SAINT Protocol (Accelerated TMS)
in Scottsdale, AZ
When depression has outlasted every treatment you’ve tried, a faster path forward can change everything. Scottsdale TMS & Spravato offers the SAINT Protocol (Accelerated TMS), a Stanford-developed approach that condenses weeks of brain stimulation into a matter of days. If you’re ready for a new kind of hope, our team will help you see whether this treatment fits your journey.
What Is the SAINT Protocol (Accelerated TMS)?
SAINT stands for Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy. It is an accelerated form of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) developed by researchers at Stanford University. Like traditional TMS therapy, it uses magnetic pulses to stimulate brain regions involved in mood regulation. It is non-invasive and requires no anesthesia or medication.
How It Differs From Standard TMS
Standard TMS for treatment-resistant depression is typically delivered once a day, five days a week, over several weeks. SAINT reorganizes that timeline. In the Stanford protocol, patients receive multiple short sessions each day, spaced throughout the day, for five consecutive days. Each session uses a patterned form of stimulation called intermittent theta burst, which delivers rapid bursts of magnetic pulses in a brief window.
The “Intelligent” in SAINT
What sets SAINT apart is its emphasis on personalization. The protocol was designed to direct stimulation to a carefully identified area of the brain for each individual, rather than relying on a single standard location for everyone. Your care team will explain how targeting is approached for your specific treatment plan.
FDA Clearance
The SAINT system received FDA clearance in 2022 for adults with major depressive disorder who have not achieved satisfactory improvement from prior antidepressant medication in their current episode. It builds on the foundation of TMS for depression, which was first FDA-cleared in 2008.
What to Expect From Your SAINT Visit
Accelerated treatment is intensive by design, so we walk you through every step before your first session. Here’s how the process typically unfolds.
Step 1: A Thorough Psychiatric Evaluation
Your journey begins with a comprehensive conversation with our psychiatric team. We review your history with depression, the medications and therapies you’ve already tried, your overall health, and your goals. This evaluation helps determine whether SAINT, standard TMS, or another option on our care menu is the right next step.
Step 2: Treatment Planning and Targeting
If SAINT is a good fit, your provider prepares a personalized treatment plan. This includes determining the stimulation site and calibrating the intensity of the magnetic pulses to your brain’s response, so each session is tailored to you.
Step 3: Five Days of Accelerated Sessions
During treatment week, you’ll spend much of each day at our clinic. Each session lasts about 10 minutes, followed by a rest period of roughly 50 minutes before the next one. You remain awake and alert the entire time. Many patients read, listen to music, or simply rest between sessions. A trained team member is present throughout.
Step 4: How It Feels
Most people describe a tapping sensation on the scalp during stimulation. Some experience mild headache, scalp discomfort, or fatigue, which usually eases as treatment continues. Because no sedation is involved, many patients can resume normal activities after each treatment day, though your provider will discuss any precautions with you.
Step 5: Follow-Up and Ongoing Support
Recovery doesn’t end on day five. We schedule follow-up visits to track your progress, adjust your plan, and coordinate any additional support, such as psychotherapy or psychiatric medication management, that can help you sustain your results.
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Who Are Candidates for SAINT?
SAINT is designed for adults whose depression has persisted despite earlier efforts. You may be a strong candidate if you:
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Are 18 or older and have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder
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Have tried at least one antidepressant medication without satisfactory improvement in your current episode
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Want a non-invasive, medication-free treatment option
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Feel that a multi-week daily schedule is difficult to fit into your life
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Are able to commit to five consecutive treatment days
When SAINT May Not Be the Right Fit
Because TMS uses magnetic fields, people with certain metal implants in or near the head, such as aneurysm clips or cochlear implants, are usually not eligible. A history of seizures or certain neurological conditions may also require careful review. Our team will go over your full medical history to make sure your treatment is both safe and appropriate.
If SAINT isn’t the best match, you won’t be left without options. We’ll talk through other paths available at our clinic.
Benefits of the SAINT Protocol
For many people, the greatest burden of treatment-resistant depression is time: months spent waiting to see whether something will help. SAINT was created to change that experience.
- A dramatically shorter timeline. Treatment is completed in five days rather than spread across several weeks of daily visits.
