TMS for OCD in Olympia, University Place & Yelm

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) brings intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and the urge to perform repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) to relieve the distress. It can take over hours of the day and strain work, relationships, and daily life. Therapy and medication help many people, but not everyone finds enough relief.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) offers another path. It's a non-invasive, non-systemic treatment, meaning nothing circulates through your bloodstream, that uses magnetic pulses to target the brain circuits involved in OCD. Deep TMS is FDA-cleared specifically for OCD, and Creative Wellness delivers TMS care at our Olympia, University Place, and Yelm clinics, serving Tacoma and the wider South Sound.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) brings intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and the urge to perform repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) to relieve the distress. It can take over hours of the day and strain work, relationships, and daily life. Therapy and medication help many people, but not everyone finds enough relief.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) offers another path. It's a non-invasive, non-systemic treatment, meaning nothing circulates through your bloodstream, that uses magnetic pulses to target the brain circuits involved in OCD. Deep TMS is FDA-cleared specifically for OCD, and Creative Wellness delivers TMS care at our Olympia, University Place, and Yelm clinics, serving Tacoma and the wider South Sound.

How TMS Treats OCD

Current Limitations & Considerations

  • Benefits and timeline vary. Some people improve quickly; others need a repeat or maintenance course.


  • Not a standalone fix. It works best with ERP therapy and/or medication, supporting rather than replacing them.


  • Medical suitability. Deep TMS needs specific equipment and expertise, and some implants, conditions, or medications may rule it out.

OCD is driven by overactivity in a brain loop that connects the frontal cortex to deeper structures: the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit. This overactivity fuels intrusive thoughts and the pull to perform compulsions. TMS targets that loop directly.

  • Calming the OCD circuit

    OCD is linked to hyperactivity in frontal-subcortical circuits, including the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate, that drive repetitive thoughts and behaviors.


    How TMS helps: TMS protocols targeting these regions, including FDA-cleared Deep TMS H-coil protocols, reduce that overactivity and help rebalance the circuit.

  • Easing obsessions and compulsions

    Intrusive obsessions and the urge to perform compulsions come from over-reactive habit and threat circuits combined with weakened top-down control.


    How TMS helps: By strengthening prefrontal control regions, TMS improves the brain's ability to resist intrusive thoughts and weaken habitual compulsive responses, lowering the intensity and repetition of urges.

  • Making therapy work better

    OCD persists because unhelpful habit loops get reinforced and mental flexibility drops.


    How TMS helps: TMS encourages neuroplasticity in these circuits, improving cognitive control and supporting behavioral therapy such as ERP, so you can relearn healthier responses to triggers.

  • Relief that can last

    TMS is not a guaranteed cure, but repeated courses often produce durable symptom reductions.


    How TMS helps: Targeted stimulation can create lasting changes in circuit function. Some people benefit for months after a full course and use maintenance sessions when helpful. Responses vary.

  • Alongside your other treatment

    OCD care is usually multimodal, combining therapy (ERP), medication, and sometimes neuromodulation.


    How TMS helps: TMS strengthens the brain's capacity for cognitive control and learning, and Creative Wellness coordinates it with therapy and medication management for an integrated plan.

Is TMS for OCD Right for You?


Choosing a mental health treatment should be a careful, considered process. TMS for OCD is worth discussing if you:

Still have significant OCD symptoms after trying medication, therapy, or both.
Have tried exposure and response prevention (ERP) and want to boost how well it works.
Experience intolerable side effects from medication and want a non-drug option.
Prefer a non-invasive treatment that requires no sedation, surgery, or recovery time.
See If TMS Is Right →

Is TMS for OCD Right for You?


Choosing a mental health treatment should be a careful, considered process. TMS for OCD is worth discussing if you:

Still have significant OCD symptoms after trying medication, therapy, or both.
Have tried exposure and response prevention (ERP) and want to boost how well it works.
Experience intolerable side effects from medication and want a non-drug option.
Prefer a non-invasive treatment that requires no sedation, surgery, or recovery time.
See If TMS Is Right →

What a Course of TMS Looks Like

  • Consultation & mapping

    A physician reviews your history, screens for safety, and performs motor-threshold mapping to personalize your treatment.

  • Daily sessions

    Short sessions on weekdays over several weeks. For OCD, a brief symptom-provocation step often precedes stimulation.

  • Back to your day

    No sedation and no downtime, so most people drive themselves and return to work or daily activities right after.

  • Review & maintenance

    We track your response throughout and discuss maintenance sessions if they'd help protect your progress.

  • Tell Us What’s Going On

    Take the quiz or send us a message. Your responses go straight to our care team (not a bot) so we can understand what you’re going through and how we can help.

  • Get Matched With a Personalized Plan

    Our clinicians review your information and recommend treatments tailored to you. Options may include therapy, medication, TMS, genetic testing, or a thoughtful combination based on your needs.

  • Begin Care That Makes Sense for You

    Whether it's weekly therapy, a medication plan, or a TMS schedule, we'll walk with you each step of the way. We’ll track progress, adjust as needed, and support you for the long haul.

TMS is generally well tolerated, with mild, short-lived side effects such as scalp discomfort or headache. See our TMS Benefits & Side Effects

What a Course of TMS Looks Like

  • Consultation & mapping

    A physician reviews your history, screens for safety, and performs motor-threshold mapping to personalize your treatment.

  • Daily sessions

    One session per day, five days a week, over roughly four to six weeks. Each involves about 20 minutes of stimulation.

  • Back to your day

    No sedation and no downtime, so most people drive themselves and return to work or daily activities right after.

  • Review & maintenance

    We track your response throughout and discuss maintenance sessions if they'd help protect your progress.

