Dr. Jolene Brighten, a best-selling author, board certified naturopathic endocrinologist, and women’s health expert, hosts The Dr. Brighten Show—a podcast dedicated to igniting transformative conversations in women’s health. Through candid interviews with leading experts, innovators, and thought-leaders, this show brings you groundbreaking research, personal stories, and practical tools to help you confidently navigate your body and hormones. It’s a fun, engaging, and insightful journey designed to empower you with tangible, science-backed insights, so you can live your best, most vibrant life.
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ADHD in Women Symptoms: Why Success Can Hide the Signs
Season 1 · Episode 167
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 50:59
ADHD in women symptoms can hide behind straight As, a successful career, a packed calendar, and the exhausting work of appearing “fine.” In Episode 1 of the ADHD in Women series, Dr. Jolene Brighten joins psychiatrist Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone, pediatric psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, and clinical s/xologist Dr. Leann Borneman to unpack the signs women mask, the assessment gaps that lead to missed diagnoses, and how to advocate for a thorough evaluation. View the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-in-women-symptoms/ .
📘 Preorder ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women/
👍 Like this video, share it with the woman who has been told she is “too successful” to have ADHD, and subscribe to The Dr. Brighten Show so you do not miss the rest of this eight-part series.
Many women with ADHD were never disruptive in class. They may have been the student who got straight As, the employee who pulled off impossible deadlines, or the partner who carried the entire mental load while quietly falling apart. This conversation explains why achievement does not rule out ADHD, why attention can look inconsistent, and why a 15-minute screener cannot replace a complete clinical assessment.
🎓 Meet the expert panel
🩺 Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, nutrition scientist, and author of ADHD and Women.
🧠 Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone is a board-certified psychiatrist with expertise in ADHD, anxiety, OCD, and psychiatric evaluation.
👩⚕️ Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart is a pediatric psychologist and board-certified clinical child and adolescent psychologist.
💬 Dr. Leann Borneman is a clinical s/xologist (PhD), licensed psychotherapist, and ADHD relationship expert.
✨ In this episode, you’ll learn
🧩 Why straight As, organization, hyperfocus, career success, or marriage do not rule out ADHD.
⏰ How time blindness, procrastination, internal restlessness, and emotional dysregulation can show up in adult women.
📝 How to build an ADHD evidence map before you book an evaluation.
🧠 Why you can manage a crisis, run a business, or write a book, yet still struggle to answer an email or make a dentist appointment.
🔥 Why urgency can temporarily help an ADHD brain engage, and why relying on stress eventually stops working.
🤝 How body doubling can support task initiation, persistence, and completion.
🧬 What we know about ADHD’s genetic contribution and why trauma alone does not explain every case.
🎭 How masking can look like perfectionism, over-preparing, people-pleasing, hypervigilance, and exhaustion.
🏫 How parents can advocate for accommodations without reducing ADHD support to medication alone.
🚩 What a thorough ADHD assessment includes, plus the red flags to watch for in an evaluator.
🔎 Why anxiety, depression, OCD, learning differences, iron deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, and psychosocial stressors deserve consideration in an assessment.
⚖️ How bias affects who gets diagnosed, treated, accommodated, or labeled as “difficult.”
🧠 A practical note before an ADHD evaluation
📱 Open your Notes app and write down what happens, where it happens, how often it happens, what it costs you, how you compensate, and what you remember from childhood.
🗂️ Add examples such as missed deadlines, chronic lateness, unpaid fees, relationship conflict, all-night overwork, or the systems you use to avoid forgetting something important.
🩺 Bring that note to a qualified clinician. A diagnosis requires a full assessment, but your history helps the right provider ask better questions.
📚 This episode offers education and does not replace individual medical or mental health care. Work with a qualified clinician for diagnosis, treatment, and medication decisions.