- The potential for rapid relief. In Stanford’s research, many participants experienced meaningful improvement in depressive symptoms within days of completing treatment, which offers hope to people who have waited a long time to feel better.
- No systemic medication side effects. Because SAINT works directly on brain activity, it avoids side effects such as weight changes, sexual side effects, or drowsiness that can come with some medications.
- Treatment built around you. Personalized targeting means your care is designed for your brain, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Freedom to stay present in your life. Without anesthesia or sedation, you stay awake and alert, and you can often return to everyday routines soon after each treatment day.
- A renewed sense of possibility. For people who have tried treatment after treatment, a new approach can restore something just as important as symptom relief: hope.
Individual results vary, and your provider will discuss realistic expectations with you based on your history.
Related Conditions & Symptoms
SAINT is FDA-cleared specifically for major depressive disorder in adults who haven’t improved with prior antidepressant medication. Depression rarely exists in isolation, though, and our clinical team looks at the whole picture of your mental health when building your plan.
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Treatment-Resistant Depression: This is the primary focus of SAINT. It may look like persistent emotional heaviness, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, slowed thinking, changes in sleep or appetite, and a sense of disconnection from daily life, even after trying medication. Learn about depression care.
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Anxiety Alongside Depression: Many people living with depression also experience persistent worry, restlessness, or difficulty relaxing. While SAINT targets depression, our team considers co-occurring anxiety in your overall care and may recommend complementary support such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): If intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are your main concern, TMS for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), FDA-cleared in 2018, may be a better fit than SAINT. We'll help you understand the differences.
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Trauma, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, and ADHD: These conditions can overlap with depressive symptoms and require careful evaluation. SAINT is not cleared to treat them directly, so your provider will assess your full history and coordinate care through services such as Psychiatric Medication Management, Psychotherapy, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) where appropriate.
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Other Paths When Depression Persists: For some patients, Spravato (esketamine) nasal spray or standard TMS for Treatment-Resistant Depression may be recommended instead of, or in addition to, SAINT. Having multiple options under one roof means your plan can evolve as you do.
Cost of SAINT Protocol (Accelerated TMS) in Scottsdale, AZ
In the Scottsdale area, the SAINT Protocol typically ranges from $15,000 to $36,000, depending on your personalized treatment plan, the number of sessions required, and your insurance coverage. Pricing varies by provider and individual clinical needs, so this range is a general guide rather than a quote. Financing options are available; our team can review them with you at your consultation. Contact us to request a personalized estimate and verify your benefits.
Why Choose Scottsdale TMS & Spravato for Your SAINT Treatment?
Choosing where to begin an accelerated treatment is a meaningful decision. Here’s what makes our clinic a place where patients feel supported from the first call to the final follow-up.
Both TMS and Spravato Under One Roof
Scottsdale TMS & Spravato is one of the few clinics in Scottsdale, AZ offering both TMS therapy and Spravato. That means if SAINT isn’t the ideal fit, or if your care evolves over time, you can move between options without starting over somewhere new.
A Connected Care Team
Our licensed psychiatrists and board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioners work together on your plan. Beyond neuromodulation, we offer Psychiatric Medication Management, Psychotherapy, and approaches such as Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). We believe in Collaborative Treatment for Long-Term Success, because lasting change often comes from combining approaches.
Access When You Need It
Waiting is hard when you’re struggling. We offer same-day appointments, welcome walk-ins, and require no referral to get started.
Care in English and Spanish
Our team serves patients in both English and Spanish, so you can talk about your experience in the language that feels most natural to you.
Most Insurance Accepted
We are in-network with nearly all major insurance plans, with the exception of BCBS and the UHC AHCCCS plan. Our team can help you verify your coverage before you begin.
Begin Your Next Chapter
You’ve already shown remarkable strength by continuing to search for answers. Let us help you take the next step. Call us or book your consultation online to learn whether the SAINT Protocol is right for you.
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Testimonials
Take the First Step
Toward Lasting Relief
You don't have to keep waiting for something to work.
Same-day appointments are available, most insurance
is accepted, and no referral is needed to get started.
Take the First
Step
Toward
Lasting Relief
You don't have to keep waiting for something to work.
Same-day appointments are available, most insurance
is accepted, and no referral is needed to get started.