RESEARCH & EDUCATION
Leading the Way in Innovation and Outcomes
Research and Measurement-Based Behavioral Health Care
Every study we conduct has one goal: better outcomes for patients. At Family Care Center, our research focuses on:
- Improving patient outcomes– testing innovative interventions to improve remission and response rates and help patients achieve faster and more sustainable symptom relief.
- Advancing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols – developing evidence-based sequential bilateral, accelerated, and combined approaches to enhance outcomes for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and co-occurring conditions.
- Studying integrated, multidisciplinary care models – evaluating how clinical service lines (therapy, medication management, intensive outpatient programs, and TMS) work together to optimize treatment and patient engagement.
- Measuring real-world functional recovery – tracking improvements in work, daily activities, and social functioning to ensure research translates directly into better lives.
Emerging real-world research demonstrates what’s possible when outcomes are measured consistently and used to guide care. By connecting rigorous research with clinical care, we ensure that our findings are applied in ways that improve health, well-being, and quality of life.
Translating research into better patient care
Our clinical studies are centered around innovative treatment options that contribute to the broader field of behavioral health. Through this work, we are helping advance clinical standards, refine treatment protocols, and provide patients with care that is truly evidence-based and outcomes-driven.
How it works
Our expert team of therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health providers works together to create a personalized treatment plan for each patient. Our evidence-based research findings result in the most current and relevant treatment options.
We use measurement-based approaches, tailored to improve individual patient care, backed by extensive research, to ensure our patients receive the best clinical outcomes. Our integrated, collaborative approach between multidisciplinary experts has proven to make a real difference in mental health outcomes
Published research & scientific contributions
| Title of Study | Publication | Date | Summary |
| Clinical Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults Associated with a Novel Sequential Bilateral Protocol for Treatment-Resistant Depression | Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | July 2026 | Adolescents and young adults with treatment-resistant depression often have few effective options when medication doesn’t work. This study of 33 patients examined Family Care Center’s novel sequential bilateral TMS protocol, which adds a short sequence of stimulation to the right side of the brain and only about three minutes to a standard session. Nearly 70% of patients responded, and 42% reached remission, compared with commonly reported rates of 60% response and 30% remission for TMS in this age group. Among patients with suicidal thoughts at the start of treatment, 86% improved and 57% no longer reported them. Many also reported better sleep and more social engagement. |
| TMS Effects on Neuropsychological Functioning in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder | Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | June 2026 | Depression affects how people think, not just how they feel. Slowed thinking, trouble concentrating, and difficulty making decisions can be some of the hardest symptoms to manage. This is the first known study to track cognitive changes across a full 30-session TMS course in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Patients showed significant gains in processing speed, in line with performance seen in non-depressed individuals, along with significant improvement in self-reported executive functioning. These findings suggest TMS may help restore thinking skills that depression takes away, capturing improvements that standard mood scales can miss. |
| Clinical Outcomes for Accelerated TMS on an Adolescent Patient With Major Depressive Disorder and Comorbid Anxiety | Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | May 2026 | Standard TMS usually requires daily sessions for five to six weeks, a schedule that can be hard for teens to balance with school and family life. This case study followed a 15-year-old patient with depression and anxiety who completed a full course of accelerated TMS, with multiple sessions per day, in just five days. Depression scores (PHQ-A) fell from 16 to 7 by the end of treatment. Anxiety kept improving after treatment ended, with GAD-7 scores dropping from 13 to 6 one week later. Quality of life improved nearly 20%, and the patient reported better sleep with no side effects, adding important evidence in an area where adolescent TMS research is limited. |
| Changes In Core Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Associated with a Novel Sequential Bilateral Protocol | Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | March 2026 | This case series is the first report showing PTSD improvement with Family Care Center’s novel sequential bilateral protocol. Patients experienced about a 50% reduction in PTSD symptoms across all four core clusters, along with significant improvements in depression, and anxiety. These improvements were maintained at six months, suggesting durable, meaningful clinical benefits from bilateral TMS. |
| Evaluation of An Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Specialty Clinical Service Line for Depression: A Quality Improvement Initiative | Psychiatric Services | March 2026 | A large multi-site naturalistic study evaluated Family Care Center’s integrated behavioral health care model, which combines medication management, psychotherapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) under one coordinated system of care across all clinics. The study found that 76% of patients experienced clinically significant improvement within just 44 days, with remission achieved in an average of 70 days. Patients who received all three forms of treatment were also 91% more likely to achieve meaningful improvement or remission compared to those receiving only one type of care. |
