To watch the video of this episode, please go to: https://youtu.be/3cz8C6Ue5X8 How can non-invasive brain stimulation technology provide a breakthrough path forward for individuals with autism, severe OCD, and treatment-resistant mental health conditions when traditional medications fail? What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), how does magnetic brain stimulation re-establish neural connectivity and circadian rhythms, and how do accelerated protocols like MeRT and SAINT revolutionize treatment? How can integrating non-invasive neuromodulation with conventional therapy empower families, veterans, and first responders to reclaim daily functioning, optimize brain health, and move beyond life-long psychiatric medication dependency? In this episode of Kaleidoscope of Possibilities: Alternative Perspectives on Mental Health, host Dr. Adriana Popescu is joined by Kelley Jensen, Chief Marketing Officer and leading mental health advocate at Brain Performance Technologies. Kelley shares her powerful personal story as a mother whose severe autism journey with her 26-year-old son led to a transformative discovery: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Facing a crisis when her son aged out of the school system and experienced debilitating OCD, hoarding, and intense anxiety unresponsive to maximum medication doses, Kelley sought alternative options and discovered personalized TMS, specifically Magnetic eResonance Therapy (MeRT). During their conversation, Kelley and Dr. Adriana demystify non-invasive brain stimulation, explaining how electromagnetic pulses activate underactive neurons and restore functional connectivity across brain networks. They trace the history of TMS from its initial FDA approval for major depressive disorder in 2008 to modern applications, including off-label uses for autism, ADHD, and addiction, as well as its recent breakthrough FDA clearance for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and smoking cessation. The discussion deepens as Kelley breaks down the mechanics of treatment, comparing brain stimulation to charging a depleted phone battery. She highlights the emergence of accelerated treatment protocols—such as the Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Treatment (SAINT)—which condense multi-week courses into targeted, highly effective daily sessions. Kelley explains how TMS acts as an integrative optimization tool alongside psychotherapy and medical management, helping rewire brain patterns and making traditional therapeutic work far more accessible and engaging. A prominent highlight of the episode focuses on the profound impact TMS is having on active-duty military personnel, veterans, and first responders suffering from combat trauma and blast-induced traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Kelley shares touching anecdotes of recovery, demonstrating how resetting neurological balance improves sleep quality, relieves hypervigilance, and helps individuals reconnect with their families and communities. Kelley also discusses her advocacy work and podcast, Refrigerator Moms, which focuses on parenting neurodivergent children and dismantling outdated maternal blame theories. She addresses the systemic hurdles in healthcare, insurance reimbursement challenges, and the vital importance of consumer self-advocacy in expanding access to life-changing interventional psychiatry treatments. Ultimately, listeners are left with a message of hope and possibility: mental health challenges do not have to be lifelong sentences managed solely by heavy pharmaceuticals. By combining cutting-edge neuromodulation with compassionate care, individuals and families can restore neurological harmony, reclaim independence, and experience profound quality-of-life improvements. In This Episode: 00:00 – Introduction to Kelley Jensen: Dr. Adriana introduces Kelley Jensen, CMO at Brain Performance Technologies and host of the Refrigerator Moms podcast. 01:50 – A Mother's Journey with Autism and OCD: Kelley shares her son's struggle after aging out of the school system and how severe OCD and hoarding led her to discover TMS. 03:40 – Discovering Magnetic eResonance Therapy (MeRT): Experiencing the initial six-week course of personalized TMS and observing dramatic gains in behavior, language, and flexibility. 06:00 – What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)?: Understanding how magnetic fields stimulate neurons, increase connectivity, and charge the brain's cellular capacity. 07:30 – FDA Clearances and Evolution of TMS: The history of TMS from 2008 depression approval to current clearances for OCD, PTSD, smoking cessation, and anxious depression. 09:30 – Neuromodulation for Addiction and Smoking Cessation: How TMS addresses physiological cravings, circadian rhythms, and substance dependence. 12:00 – The Politics of Healthcare and Insurance Coverage: Navigating the hurdles from FDA clearance to insurance reimbursement and advocating for preventive mental health care. 16:30 – Treatment Costs and Accelerated Protocols: Breakdown of standard 6-week treatment courses versus modern accelerated protocols like Stanford's SAINT protocol. 19:30 – TMS for Adolescents and Young Adults: The benefits of early neuromodulation in teens ages 15+ to prevent heavy, long-term pharmaceutical escalation. 22:00 – TMS as part of an Integrative Care Plan: Why brain stimulation works best as an adjunct tool alongside psychotherapy, behavioral support, and medical oversight. 25:00 – Side Effects and Contraindications: Safety profiles, temporary scalp discomfort, headache management, and contraindications like magnetic implants or pacemakers. 27:30 – Long-Term Results and Touch-Up Protocols: Patient variability, maintenance sessions, and how long treatment benefits typically persist. 29:00 – Supporting Veterans, First Responders, and TBI: Addressing PTSD, combat blast injuries, sleep disruption, and worker's compensation access. 33:30 – The Future of Brain Stimulation: Upcoming research in postpartum depression, 1-day protocols, and expanding clinical trial access. 37:00 – Resources & Closing Thoughts: Where to find clinics, clinical trials, podcast details, and closing messages of hope. "Think of your brain as a phone, and think of the magnet as a phone charger. When you put your brain on the magnet, it charges your brain. It helps light a fire under all the things that have been too hard to do." – Kelley Resources: Brain Performance Technologies: Website: http://www.brainperformancetechnologies.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainperformancetech/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Brain-Performance-Technologies-100090715534720/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrainPerformanceTechnologies TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alphabraintechs Refrigerator Moms podcast: Website: https://refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRefrigeratorMoms TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@refrigeratormoms About Kelley: Kelley Jensen with Brain Performance Technologies is our guest today. Her journey began when she was exploring treatment options for her son with autism and found something most people have never heard of: a noninvasive brain stimulation called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Though unfamiliar to many, noninvasive brain stimulation has been studied for decades and is backed by growing research. For Kelley’s family, it became a turning point. Brain stimulation improved her son’s daily functioning and their family life, ultimately inspiring a new mission. It impacted them so much that it even led Kelley to a career pivot. Today, Kelley is a leading advocate for integrating brain stimulation-based therapies into mental health care. Through her work and her podcast, Refrigerator Moms, Kelley raises awareness for people living with depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, OCD, autism, and traumatic brain injury, including individuals with disabilities, veterans, and first responders. About Your Host: Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, author, speaker, and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide. She is the author of the books, What If You're Not As F*ed Up As You Think You Are? and EFT for Addiction. For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit: https://adrianapopescu.org/ To learn about her trauma treatment center Firebird Healing, please visit: https://www.firebird-healing.com/ To find the books please visit: https://whatifyourenot.com/ and amazon.com/dp/1604153164 You can also follow her on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCflL0zScRAZI3mEnzb6viVA TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dradrianapopescu? Medium: https://medium.com/@dradrianapopescu Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions. This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing "standard of care" in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.