✨ Connect with the panel
🌿 Dr. Jolene Brighten Website: https://drbrighten.com
📸 Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten/
▶️ Subscribe to Dr. Jolene Brighten on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten
🩺 Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone: https://www.simonepsych.com/
📸 Follow Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone: https://www.instagram.com/dr.agnesksimone/
🧠 Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart: https://drannlouiselockhart.com/
📸 Follow Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.annlouise.lockhart/
💬 Dr. Leann Borneman: https://www.bornemancoaching.com/
📸 Follow Dr. Leann Borneman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drb_unfiltered/
💌 Subscribe, like, and share this episode with someone who has spent years wondering why life feels harder than it looks from the outside.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Endometriosis and Perimenopause: Can You Use HRT? | Hormone Doctor's Warning
Episode 166
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 • Duration 24:26
Did you know women with endometriosis are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD? In my new book, ADHD and Women, I connect the dots between hormones, pain, mood, focus, and the symptoms women are too often told to simply push through—so you can finally understand what is happening in your body and brain. Get your copy: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women/
Endometriosis in perimenopause can become more painful, more inflammatory, and far more confusing, but it is not “all in your head,” and it is not simply a matter of estrogen being too high. In this AMA, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Angela, who works with her behind the scenes, answer your biggest questions about endometriosis, adenomyosis, progesterone, HRT, surgery, fibroids, and what changes as hormones shift; view the show notes at https://drbrighten.com.
💬 If this conversation helps you feel more informed, please like, share, comment, and subscribe to The Dr. Brighten Show so more women can access evidence-informed conversations about their health.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
ADHD Rejection Sensitivity: Why Rejection Can Feel So Personal | Alex Partridge
Season 1 · Episode 165
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 • Duration 01:17:54
ADHD rejection sensitivity can make one comment, one text, or one change in someone’s tone feel like proof that everything is falling apart. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Alex Partridge joins me to unpack rejection sensitivity, masking, identity, self-trust, and the hidden emotional cost of ADHD; view the full show notes at
https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-rejection-sensitivity/
📚 My new book, ADHD and Women, explores the relationship between ADHD, hormones, the nervous system, nutrition, and the experiences women are so often never taught to connect.
🎁 Preorder the book and see the current limited-time bonuses here:https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
In This Episode
Why ADHD can make rejection and criticism feel disproportionately intense
How childhood comments like “you’re too much,” “stop being so emotional,” or “why are you so weird?” can shape the way you see yourself as an adult
How masking can slowly shift the question from “Who am I?” to “Who do I need to be so people will accept me?”
Why Alex believes rejection sensitivity can become one of the most debilitating and overlooked parts of ADHD
How an unanswered text, unusual tone of voice, meeting request, or single negative comment can trigger catastrophic thinking
How people-pleasing and fear of disappointing others can undermine your ability to trust your own instincts
Why an emotional trigger can lead to quitting, relationship conflict, impulsive decisions, or behaviors you regret once you’re regulated again
What it can feel like to receive an ADHD diagnosis and suddenly realize you don’t know who you are underneath years of masking
Why your brain may seek out criticism—even when you’re already feeling terrible—and how to interrupt that pattern
How creating a bank of real evidence can help challenge the story rejection sensitivity is telling you
How to repair after an intense emotional reaction without using ADHD as an excuse for harmful behavior
Why someone who appears “high functioning” at work may actually be high masking and completely depleted by the time they get home
Why “you just need to try harder” may be one of the most damaging messages people with ADHD hear
How curiosity, pattern recognition, creativity, entrepreneurship, and intense interests can become powerful ADHD strengths
About Alex Partridge
🎙️ Alex Partridge is the founder of UNILAD and LADbible, host of the award-winning ADHD Chatter podcast, a Sunday Times bestselling author, and a leading voice in conversations about ADHD and neurodiversity.
In this conversation, Alex shares not only what he has learned through interviewing hundreds of experts, but his own experiences with masking, alcoholism, entrepreneurship, rejection sensitivity, identity, and rebuilding self-trust.
This Episode Is Brought to You By
Dr. Brighten Essentials Radiant Mind
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Follow Alex Partridge
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_partridge_100/?hl=en
🌐 Website: https://www.alex-partridge.com/
🎙️ ADHD Chatter:https://www.instagram.com/adhd_chatter_podcast
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ADHD_Chatter_Podcast
Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten
🌐 Website: https://drbrighten.com
🎙️ The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcast
📚 Books: https://drbrighten.com/books
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/drjolenebrighten
🎵 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten
📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/drjolenebrighten
Join the Conversation
💬 Have you ever interpreted a tiny change in someone’s tone, a delayed text, or a request to “talk later” as proof you had done something wrong?
