponsible medication use. “They made me feel like I was a bad person,” she said. 

Appointment after appointment, Emma found doctors were more focused on pushing their go-to treatments, like CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines, than listening to her experiences, needs, and concerns. For example, when Emma shared with a sleep doctor that she tried a CPAP machine before and found it ineffective and even detrimental to her mental health, they told her she simply had to use it and offered no other options. 

Desperation drove Emma from one doctor to another, with every visit leaving her feeling more dismissed, unheard, and even more hopeless.

“At that point, there wasn’t a psychiatrist or sleep doctor who said they could help me,” she said.

And then, she found Dr. David Woo.

The Turning Point: Finding Hope with TMS

Emma had heard about TMS therapy from her current psychiatrist and, through a simple Google search, found Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry as a nearby provider who took her insurance.

“Dr. Woo listened and cared,” Emma said. “He understood that I was out of options and was willing to help me when all the other doctors dismissed me and failed me.”

As part of her treatment, it was important to Emma that she find a solution that didn’t involve taking medication. Where other doctors dismissed this goal, Dr. Woo listened and crafted Emma’s treatment plan accordingly. 

For patients who haven’t responded to medication, talk therapy, or psychotherapy and are seeking a non-invasive alternative, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) offers a promising path forward. TMS is an FDA-approved, non-invasive procedure overseen by a medical practitioner. It uses painless magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. Studies show that TMS is particularly effective for treatment-resistant depression, but also works in treating other mental health conditions like anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), postpartum depression and insomnia.

And unlike many medications, it has no systemic side effects and requires no recovery time.

“For those with treatment-resistant symptoms, TMS is a safe, clinically proven option,” Dr. Woo explained.

The Experience of TMS Treatment

Everyone’s experience with TMS therapy and its tapping sensation can be unique. For Emma, TMS treatments came with initial physical discomfort, described as being “like a jackhammer on my brain,” she explained. Still, what she felt was even more noticeable was the care and support she received during every session.

“The office was amazing – friendly, caring, and responsive,” she said. “The staff was gentle and supportive. Scheduling was always accommodating.”

Treatment is typically scheduled five days per week over several weeks, with each session lasting about 20 minutes. Patients can return to their daily activities immediately after.

“The first three weeks, I thought ‘I don’t know if I can do this every single day,’” Emma shared. But at the end of her seven weeks of treatment, she said, “I was actually kind of sad to leave.” 

Noticing a Shift

After struggling with insomnia and depression for decades, Emma saw results in only about five weeks after starting her tailored TMS treatment. After around three weeks of TMS treatment, she stopped taking Ambien, a sedative used to treat insomnia. 

“The change has been transformational,” she said. She now sleeps seven hours a night with few disturbances – something that for years had been unimaginable. The improvement in sleep also led to a profound shift in mood, energy, and overall well-being.

A Message to Others Who Are Struggling

“I have told several of my doctors about my success with Dr. Woo, and they said they are referring patients. I have also urged a friend struggling with depression to go,” she said. 

To those who are considering TMS treatment, Emma encourages them to reach out to Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry. “It’s a big commitment, but the office is wonderful and the payoff is extraordinary.”

Make an Appointment With Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry 

For those struggling with depression or insomnia, our team is here to help and support you. We want you to know – relief is possible. Call us at 212-731-2033 or visit madisonavetms.com to schedule an appointment.

Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry