Who is Mid City TMS?
“I enjoy working with a productive, energetic, committed, and talented team. All of us are actively engaged in helping improve the lives of patients and their families.”– Dr. Bruno
Founded in 2017 by Dr. Bryan Bruno, Mid City TMS is a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) center based in New York City. Our mission is to use our longstanding expertise to improve the lives of all patients suffering from depression.
Designed to provide the very best in patient care, Mid City TMS offers convenient, effective treatments for clinical depression from experts who prioritize your needs. Depression manifests differently in each person affected. We work with you to devise a customized treatment course, including daily TMS treatments and assistance for long-term management. Our NYC TMS treatments can help treat and manage depression with nonconvulsive, noninvasive sessions, leading to relief for those who thought it was beyond reach.
Dr. Bryan Bruno
Dr. Bruno is the Medical Director at Mid City TMS. A long-time resident of New York, Dr. Bruno is also an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine. Mid City TMS is the second NYC TMS center Dr. Bruno has founded. He is Board Certified as a Diplomate by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
He also served as the Acting Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Lenox Hill Hospital from 2010—2013. In addition, he held the position of Director of the Inpatient and Emergency Psychiatry Service at Lenox Hill Hospital from 2001—2010. At New York University Medical Center, Dr. Bruno completed his residency training program in Psychiatry and served as Chief Resident. He also received the Distinguished Teacher Award from the Psychiatry Residency Training Program at New York University School of Medicine and has completed the Columbia University Fellowship in TMS.
Dr. Bruno is one of the most experienced NYC TMS doctors in the entire region. He was an early adopter and advocate of TMS therapy. Dr. Bruno has more than 20 years of clinical experience diagnosing and treating patients with psychiatric disorders. In his ongoing efforts to further his field and improve patients’ treatment outcomes, he has gained recognition as a leading expert in psychopharmacology and the treatment of complex, refractory Mood Disorders, including Major Depression.
Dr. Bruno’s passion for TMS was born from recognizing its necessity. For over fifteen years, he worked on an inpatient psychiatric unit. To this day, Dr. Bruno feels privileged to have served hundreds of patients with treatment refractory depression. However, he was deeply bothered by the inadequate relief many of his patients received from traditional treatments such as medication and psychotherapy as well as the significant side effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Dr. Bruno sought innovative treatments that would provide his patients with relief. He was thrilled when a major breakthrough in mental healthcare occurred in 2008–the FDA approval of TMS.
Dr. Bruno became one of the first psychiatrists to provide TMS in the NYC region. It was an uphill battle at first. Not only did his patients require education to understand the benefits of TMS, but he also had to advocate on the treatment’s behalf to his colleagues and insurance companies in order to make the treatment available. In his efforts to do so, in 2013, Dr. Bruno became a founding member of the Clinical TMS Society, an organization that assists its members in optimizing the administration of TMS, develop new indications for TMS, expand insurance coverage, increase public awareness of TMS, and to enhance access to TMS centers. He has also continued to be an active member of the American Psychiatric Association, The American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, and The Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Seeing the progress that has been made, Dr. Bruno feels fulfilled knowing he played an integral role in TMS’ adoption into mainstream healthcare services and common treatment plans over the last decade. What started as an education effort has evolved into collaboration. Dr. Bruno is deeply rewarded when he gets to coordinate with other psychiatrists and clinicians to achieve patient relief in their most treatment-resistant patients by using TMS. Advocating for patients has always been Dr. Bruno’s top priority.
Meet Your NYC TMS Patient Care Coordinators and Management
Our talented, meticulous, and compassionate TMS patient care coordinators support Dr. Bruno in all aspects of our practice. Mid City TMS isn’t just a treatment center, it’s a support system.
Nicholas Smith
“Being a part of the Mid City TMS team is so rewarding both personally and professionally. Our compassionate and dedicated team genuinely enjoys helping our patients feel better and improve their lives.”–Nicholas Smith
Nicholas holds an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. He has also completed the curriculum and practicum phases for his Doctorate degree in Applied Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Nick’s extensive experience includes Applied behavioral analysis with children and families in a diverse array of settings. Previously, he provided psychotherapy and served as a Program Manager at a 28-day treatment facility in Bel Air, California. Through his work at Mid City TMS, Nick offers patients a calm demeanor and always strives to make patients feel heard and confident in their treatment decisions.
