For many patients, brain stimulation sounds like a last resort — something to consider only after other depression treatments haven’t worked. Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is one outpatient treatment clinicians may recommend in those circumstances. Dr. Ankur Bindal, the physician who founded KAB Medical Group, known as KMG Psychiatry, made TMS a central part of the practice’s clinical work. His work shows how brain stimulation can fit into psychiatric care alongside medication management and counseling.
When Medication and Counseling Aren’t Enough
Medication management and counseling have long been central to depression care. When they don’t provide enough relief, treatments such as TMS may offer another option.
But patients may be hesitant to consider a treatment they don’t know much about. The phrase “brain stimulation” can sound intimidating, especially if they associate it with a last resort after years of trying other treatments without relief.
Offering TMS within a psychiatric practice gives patients a chance to ask questions and understand whether it might be right for them. That decision depends on their symptoms, treatment history, and clinical needs.
How TMS Works and What Treatment Involves
TMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in areas of the brain involved in mood regulation. It’s a non-invasive treatment that may help patients whose depression hasn’t improved enough with other treatments.
There’s no surgery or anesthesia involved, and patients can generally return to their usual activities after each session. Treatment does involve a series of appointments, so patients need to plan for regular visits.
Intranasal esketamine (Spravato) is another option for adults with treatment-resistant depression. It’s a nasal spray administered under medical supervision, and patients remain at the clinic afterward for monitoring. Offering TMS and Spravato alongside medication management and counseling gives clinicians more options to discuss with patients who are still struggling with symptoms.
How Dr. Ankur Bindal Integrated TMS Into KMG Psychiatry
Dr. Ankur Bindal founded KMG Psychiatry in 2016 and served as its CEO and president until 2025, overseeing locations in San Diego and Los Angeles. The practice offered medication management and counseling alongside TMS and intranasal esketamine (Spravato), giving patients additional options when other treatments hadn’t provided enough relief.
Under his leadership, KMG Psychiatry became a high-volume TMS practice, treating former NFL players, professionals, other physicians, and patients from around the world.
For his work, Dr. Bindal was named a Diamond Circle Provider, a designation awarded to the highest-volume TMS practices. In 2023, he also received the Outstanding Leadership Award and the Outstanding Corporation Award from Health Conference 2.0.
Making Depression Treatment More Accessible
Cost can make it difficult for patients to access TMS and other depression treatments, even when they’re available nearby.
At KMG Psychiatry, Dr. Bindal made TMS available to underserved patients, giving people who might otherwise have had fewer options a chance to receive treatment.
Patients also need to understand what treatment involves. Knowing why a clinician might recommend TMS, what happens during a session, and how often they’ll need appointments helps them decide whether it’s right for them.
Addressing Mental Health Myths and Stigma
Misconceptions about mental health can make people reluctant to seek help. Talking openly about symptoms and treatment can help patients and families better understand their options.
Dr. Bindal spoke at national and regional conferences and participated in panel discussions about mental health care. He also appeared in CBS 8’s You Matter series in a segment on mental health myths versus effective treatments and in a Fox 5 San Diego segment on local psychiatrists working to remove the stigma of anxiety and depression.
As a Forbes Business Council contributor, Ankur Bindal wrote about managing seasonal depression as a business leader, improving sleep habits, and maintaining mental clarity during the workday. He was also featured in Time in an article sharing sleep doctors’ best advice. These pieces addressed everyday concerns, including how mood and sleep can affect work and daily routines.
Dr. Bindal’s Background in Sleep Medicine
Dr. Bindal’s background also includes sleep medicine. He completed his fellowship training in the University of Michigan’s Department of Neurology and earned board certification in sleep medicine. He co-founded Progressive Sleep Center, Inc., and served as executive medical director, adult psychiatrist, and sleep specialist at Yuma Regional Medical Center.
His research collaborations examined how sleep affects the brain and body. They included studies of early-life REM deprivation and its effects on late-onset depression and hippocampal plasticity in rat models, as well as the effects of obstructive sleep apnea on intracranial pressure.
Expanding Options for Depression Care
TMS gives clinicians another option for patients whose depression hasn’t improved enough with other treatments. At KMG Psychiatry, medication management and counseling remained central to care, with TMS and intranasal esketamine available when appropriate.
Throughout his career, Dr. Ankur Bindal has worked to make depression treatment more accessible and help people understand their options when it comes to care. For patients who are still struggling, discussing these options with a clinician can help them decide what to try next.
About Dr. Ankur Bindal
Ankur Bindal is a board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist who founded and led KAB Medical Group (KMG Psychiatry) in San Diego and Los Angeles from 2016 to 2025. He earned certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and was named a Diamond Circle Provider, a designation awarded to the highest-volume transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) practices. He is currently the president and co-founder of Aroga Group.