  • Consultation & mapping

    A physician reviews your history, screens for safety, and performs motor-threshold mapping to personalize your treatment.

  • Daily sessions

    One session per day, five days a week, over roughly four to six weeks. Each involves about 20 minutes of stimulation.

  • Back to your day

    No sedation and no downtime, so most people drive themselves and return to work or daily activities right after.

  • Review & maintenance

    We track your response throughout and discuss maintenance sessions if they'd help protect your progress.

TMS is generally well tolerated, with mild, short-lived side effects such as scalp discomfort or headache. See our TMS Benefits & Side Effects

What a Course of TMS Looks Like

  • Tell Us What’s Going On

    Take the quiz or send us a message. Your responses go straight to our care team (not a bot) so we can understand what you’re going through and how we can help.

  • Get Matched With a Personalized Plan

    Our clinicians review your information and recommend treatments tailored to you. Options may include therapy, medication, TMS, genetic testing, or a thoughtful combination based on your needs.

  • Begin Care That Makes Sense for You

    Whether it's weekly therapy, a medication plan, or a TMS schedule, we'll walk with you each step of the way. We’ll track progress, adjust as needed, and support you for the long haul.

  • Consultation & mapping

    A physician reviews your history, screens for safety, and performs motor-threshold mapping to personalize your treatment.

  • Daily sessions

    One session per day, five days a week, over roughly four to six weeks. Each involves about 20 minutes of stimulation.

  • Back to your day

    No sedation and no downtime, so most people drive themselves and return to work or daily activities right after.

  • Review & maintenance

    We track your response throughout and discuss maintenance sessions if they'd help protect your progress.

TMS is generally well tolerated, with mild, short-lived side effects such as scalp discomfort or headache. See our TMS Benefits & Side Effects

Cost & Insurance


A single course of TMS treatment costs $5,000. Many insurance companies recognize TMS as a critical mental health treatment and provide coverage for OCD when criteria are met, though coverage varies, so please check with your individual provider. We're experienced in navigating insurance policies and will help you understand your options.

For those paying out of pocket, we offer flexible self-pay arrangements, including credit card and Advance Care credit.

Pricing Guide

Cost & Insurance


A single course of TMS treatment costs $5,000. Many insurance companies recognize TMS as a critical mental health treatment and provide coverage for OCD when criteria are met, though coverage varies, so please check with your individual provider. We're experienced in navigating insurance policies and will help you understand your options.



For those paying out of pocket, we offer flexible self-pay arrangements, including credit card and Advance Care credit

Pricing Guide

Other Ways We Treat OCD

TMS isn't the only path. If it isn't the right fit, or if a combined plan would serve you better, we offer other evidence-based treatments for OCD, often used together.

Counseling & Therapy

ncluding exposure and response prevention (ERP), the leading talk therapy for OCD

Counseling →

Medication Management

Personalized psychiatric prescribing and monitoring, coordinated with the rest of your care.

Medication management →

TMS Therapy

Learn more about how TMS works, what to expect, and who it can help.

TMS Therapy →

Genetic Testing

Pharmacogenetic testing that helps match you to medications more likely to work for you.

Genetic Testing →

Your Nearest Creative Wellness Clinic

Creative Wellness TMS serves patients across Thurston and Pierce counties from three Washington clinics. If you're looking for TMS for depression near you, start with the location closest to you:

"Dr. Simonsen and his staff were great! They were patient and accommodating during my TMS journey. I always felt comfortable during my appointments. Highly recommend!"


Brittney M.

Tailored Care, Built Around You

Featured Resources

Is TMS Right For Me?


Valuable questions to ask yourself while making your decision about what treatment pathway to pursue!


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What to Expect?


The critical stages of our treatment options to ensure you enter your appointments with confidence.


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Benefits & Side Effects


TMS is a brain stimulation technique that aims to manage mental health symptoms


Continue Reading

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Why Choose

 Creative Wellness?

Choosing the right mental health provider is important, and you deserve compassionate, expert care. At Creative Wellness, we provide personalized, evidence-based treatments that help patients take control of their mental health. Here's why so many trust us:

Insurance & Flexible Payment Options

Comprehensive, Holistic Mental Health Solutions

Experienced, Compassionate Care Team

Advanced Genetic Testing for Precision Medicine

Minimally Invasive & Side Effect-Free Alternatives

Proven Success & High Efficacy

83%

of patients experienced symptom improvement, with 62% achieving full remission after completing TMS.

"From the first visit, Creative Wellness exceeded my expectations. Dr. Keays and her staff are genuine, the results are real, and the atmosphere is empowering. The care that I received from Creative Wellness has transformed my life enormously."

"I cannot say enough about Creative Solutions, Dr. Simonsen, his staff, and TMS. I was skeptical but decided to give it a try. They were very thorough in explaining the what's/why's/how's and extremely professional every step of the way. I feel better than I have in YEARS."

"TMS therapy was super helpful, I came to him with severe depression and taking meds that helped very minimally! I was impressed with how quickly I noticed changes with my mental health and my desire to actually want to get up and do things where as before I had zero desire for anything! "

Medications didn’t work. Therapy wasn’t enough.

Crossed Off Your Options? There’s Still Hope

If traditional treatments haven’t worked, it’s time to explore a proven alternative. Safe, effective and medication-free. See if TMS is the right option for you.

Take the Quiz →

Request Appointment

For more details or to schedule a consultation, give us a call at 253-900-1605 or fill out our online form.

What Happens Next?

Personalized recommendations based on your needs

Guidance on insurance & payment options

Get answers to your questions about our treatments

1800 Cooper Point Road SW, Olympia, WA 98502

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