Outpatient Behavioral Health

We offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment.

A Team of Professionals Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation FAQs Contact Us

A Team of Behavioral-Health Professionals

ChristianaCare Outpatient Behavioral Health is a team of behavioral-health professionals who offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment.

We offer treatment and therapy for almost any problem related to emotional or mental health, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and panic attacks, depression, relationship and family problems, bipolar disorder, issues of transition, loss and grief, and many more.

Because our team includes psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, mental-health counselors and board-certified psychiatrists, you benefit from the convenience of receiving complete, confidential care. Backed by the full resources of ChristianaCare, we are one of the most highly respected behavioral health centers in the Brandywine Valley.

We are equipped to provide many different kinds of treatment and evaluation, including:

Individual, group, couples and family therapy.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychotherapy.
Medication management in conjunction with ongoing psychotherapy.
Psychodynamic techniques and holistic techniques, including mindfulness and meditation, and lifestyle development and optimization.
Psychological evaluations and psychological testing.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation outpatient therapy for patients suffering from depression.
Referrals to specialists.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

If antidepressant medication has not relieved your symptoms of depression, or if it has caused intolerable side effects, there is a new, innovative treatment available at the Center for Comprehensive Behavioral Health.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, or TMS, uses magnetic pulses to alter the chemistry in the part of the brain thought to control mood.

FAQs

You recline in a special chair. A coil, located inside a hand-sized plastic case, is placed on the left front side of your head. The coil delivers magnetic pulses to your brain’s prefrontal cortex. These pulses trigger your brain cells to release serotonin, dopamine and other neurotransmitters into your brain’s cerebral cortex. These chemical stimulations may help boost your mood.

No. The technology is similar to what occurs when you get an MRI scan. It generates a small but extremely targeted amount of electricity that you cannot feel. No sedation or muscle relaxants are required, and the procedure is completely noninvasive. You can even drive to and from your appointments.

Yes. You may remain awake during the treatment and read or watch television. Or you may choose to sleep, though the coil periodically makes a tapping sound.

Each treatment takes about 40 minutes. You will receive treatments five times a week for four to six weeks. A psychiatrist must prescribe and supervise the administration of the therapy.

Mild to moderate scalp pain is the most common side effect. Some people get headaches, but over-the-counter pain medicine can provide relief. Although extremely rare, seizures can occur.

Because transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy is relatively new, not all insurance companies cover the treatments. Our center will help patients seek reimbursement whenever possible.