Cathy Solomon
“It has been life-changing working at Mid City TMS and seeing the positive changes that occur in a majority of our patients. There is nothing more rewarding than when a patient once said to me, “thank you for saving my life.”–Cathy Solomon
Cathy holds a Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology from City University of New York-Brooklyn College. She has ten years of experience in physical and mental health care, spanning positions providing services in hospitals, nursing and rehabilitation centers, and private physicians’ offices. Previously, she worked as a Mental Health Counsellor at the Mental Health Association of NYC. She has also worked as a Neuropsychology Extern at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center.
Emily Seese
“It is a pleasure helping so many people recover from depression and anxiety. At Mid City TMS we advocate for your mental health to the best of our ability.”–Emily Seese
Emily knows our practice inside and out and has served as Dr. Bruno’s Office Manager since 2013. She is a graduate of Fordham University. In addition to her work in the field of mental health, she has worked in both publishing and investment banking. She is passionate about patient care and optimizing the organization of the practice to ensure a seamless experience for patients.
What To Expect
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a non-invasive outpatient procedure. Typically, patients receive TMS treatments five times a week, for five to six weeks. Each session lasts approximately 20 minutes, and patients can travel to and from appointments independently. Patients remain conscious throughout the duration of the treatment and can resume their usual activities immediately afterward.
During TMS, coils are strategically placed on the patient’s head in locations to target specific areas of the brain. Magnetic pulses flow through these coils to stimulate cortical regions that tare involved in producing anxiety and depression through hyperactivity or underactivity. These magnetic pulses create a flow of minute electrical charges that are too small for the patient to feel. These electrical charges stimulate neurons in such a way to rebalance brain activity in those regions, thereby improving mood and emotional regulation.
TMS is not painful and does not cause memory loss. Overall, the side effects are mild. In some patients, the small magnetic pulses generated during a treatment session can induce painless muscle twitching in the face and may trigger short-lived, mild headaches, lightheadedness, or tingling sensations across the scalp. These side effects can be mitigated by adjusting the strength and frequency of the magnetic pulses that the patient receives or by making slight adjustments in the position of the magnetic coil. At Mid City TMS, your wellness is our priority, and we will work carefully to administer your treatments in a way that is comfortable for you.
Who is Eligible for TMS?
To receive TMS treatments, patients are required to have a current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder. TMS is an FDA approved therapy for patients suffering from depression. It is administered to patients whose depression doesn’t respond well to antidepressant therapy.
Patients who aren’t eligible for TMS treatment are those who have implanted conductive ferromagnetic, and magnetic responsive metals into their cranium such as:
- Cochlear implants
- Implanted electrodes/stimulators
- Aneurysm clips/coils
- Stents
- Bullet fragments
Mid City TMS screens all their patients prior to treatment, ensuring that TMS is only applied safely. There are certain conditions that do not prevent the effective use of TMS but require consideration in the patient’s treatment plan.
Precautions are taken for patients with a medical or genetic history of seizures. While seizures are extremely rare in TMS treatment, adjustments are made for those with a predisposition.
Additionally, there are certain implants that can pose a complication to TMS treatment, which are avoidable if previously considered. These include:
- Physiologically controlled implants
- Implants within 30 cm of the coil that are not controlled by physiological signals
Additionally, any device that may affect the magnetic field must be removed prior to TMS treatment.
There are very few FDA approved treatment options for patients whose initial treatment provided no relief. Many patients who find relief from their depression symptoms through TMS had previously given up hope.
Making It Happen
Mid City TMS accepts most health insurance plans, and the majority of our patients receive coverage for their treatment through their insurance plans. Plans that we accept include:
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Health Republic
- Magellan Healthcare
- Medicare
- Optum
- United Behavioral Health
- United Health
- ValueOptions
We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. We are happy to answer any and all questions about TMS and our practice over the phone or via email.
Visit Mid City TMS Today
Our transcranial magnetic stimulation center is here to help you find the best cure for your treatment-resistant depression. TMS offers a clinical depression treatment without harsh or persistent side effects traditionally associated with medications and other depression treatments. Contact us at Mid City TMS, your NYC TMS doctors, to learn more about how to manage your treatment-resistant depression.
