Michelle Cochran, MD
Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association
Michelle Cochran, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist, Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and Fellow of the Clinical TMS Society. She is an internationally recognized expert in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). As former President of the Clinical TMS Society and former Chair of the American Psychiatric Association Caucus on Neuromodulation, she advocated for TMS access through payer negotiations, professional organizations, legislation, and patient legal action. She began her career providing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), introduced TMS in her practices in 2011, added vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in 2019, and developed a physician-led, multi-location psychiatric practice in Tennessee. Dr. Cochran serves as President and Chief Medical Officer of Synaptic PSYCH and lectures and consults internationally on advancing evidence-based care for TRD.
Topics
Appearances (1)
2026-10-27
Breaking down barriers to treatment-resistant depression care with Dr. Michelle CochranFor patients with treatment-resistant depression, finding a therapy that works is only half the battle. Insurance coverage, prior authorization and step therapy rules can keep evidence-based care out of reach. In this episode, we speak with Michelle Cochran, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist, Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and Fellow of the Clinical TMS Society. She is an internationally recognized expert in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). As former President of the Clinical TMS Society and former Chair of the American Psychiatric Association Caucus on Neuromodulation, she advocated for TMS access through payer negotiations, professional organizations, legislation, and patient legal action. She began her career providing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), introduced TMS in her practices in 2011, added vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in 2019, and developed a physician-led, multi-location psychiatric practice in Tennessee. Dr. Cochran serves as President and Chief Medical Officer of Synaptic PSYCH and lectures and consults internationally on advancing evidence-based care for TRD. Dr. Cochran discusses why clinicians need multiple treatment options, how coverage barriers delay recovery for patients and their families, and what lawmakers and payers can do to expand access to mental health care.
Notable quotes
“Patients with depression haven't failed the treatments. We would never say to a patient receiving cancer treatment that you've failed chemotherapy.”
“If we take care of the brain, we take care of the whole body.”
“Limiting a patient's access to certain treatments doesn't just affect them, it affects their whole group.”
“The delay in care is what can lead to— it can lead to death.”
“Depression is a treatable biological condition. It's not a personal failure.”
“Individuals who are suffering from treatment-resistant depression really deserve timely access to the full spectrum of evidence-based options.”
