Mother Plus Podcast
This is the podcast for "too much" moms who feel like they are failing at motherhood and don't want to fail anymore. Your hosts, Stacey Hutson and Stephanie Sprenger, two ADHD moms of four girls ages 4-18, most definitely don't have it all figured out. But we know one thing for sure: understanding our brains is the key to enjoying our motherhood, and our SELVES again.
Here, we are brutally honest about our ADHD motherhoods (the missed Spirit Weeks, the mountains of laundry, the nostalgia for our old "fun" pre-mom selves) so you know you're not the only one struggling.
When we don't know the answers, or aren't qualified to give them, we bring on the experts. Mental health therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, women's doctors -- we want to learn from them all. Because we believe once you know how to work WITH your ADHD brain rather than against it, it changes everything.
You found your people. We're them. And you're ours. Let's figure this out together.
*To Join the ADHD Mom's Club so we can hang out, visit: https://www.motherplusser.com/ADHD-mom-club-waitlist**
Mother Plus Podcast
#142: Why Your ADHD Feels Worse: The Hormone Connection with Dr. Jolene Brighten (Part 1)
Before motherhood, your ADHD may have felt quirky, fun, or even manageable. But then... the hormones hit. Postpartum. Perimenopause. Menopause. Suddenly, your ADHD symptoms feel out of control—the emotional swings, time blindness, anxiety, and exhaustion.
So is it just “mom life”? Or is there something bigger happening in your body?
Today, we’re getting real answers from Dr. Jolene Brighten, a hormone expert who actually understands ADHD. In this episode, we dive into:
🌀 How hormones impact ADHD from postpartum to menopause
😵💫 Why perimenopause feels like an ADHD nightmare—and what to do about it
🌙 The huge role progesterone plays in mood, sleep, and emotional regulation
🤯 How to tell the difference between ADHD symptoms and hormone-driven changes
🙅♀️ Why so many women don’t get diagnosed until one of these hormonal shifts happens
⚕️ How the medical system gaslights women—and why doctors dismiss hormone-related ADHD struggles
This is Part 1 of our convo because there’s just so much to unpack.
Meet Dr. Jolene Brighten
Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, clinical sexologist, and fierce advocate for women’s health. She’s the best-selling author of Beyond the Pill, Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth, and Is This Normal? Her work has been featured in Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, The Guardian, and more. And most importantly? She has ADHD, too.
Where to Find Dr. Brighten:
📲 Instagram: @drjolenebrighten
🎙 Podcast: The Dr. Brighten Show
📚 Website & Books: drbrighten.com
🔥 This episode is a must-listen for every ADHD mom navigating hormone chaos.
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