👇 Tell me in the comments what rejection sensitivity or masking has looked like for you.
👍 Like this episode if it helped you put words to something you’ve experienced.
📤 Share it with someone who has spent years believing they were “too sensitive” or “too much.”
🔔 Subscribe to The Dr. Brighten Show for more evidence-informed conversations about ADHD, hormones, women’s health, relationships, and the brain.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Cellular Aging: Why Your Body May Be Aging Faster Than You Think | Dr. Will Cole
Season 1 · Episode 164
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 • Duration 01:07:58
Cellular aging may be happening faster than your chronological age suggests—and in this episode, Dr. Will Cole explains what can accelerate it, what mitochondrial dysfunction can actually feel like, and what may help protect your healthspan; view the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/cellular-aging/. We break down the science of biological age, organ aging, inflammation, metabolic health, circadian rhythms, nutrition, movement, and practical longevity strategies you can actually use.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s may be experiencing accelerated cellular aging
How your heart, brain, kidneys, and other organs can age at different rates
Why brain fog, fatigue, feeling wired-but-tired, and anxiety with exhaustion may be clues worth paying attention to
How inflammation and “cellular confusion” may affect mitochondrial function and aging
Which metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory markers Dr. Cole considers clinically meaningful
How environmental toxins, microplastics, PFAS, stress, trauma, food, and artificial light may influence cellular health
The surprising conversation around nature, bird song, spirituality, community, and longevity
Why light exposure can disrupt more than sleep—your organs have their own cellular clocks
Why fatigue in women, including women with endometriosis, deserves to be taken seriously
How fasting, green tea, polyphenols, and meal timing fit into the longevity conversation
How to build a longevity-supportive plate without following a rigid wellness diet
Why a 10–15 minute walk after dinner may be one of the simplest metabolic tools available
Zone 2, REHIT, strength training, sauna, cold exposure, and mobility—what may actually be worth your time
And how to support healthier aging without turning wellness into a full-time job
ABOUT DR. WILL COLE
Dr. Will Cole is a functional medicine expert, New York Times bestselling author, and an early pioneer in functional medicine telehealth. In this conversation, he shares concepts from his newest book, Heal Your Cells, and explains the clinical lens he uses to think about inflammation, mitochondrial health, metabolic health, and longevity.
🌐 Dr. Will Cole: https://drwillcole.com
📘 Heal Your Cells: https://healyourcells.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/drwillcole
CONNECT WITH DR. JOLENE BRIGHTEN💛
🌐 Dr. Brighten: https://drbrighten.com
🎙️ The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrBrighten
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjolenebrighten
📌 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drjolenebrighten
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY
✨ Dr. Brighten Essentials: https://drbrighten.com
🏷️ Use code POD15 where applicable.
📚 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
📘 Heal Your Cells by Dr. Will Cole: https://healyourcells.com
🌐 Dr. Will Cole’s website + resources: https://drwillcole.com
🎙️ More episodes of The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts
❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW
👍 LIKE this episode if it gave you a new way to think about aging and cellular health.
💬 COMMENT below: What is one longevity habit you’re actually willing to start this week?
📤 SHARE this episode with someone who is constantly tired, dealing with brain fog, or wants to protect their health for the long term.
🔔 SUBSCRIBE to The Dr. Brighten Show for evidence-informed conversations about women’s health, hormones, brain health, metabolism, longevity, and the science that helps you better understand your body.
⚕️ This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical care. Always discuss changes to your medications, supplements, fasting practices, or treatment plan with your healthcare professional.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Perimenopause Hormone Therapy: What Women Need to Know About HRT, Progesterone & Estrogen
Season 1 · Episode 163
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 • Duration 43:24
Perimenopause hormones can make you feel like your body changed overnight—even when your labs look “normal,” and in this AMA Dr. Jolene Brighten answers your biggest questions about estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, HRT, birth control, Mirena, ovulation, POI, and postmenopause.
