The Origins of Brain Health Hawaii
The roots of Brain Health Hawaii reach back more than two decades. Dr. Jason Keifer’s professional journey through medicine has always prioritized meaningful, real-world outcomes over ideology and convention. After earning his medical degree, he trained in internal medicine before transitioning to adult and then child psychiatry—driven by a central question: What truly helps people get better? Rather than rely solely on formulaic treatment models or prescriptions alone, Dr. Keifer focuses on solving complex clinical puzzles, tracking patient outcomes over time, and seeking durable, high-quality change for individuals and families.
This philosophy eventually led him beyond traditional psychiatry into systems-based therapy. For over a decade, Dr. Keifer studied intensively under Dr. Charles Fishman, a global leader in structural family therapy. Together, they helped thousands of children improve function and development by promoting healthier interactions, environments, and relationships. This work shaped a foundational principle: lasting change occurs when the brain, body, and environment are addressed together.
From there, Dr. Keifer deepened his expertise across disciplines—sleep medicine and neurology, craniofacial development, respiratory physiology, neuroendocrinology, and circadian biology. Each area provided key insights into how dysfunction in breathing, sleep, or structure impacts brain health, psychiatric symptoms, and overall development. This cross-disciplinary lens became central to Brain Health Hawaii’s model: pushing healthy boundaries, looking deeper and broader, and measuring real world outcomes over time to guide truly effective care.
Eight years ago, this integrative journey became deeply personal when Dr. Keifer’s son suffered a concussion. Recognizing that the persistent post-concussive symptoms were likely due to disruptions in the brain’s electrical communication—he understood that pharmaceutical and structural interventions would likely fall short. Drawing on knowledge of neuromodulation and electroconvulsive therapy, he began searching for a non-invasive brain stimulation approach suitable for children.
This led him to Dr. Kevin Murphy, a pioneering pediatric radiation oncologist and engineer whose work in personalized brain stimulation offered new hope. What began with one treatment chair in a converted medical records closet– used to help his son, colleagues, and their children– quickly grew into a four-chair clinic in Kahala Mall. Today, Brain Health Hawaii spans five full-service clinics across the islands, delivering care to over 125 individuals daily.
Through the treatment of thousands of patients using personalized neurostimulation (PrTMS), conventional L-DLPFC TMS, brain mapping, and biomarker-informed brain-body assessments, Brain Health Hawaii has developed a predictive and personalized model for optimizing brain function—one that continues to evolve through data, collaboration, and compassion.
Today, Brain Health Hawaii is more than a clinic—it is a movement. A team of intellectually curious and deeply committed clinicians—including Dr. Shipley, Dr. Imanaka, Dr. Creekmore, Dr. Ferri, Dr. Ingram, Liz Garnica-Yaeger, APRN, and valued affiliates—are united by a shared vision: to blend the art and science of medicine in service of real, lasting improvement. Grounded in science, clinical experience and patient outcomes, the Brain Health Hawaii team continues to learn from research, peers, and—most importantly—their patients, in pursuit of truly effective brain health care.