Episode 99: Cindy Elkins and Dr. Koo Part 2

Written By Susie Gurley

This is the continuation of the previous episode. Cindy chronicles her daughter, Chase’s, journey with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in 2022.  Chase was part of a clinical trial, which accelerated all TMS treatments into a few days, as opposed to the traditional model that spans multiple weeks. Cindy notes how quickly Chase improved and how she became herself again.  Chase is now a pre-med junior in college and doing well. Dr. Koo explains the difference between TMS and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). She also notes that the accelerated protocol is now far beyond the clinical trial, and which path a patient takes is often dependent on insurance. The accelerated protocol is typically cash pay right now. Cindy and Martha conclude by discussing their quest as members of the Board of the Clinical Advancement of TMS (https://factms.org/) is to get TMS on equal footing and get it in the conversation of mental health treatments.

Susie Gurley

Susie Stapp Gurley was born and raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She married her college sweetheart, Dan Gurley, shortly after graduating from TCU with a degree in advertising and public relations. In her first career, Susie worked in college admissions and academic advising. Simultaneously she pursued a master’s degree from The University of Central Missouri in sociology and then worked for the Sedgwick County, KS Department of Aging as a case worker. Susie stepped away from the professional world in 1997 to become a stay-at-home mom. She spent the majority of the last 25 years as a wife, mother, and volunteer, primarily in her church and her three children’s schools and activities.

Susie became a mental health advocate after her youngest son became a teen spokesperson about his battle with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. In 2018, at the age of 15, Will founded the You Matter Festival, a music festival promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Will shared his personal mental health struggles with the 1,000-person crowd, which started his role as a local KC teen advocate for mental health. Because of Will’s involvement, Susie recorded a video #Zeroreasonswhy (https://zeroreasonswhy.org), a Kansas City area organization working to end teen suicide in the Johnson County, Kansas area. This video was viewed over 10,000 times, which was the impetus of the Just A Mom podcast. Susie decided that she needed to follow the brave trail blazed by her son and became an outspoken advocate for parents of children who struggle with mental illness. The Just a Mom podcast launched in September of 2022 and encourages parents to know that they are not alone and there is hope.

Susie served as the Executive Director of the You Matter Festival and is currently on the Friends of Johnson County Mental Health Board. Susie has grown three children, two daughters-in-law, and a son-in-law.

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Episode 100: Susie Gurley, Creator/Host of The Just A Mom Podcast, interviewed by her friends Debbie, Jen, and Toni
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Episode 98: Cindy Elkins and Dr. Martha Koo Part 1