View the complete show notes, references, and resources at
https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/perimenopause-hormones/
📖 PREORDER ADHD AND WOMEN: https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
🧪 Why “normal” hormone labs don’t necessarily explain how you feel during perimenopause
😤 What symptoms like rage, anxiety, poor sleep, and irritability may tell you about progesterone
🥚 How to tell whether you’re still ovulating in perimenopause using cycle patterns, cervical mucus, temperature, LH, and progesterone
🩸 Why a shortening luteal phase may be an early clue that progesterone production is changing
🔬 Which hormone tests Dr. Brighten finds useful—and why testosterone, thyroid, insulin, and other markers deserve attention too
🧠 What we know—and still don’t know—about progestins, progesterone, GABA, BDNF, and women’s brain health
🌀 Where the Mirena IUD may fit during perimenopause, heavy bleeding, adenomyosis, and hormone therapy
🌙 When cyclic versus continuous progesterone may make sense
🧴 Dr. Brighten’s approach to estradiol, estriol, Biest, testosterone, and compounded hormone therapy
🏋️ How declining estrogen can affect muscle, connective tissue, mitochondria, exercise tolerance, and recovery
❤️ Why menopause doesn’t have to be a story of decline—including the part nobody talks about enough: sex can get better
🩺 When symptoms like varicose veins deserve further evaluation rather than being dismissed as “just hormones”
Resources
📖 ADHD and Women — Preorder + Bonuses: https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
🌐 Dr. Brighten Website: https://drbrighten.com
🎙️ The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/
🌟 Free Hormone-Friendly Recipes: https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/
Sponsorship & Resources
🧠 Dr. Brighten Essentials — Radiant Mind: https://drbrightenessentials.com/products/radiant-mind
Podcast listeners can use POD15 for 15% off.
👩🏻⚕️ About Dr. Jolene Brighten
Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, nutrition scientist, women’s health educator, and author of ADHD and Women. Her work focuses on translating complex hormone science into practical information women can use to better understand their bodies and have more informed conversations with their healthcare providers.
👩🏻⚕️ Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten
💻 Website: https://drbrighten.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten
🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@drjolenebrighten
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjolenebrighten
👍 If this episode helped you, like the video, subscribe to The Dr. Brighten Show, and share it with a woman who has been told her labs are “normal” even though she knows something has changed. And tell me in the comments: what perimenopause or hormone question should we answer in the next AMA?
⚠️ Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical care. Always discuss symptoms, medications, supplements, testing, and hormone therapy with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
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Women’s Health Questions Answered: AMA 1 Lightening Round
Season 1 · Episode 162
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 • Duration 36:15
Endometriosis pain can rewire the brain and nervous system, yet women are still told to tolerate severe pelvic pain, traumatic IUD insertions, and years of medical dismissal; explore the research and resources in the show notes at
http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen. In this AMA, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains central sensitization, vagus nerve dysfunction, cycle-related inflammation, copper IUD pain, omega-3s, food sensitivities, and what it can take to recover after chronic pain.
🧠 In this episode, you’ll learn:
How unmanaged endometriosis and adenomyosis pain can change pain processing in the brainWhy pain may persist after excision surgery or a hysterectomy
What central sensitization means and why recovery can take time
How endometriosis may disrupt vagal tone and autonomic nervous-system function
Why a hysterectomy can treat adenomyosis but does not treat endometriosis outside the uterus
How copper IUDs create localized inflammation
Why severe IUD pain, bleeding, fainting, or loss of function deserves investigation
How estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, and melatonin interact with inflammation
Why histamine symptoms may intensify around ovulation
How prostaglandins influence menstrual cramps, inflammation, and “period poops”
What to look for when choosing an omega-3 supplement
How Dr. Brighten’s approach to elimination diets and nutritional restriction has evolved
Why food variety and oral tolerance matter for women with chronic inflammatory conditions
How patients and clinicians can help change the standard of care for women
💬 Have you experienced severe IUD pain, medical gaslighting, or persistent pain after endometriosis treatment? Share your experience in the comments, including where you live and whether you were offered meaningful pain relief.
👍 If this episode helped you, please like the video, subscribe to The Dr. Brighten Show, and share it with someone who has been told her pain is normal.
