My SAINT® Experience: A Personal Perspective

Having the SAINT® treatment at Salma Health was truly life-changing for me. After five full days of treatment, followed by another week of waiting for it to take effect, my depression is gone. It feels like a miracle and like the best gift I’ve ever received.

Walking into Salma Health on the first day of treatment, I felt hopeful and curious. After making myself a cup of Nespresso and filling out forms on an iPad, I put my things down in the patient lounge, a lovely space with large windows and an expansive view. It would become my home between treatments. The waiting room and lounge felt beautiful and warm, more like a spa than a doctor’s office.

Then, my journey begins.

Dr. Ahmed greets me and leads me into the treatment room, where I sit in a comfortable chair facing a large TV screen displaying a peaceful aquarium scene. Before the treatments can start, he does a “threshold test” to calibrate the TMS device to my unique motor threshold. I rest my arm on the armrest, relax my hand, and he activates the device near the back of my head until my finger moves. The machine is surprisingly loud, and I worry about whether I’ll be able to tolerate the noise or the sensation of the pulses. Once Dr. Ahmed determines my threshold is 38, he repositions the device near the front of my scalp on my predetermined target. Now the treatments can begin.

The pulses feel different on the target area. The front of my scalp is more sensitive than the back of my head, so they start the device at level 20 and gradually ramp it up over the first few sessions until I can tolerate my therapeutic level of 38. After 10 minutes of stimulation—pulses that feel like a pulling and snapping in my brain—I’m free to take a 45-minute break. This cycle repeats nine more times, and I quickly get used to the routine.

During breaks, I rest in the patient lounge, take walks, or buy food at Mother’s Market across the street. A few times, I run errands nearby for Easter care packages I’m making for my adult children. During my treatment sessions, I chat with Alec and Cassidy, the TMS techs. They kindly reassure me when I feel anxious, and I’m encouraged by their stories of seeing patients improve. They let me choose what to watch on TV, so I pick a Korean rom-com on Netflix. Soon, I’m looking forward to each session and talking with them about the drama as it unfolds. Sharing the experience helps me feel camaraderie and a sense of trust that feels authentic and meaningful.

As each day goes by, I realize I don’t hear the machine anymore. On two days, a friend visits, and we spend time talking in the lounge or taking walks outside. In the evenings, I relax in my hotel room. Everything is going well, but as the weekend approaches, I become more emotional and anxious. I worry the treatment won’t work. I tell Alec, and he quickly sets up a call with Dr. Ahmed, who is calm and reassuring. He says, “Don’t worry, the data is on your side. Trust the science. Every brain is different, so it might take two weeks after treatment to feel better.” He gives me advice for after I leave, including the importance of eating protein and good fats, and exercising as part of my recovery. “One day, when you feel better,” he tells me, “do the things you didn’t do because you were too depressed.”

I’m so glad I talked to Dr. Ahmed.

I feel hopeful again.

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On Friday—the last day of treatment—I feel emotional. I’m sad to say goodbye to the wonderful people at Salma Health. We spent a whole week together, and I’m grateful for all the time they spent with me. I have a final meeting with Joseph, the Nurse Practitioner who works with Dr. Ahmed. He tells me my brain is like a muscle and it’s been working out! He recommends the MIND diet and exercise to support my outcome.

I drive home and sleep nine hours that night, waking up Saturday feeling tired and weak. My fatigue continues for the next few days. Every morning I struggle to wake up. I have nightmares, and I forget things like brushing my teeth or bringing my keys to work.

Then, on Thursday—six days after my last treatment—I wake up early and feel wide awake. My brain feels focused, and I find myself being more productive at work. When I eat my yogurt during a break, I notice it tastes better than usual. At lunch, I have the same feeling of wonder: How did I make such a good salad? Why does it taste better? At dinner, as I’m savoring the tacos my husband made, I ask him, “What did you put in these? They taste amazing!”

Then it hits me: my senses are waking up. My depression is gone.

I think back on my day and realize it had been a subtle shift, not the dramatic awakening I expected. The dark fog in my brain had just quietly gone. Over the next few days and weeks, I marvel at how easily I can make decisions without overthinking or worrying. I have enough energy to do all the things I want to do and the capacity to enjoy doing them.

When I meet with Dr. Ahmed again on Zoom and tell him about my experience, he says I look like a different person. “Now it’s time to work on your bucket list,” he says. And if I ever feel my depression returning, I should not wait more than two weeks before coming back for a day of treatment. Knowing I have that safety net, I finally feel free to live without the worry or fear that my depression will take over my life again.

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Thank you, Dr. Ahmed, Zeena, Joseph, Alec, Cassidy and Keem! Your work is life-changing and I’m grateful for you.
Thank you, Amy and Simi, who connected me with Salma Health—I love you both!