“Take Me to WVMC”: One patient’s journey through ECT and healing
"I chose West Valley because of its reputation for compassionate care in the valley. I wanted to be treated by physicians and staff who truly care about individual outcomes, not just processes. I knew I would be seen as a whole person, not just a diagnosis." - Mae, ECT Patient
When Mae found herself in need of intensive psychiatric care, she turned to a name she could trust: West Valley Medical Center.
“I chose West Valley because of its reputation for compassionate care in the valley,” Mae explained. “I wanted to be treated by physicians and staff who truly care about individual outcomes, not just processes. I knew I would be seen as a whole person, not just a diagnosis.”
Mae was admitted to West Valley to receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a medically supervised treatment that has helped many individuals with severe mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder. For Mae, it was a life-saving decision.
“I was in a bad place, mentally,” she said. “As someone living with bipolar disorder, I needed ECT to help me climb out of a deep track of suicidal thoughts and into a different groove.”
A gentle, skilled approach
Under the care of Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Kennington, Mae received not only the medical expertise she needed, but also kindness, attentiveness, and dignity at every step.
“The gentleness and thoroughness of my doctors made all the difference,” she said. “My nurse even took the time to find me the right size gown and socks so I felt comfortable, not swallowed up in oversized hospital wear.”
Details that might go unnoticed elsewhere were never overlooked at WVMC. “Before inserting my IV, they used numbing spray to make it more comfortable. The team at the West Valley Idaho Surgery Center, where the ECT procedures take place, were experts at what they do. It helped reduce so much of the anxiety I had going in.”
In the procedure room, the staff’s thoughtful approach and support gave Mae peace of mind. “And the cranberry juice afterward? That small act of kindness meant a lot.”
Sharing hope and changing perceptions
Mae now speaks openly about her experience in hopes of breaking the stigma around ECT and mental health treatment.
“I tell my friends and family that if they ever need this level of care, West Valley is where they should go,” she said. “ECT isn’t what people imagine from old movies. It doesn’t look like those outdated depictions. It has been a life-saving treatment for me, and I’ll absolutely do it again if my doctors recommend it.”
When asked why she advocates so strongly for West Valley, Mae’s answer is simple:
“Because when someone asks where to go for psychiatric care that is thoughtful, skillful, and respectful — I tell them, ‘Take me to West Valley Medical Center.’”