⚕️ This content is for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical care. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional about persistent or severe pain, heavy bleeding, fainting, anemia, or symptoms that interfere with daily life.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Late Diagnosed ADHD and Autism | Rich & Rox Pink
Season 1 · Episode 161
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • Duration 01:18:47
Late diagnosed ADHD & autism can change the story you’ve been telling yourself (and your relationship) for decades. In this episode, Dr. Brighten joins Rich and Rox Pink of ADHD Love and the Late Bloomers podcast to talk diagnosis, masking, relationships, perimenopause, HRT, and what finally made their lives make sense; view the full show notes and resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/late-diagnosed-adhd-and-autism/ .
Rich and Rox Pink have built a community of more than 5 million followers by showing the messy, funny, painful, and deeply human reality of neurodivergent life. In this candid conversation, Rox opens up about receiving her ADHD diagnosis after years of believing she was lazy, broken, and incapable of maintaining relationships, while Rich shares what it has been like to realize in his 40s that the “neurotypical husband” was actually autistic.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN
Why late diagnosed ADHD and autism can completely rewrite decades of shame and self-blame
Why traits like lateness, forgetfulness, social awkwardness, sensory sensitivity, and executive dysfunction are so easily interpreted as personal failures
How masking can become so automatic that you may even mask in therapy
Why trauma and neurodivergence can overlap—and why treating every neurodivergent trait as “just trauma” can miss the bigger picture
Why women with ADHD are so often diagnosed later in life
How puberty and hormonal changes may alter the way ADHD presents in women
Why needing accommodations can bring up unexpected guilt and shame
What Dr. Brighten discovered when she finally began using disability accommodations while traveling
Why accessing an ADHD or autism diagnosis can still be incredibly difficult
How undiagnosed ADHD can contribute to attempts to self-medicate
How perimenopause can intensify ADHD symptoms, brain fog, anxiety, sleep disruption, and executive dysfunction
Why Rox reached the point where she thought she might have to walk away from her music career
What changed for Rox after starting estrogen and progesterone hormone therapy
Why testosterone matters in women—and its relationship with energy, motivation, muscle, and follow-through
How ADHD can influence novelty, intense relationships, impulsivity, and the experience of falling in love
Why Rich and Rox credit learning how to actually communicate as one of the biggest shifts in their relationship
Why traditional therapy doesn't always feel accessible or effective for neurodivergent people
Why socializing, public speaking, travel, touch, noise, and other seemingly ordinary experiences can require enormous amounts of energy
Why someone can love being around people while still desperately needing silence afterward
How Rich and Rox stopped interpreting neurodivergent behaviors as rejection or bad intentions
The relationship philosophy they now use: “us versus the ADHD” and “us versus the autism”
Why curiosity and giving your partner the benefit of the doubt can change a neurodivergent relationship
ABOUT RICH & ROX PINK
Rich and Rox Pink are the couple behind ADHD Love, known for their candid and often hilarious conversations about ADHD, autism, shame, relationships, addiction, recovery, and learning to work with a neurodivergent brain instead of constantly fighting it.
Together, they are bestselling authors and hosts of the Late Bloomers podcast, where they share the lessons they learned after years of believing they had simply failed at being adults.
🌐 ADHD Love: https://www.adhd-love.co.uk/
📸 Rich & Rox / ADHD Love Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhd_love_/
📚 Rich & Rox books + resources: https://linktr.ee/ADHD_Love
🎧 Late Bloomers Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/late-bloomers/id1788035047
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
📖 Dirty Laundry by Richard Pink & Roxanne Emery: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743719/dirty-laundry-by-richard-pink-and-roxanne-emery/
💗 ADHD Love: https://www.adhd-love.co.uk/
🎧 Late Bloomers: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/late-bloomers/id1788035047
🌻 Hidden Disabilities Sunflower: https://hdsunflower.com/
🧠 More episodes from The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/
📚 ADHD and Women by Dr. Brighten: http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Dr. Brighten Essentials Radiant Mind
Want a science-backed formula created to support women’s brain health through every stage of life. If you’ve ever felt the brain fog of perimenopause or noticed how ADHD can amplify challenges with focus, memory, mood, or sleep, you’re not alone. Radiant Mind combines clinically studied saffron extract, Bacognize® Bacopa, Cognizin® Citicoline, and zinc to help nourish your brain chemistry and support clarity, calm, and resilience.