| A Retrospective Study to Assess Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Receiving a Novel Sequential Bilateral Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocol for Depression | Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | March 2026 | Our innovative sequential bilateral TMS protocol leads to better TMS outcomes than standard methods and is among the highest response and remission rates for depression: 83% response, 50% remission rates. Strong anxiety improvement even with depression: 79% response, 50% remission. Anxiety and PTSD do not reduce treatment effectiveness, 30+ sessions improve results |
| Accelerated rTMS on a Special Operations Active Duty Military Male With a History of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Study | Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | April 2025 | A case study on a United States Army Special Operations male with 20 deployments over 23 years of service. This study suggests that accelerated TMS may help reduce severe PTSD symptoms faster than traditional treatment timelines, while also improving related challenges like anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and TBI symptoms. Two months after treatment, the patient’s PTSD symptoms had dropped below the clinical threshold for diagnosis, and the improvements were sustained over time. |
| A Novel Sequential Bilateral Approach for Treating Anxiety in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder | Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | October 2024 | Depression and anxiety often occur together, making treatment more complex and symptoms harder to manage. This retrospective study examined a novel sequential bilateral TMS protocol on anxiety symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and comorbid anxiety. The study’s findings suggest this TMS approach may help address both conditions at the same time, rather than focusing on depression alone. |
| A Novel Sequential Bilateral Neurostimulation Approach for Treatment-resistant Depression Involving High-frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex and Intermittent Theta Burst to The Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex | Brain Stimulation | 2023 | Treatment-resistant depression can be incredibly difficult to manage, especially for patients who have not responded to medication or traditional therapy alone. This study retrospective study of 38 patients with treatment-resistant depression examined a novel sequential bilateral protocol that combined FDA-approved 10Hz to the left, followed by an evidence-based pattern burst stimulation to the right. It found response rates as high as 70% and remission rates as high as 42% — both higher than commonly reported averages for TMS treatment. In practical terms, that means more patients experienced meaningful symptom relief. |
Advancing TMS through the Clinical TMS Society
Family Care Center plays an active role in advancing TMS through leadership within the Clinical TMS Society (CTMSS). In 2024, Director of Research Dr. Sabrina Segal and Founder & Chief Medical Officer Dr. Charles “Chuck” Weber were elected to the Society’s Board of Directors, where they help guide clinical standards and innovation.
Dr. Weber was also named a CTMSS Fellow in 2025, while Dr. Segal became the first researcher to serve on the Executive Committee as Secretary and now Co-Chairs the Education Committee. She also serves as Deputy Editor of the Society’s journal, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, the first peer-reviewed publication dedicated exclusively to TMS research—further strengthening Family Care Center’s role in shaping the future of TMS care.
About the CTMSS: The Clinical TMS Society is the most prestigious international organization focusing on the advancement of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). With over 1,000 members in 45 countries around the world and growing, CTMSS includes TMS professionals with extensive clinical and research experience from across the United States and the world.
Dr. Charles Weber (left) and Dr. Sabrina Segal (right) pose for a photo with the founder of TMS, Dr. Anthony Barker (center).
Shaping the future of clinical practice through ongoing education
As behavioral health care becomes more complex, clinicians require practical, ongoing training that directly improves patient care. At Family Care Center, we promote continuous learning, mentorship, and professional growth. Through evidence-based clinical education, we support clinicians in meeting licensure requirements, improving outcomes, reducing burnout, and strengthening their practice for the long term.
Across more than 50 clinics nationwide, we invest in professional development programs that reflect real clinical needs. We provide:
- Paid time and reimbursement for accredited CME and CEU activities
- Internal training grounded in real-world clinical challenges
- Courses designed to build confidence and applied clinical skills, not just knowledge
- Collaborative learning experiences that create a shared language and culture of excellence
Our commitment to education ensures clinicians feel supported, prepared, and empowered to deliver exceptional care every day.
Elevating continuing education for mental health professionals
Family Care Center is nationally recognized for excellence in continuing education. We hold Joint Providership status with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®) and are an American Psychological Association (APA) approved sponsor of continuing education units (CEUs).
These credentials reflect our commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-based education for behavioral health professionals.
- ACCME accreditation ensures our programs are relevant, rigorous, and independent of commercial influence.
- As an APA-approved sponsor, we provide CEU-accredited coursework for therapists, psychologists, and other clinical providers.
Our educational programs support ongoing professional growth, not just licensure requirements. Through accredited training, clinicians gain practical skills, deeper clinical insight, and greater confidence, strengthening their practice and the quality of care they provide.