Exclusive for podcast listeners: use the code POD15 for 15% off your order
Shop now: https://drbrightenessentials.com/products/radiant-mind
FOLLOW DR. BRIGHTEN
💻 Website: https://drbrighten.com
🎙️ The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjolenebrighten
Dr. Brighten is a naturopathic physician, Certified Menopause Specialist through The Menopause Society, Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Endocrinology (FABNE), author, researcher, and women’s health expert focused on translating complex hormone and health science into information women can actually use.
❤️ LIKE this episode if something in Rich and Rox’s story made your own experience make more sense.
📤 SHARE it with someone who may have spent years believing their ADHD, autism, or neurodivergent traits were character flaws.
🔔 SUBSCRIBE to The Dr. Brighten Show for evidence-based conversations about ADHD, hormones, women’s health, menopause, relationships, and the topics women deserve better answers about.
💬 COMMENT BELOW: What is something you understand differently about yourself since learning more about neurodivergence?
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Endometriosis Inflammation: Why This Disease May Affect More Than Your Pelvis
Season 1 · Episode 160
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 • Duration 32:27
Endometriosis inflammation may have implications far beyond pelvic pain, including associations with cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, and long-term health risks. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains what the research actually shows, why a normal CRP doesn’t necessarily rule out inflammation, and what women and clinicians should understand about endometriosis as a whole-body disease. View the complete show notes at Dr. Brighten: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/endometriosis-inflammation/
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
What You'll Learn in This Episode
Why endometriosis is about much more than misplaced tissue or retrograde menstruation
How immune dysregulation and inflammatory cytokines may contribute to the endometriosis environment
Why normal CRP or hs-CRP doesn't necessarily mean inflammation isn't present
The important difference between localized, regional, and systemic inflammation
How inflammatory signaling, nerve growth, and blood vessel formation may help explain severe pain
Why progesterone resistance is an important but often overlooked part of endometriosis biology
How lesions may produce estrogen locally and contribute to a self-sustaining inflammatory environment
What research suggests about endometriosis and long-term cardiovascular risk
How chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and altered hormone signaling could potentially connect endometriosis and cardiovascular health
Why the long-term consequences of certain endometriosis treatments deserve consideration alongside their potential benefits
Why women with endometriosis are also diagnosed with certain autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases at higher rates
Why clinicians shouldn't automatically attribute every new symptom to endometriosis
Why cardiovascular and metabolic prevention conversations may need to begin well before midlife
Why successful endometriosis care should consider a woman's health trajectory over the next 20–30 years, not simply her pain today
🎧 This Episode Is Brought to You By
EndoGlobal Group
At EndoGlobal Group, a network of world-class endometriosis specialists comes together to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for patients with complex endometriosis—offering advanced diagnostic mapping, complete excision surgery, and holistic support.
Click here to learn more and schedule a free consultation https://drbrighten.com/endoglobal
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⚕️ Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from your healthcare professional.
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The Hidden Cause of Brain Inflammation Doctors Miss | Dr. Pejman Katiraei
Season 1 · Episode 159
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 • Duration 01:48:23
Brain inflammation may influence behavior, sensory processing, sleep, mood, and cognition in ways many families never realize. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Dr. Pejman Katiraei explore the connections between the immune system, gut health, environmental exposures, ADHD, autism, PANS/PANDAS, and neuroinflammation; view the complete show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/brain-inflammation-and-behavior/
Neurodivergence Is Not the Problem
This episode does not suggest that autism or ADHD should be erased, “fixed,” or reduced to inflammation.
Instead, the conversation explores an important distinction:
A person’s neurodivergent wiring may be an intrinsic part of who they are.
Pain, severe anxiety, sleep disruption, gut dysfunction, overwhelming sensory sensitivity, aggression, or sudden regression may represent additional challenges affecting that person’s quality of life.
Understanding that distinction can help families support the whole person without treating their identity as a disease.
Signs That May Deserve a Closer Look
These symptoms do not confirm a diagnosis, but clusters of symptoms may warrant a more comprehensive conversation with a qualified healthcare professional:
Sudden or dramatic changes in behavior
New fears, phobias, compulsions, or repetitive thoughts
Severe sensory sensitivity to sound, touch, clothing, food, or water
Chronic constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, reflux, or bloating
Eczema or recurring skin symptoms alongside digestive concerns
Restrictive eating that appears driven by texture, smell, or sensory distress
Significant sleep disruption or waking consistently during the night
Repeated ear infections, respiratory infections, or unexplained inflammatory symptoms
Symptoms that worsen after illness, certain foods, antibiotics, or environmental exposures
A child expressing beliefs such as “I’m bad,” “I’m mean,” or “I’m stupid” after struggling to control their behavior
Always work with an appropriately licensed healthcare professional before beginning medications, antifungals, restrictive diets, parasite protocols, or treatment for suspected mold-related illness.
👨⚕️ About Dr. Pejman Katiraei
Dr. Pejman Katiraei works with children and families experiencing complex combinations of behavioral, neurological, immune, gastrointestinal, and environmental health concerns. In this episode, he shares clinical observations from his work with children experiencing neuroinflammation, sensory challenges, PANS/PANDAS, gut dysfunction, and significant behavioral changes.
Dr. Pejman Katiraei’s Website: https://drkatiraei.com/
Dr. Pejman Katiraei’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholistickids/?hl=en
Dr. Pejman Katiraei’s Substack: https://pkatiraei.substack.com/
👩⚕️ About Dr. Jolene Brighten
Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, Certified Menopause Practitioner, nutrition scientist, certified sex counselor, bestselling author, and host of The Dr. Brighten Show. Her work focuses on women’s hormones, reproductive health, ADHD, neurodivergence, perimenopause, menopause, and the complex ways the brain, immune system, gut, and endocrine system interact.
🌐 Dr. Brighten’s Website: https://drbrighten.com
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⚠️ Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It does not replace individualized medical advice. Always consult an appropriately qualified healthcare professional regarding symptoms, testing, medications, supplements, environmental concerns, or treatment decisions.
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Melatonin Benefits: Why Your Brain Needs Darkness for Better Sleep, Brain Health, and Healthy Aging | Deanna Minich
Season 1 · Episode 158
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 • Duration 58:17
Melatonin benefits extend far beyond helping you fall asleep. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I sit down with nutrition scientist Dr. Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, IFMCP, to explore the surprising science behind melatonin, circadian rhythms, color, inflammation, brain health, and why being deficient in darkness may be one of the most overlooked threats to your long-term health. For additional resources, research, and key takeaways, be sure to visit the full show notes at
https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/melatonin-benefits/
Whether you're struggling with poor sleep, hormone imbalance, chronic inflammation, or simply want to optimize healthy aging, this conversation will completely change how you think about light, darkness, and the body's innate healing capacity.
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
In This Episode You'll Learn
Why melatonin is one of the body's most important molecules, not just a sleep hormone
How darkness influences your hormones, brain health, and longevity
The surprising role melatonin plays in your mitochondria and cellular energy
Why melatonin supports your immune system and helps regulate inflammation
How declining melatonin may contribute to brain aging and neurodegenerative disease
The critical difference between morning sunlight and evening light exposure
How different colors may influence mood, hormones, creativity, and healing
Why the colors of the foods you crave may reveal more than you think
The emotional connections behind food cravings and emotional eating
Why creative expression may be essential for emotional and physical healing
The powerful relationship between stress, inflammation, and self-talk
Simple daily habits that support healthy circadian rhythms and hormone balance
About Dr. Deanna Minich
Dr. Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, IFMCP is an internationally recognized nutrition scientist, educator, author, and functional medicine expert. She has published extensively on nutrition, phytochemicals, metabolism, inflammation, detoxification, and whole-person health, and is widely known for her work connecting food, color, physiology, and emotional well-being.
About Dr. Jolene Brighten
Dr. Jolene Brighten, NMD is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, Certified Menopause Society Practitioner (NCMP), nutrition scientist, and bestselling author specializing in women's hormone health, ADHD in women, fertility, autoimmune disease, and longevity.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Deanna Minich
🌐 Website: https://deannaminich.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannaminich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deannaminich
🔗 Connect with Dr. Jolene Brighten
🌐 Website: https://drbrighten.com
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🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten
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⚠️ Medical Disclaimer
The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your medications, supplements, or treatment plan.
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