Advertise on podcast: Integrative Mental Health Therapy with Dr. Tiffany

Dr. Tiffany announces her new book, Running on Empty, and explains how she uses wearable sleep data (HRV, oxygenation, interruptions) alongside trauma-informed psychotherapy to understand and treat autoimmune fatigue, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia, including her personal journey putting lupus into remission. The episode summarizes the book’s chapters: listening to your body, nervous system and ACEs, decoding ring data, sleep for healing, lifestyle and supplements, staying on track, and building a personalized plan, plus upcoming read-along sessions and downloadable tracking guides. Running On Empty by Dr. Tiffany Brown-Bush Transcript: 00:00:00.514 --> 00:00:06.319 Welcome to episode 43 of Integrative Mental Health Therapy with Dr. Tiffany. 00:00:06.824 --> 00:00:12.600 And I am excited to be here talking to you about how I wrote a book. 00:00:13.717 --> 00:00:20.934 Running on Empty, What Sleep Data Reveals About Autoimmune Fatigue and How to Recover is on Amazon. 00:00:21.375 --> 00:00:26.697 And as of today, as you're able to listen to this podcast, it is available not 00:00:26.697 --> 00:00:32.817 only as a Kindle, but it is available as a paperback, which I'm super excited 00:00:32.817 --> 00:00:35.806 about because it is an appropriate book for paperback. 00:00:36.276 --> 00:00:41.367 And it is going to be available over the next few months. 00:00:41.367 --> 00:00:44.777 It's going to take me a second as an Audible as well. 00:00:44.777 --> 00:00:52.177 So I am very, very excited about the fact that this book is now available to 00:00:52.177 --> 00:00:56.557 my clients, to the world, to my family. 00:00:56.957 --> 00:01:00.790 I'm also really pleased that I was able to get all of this out of my head. 00:01:01.241 --> 00:01:06.597 Many of you who use wearable technology with me and my practice and the work 00:01:06.597 --> 00:01:12.806 that we do know that I have strong feelings about utilizing HRV sleep data, 00:01:13.374 --> 00:01:20.347 you know, oxygenation, sleep interruptions, just overall sleep quality when 00:01:20.347 --> 00:01:22.967 it comes to applying the Dr. 00:01:22.967 --> 00:01:27.134 Grambush method. So looking at brain-body-mind relationships, 00:01:27.878 --> 00:01:33.527 Because, you know, that three-leg stool has transitioned to a four-leg stool over the past two years. 00:01:34.049 --> 00:01:40.935 And you know that I take seriously monitoring, you know, what's affecting your HRV. 00:01:41.683 --> 00:01:47.835 Where is it? What is the backdrop of, you know, your overnight heart rate? 00:01:48.287 --> 00:01:51.955 As you're telling me about how your stress management is, as you're talking 00:01:51.955 --> 00:01:55.309 to me about your autoimmune symptoms, as you're talking to me about 00:01:55.669 --> 00:01:59.994 feeling foggy and fatigued and all of those things and trying to heal, 00:02:00.342 --> 00:02:04.376 we have always talked about what those numbers look like. 00:02:04.806 --> 00:02:09.605 And so my last episode was a couple months ago, I think almost three months 00:02:09.605 --> 00:02:17.278 ago, as I was in the editing phase of the book and really kind of mired in just 00:02:17.528 --> 00:02:19.612 edit over edit after edit. 00:02:20.155 --> 00:02:25.185 It was a lot. And then trying to run the practice and take care of my health 00:02:25.185 --> 00:02:28.605 and drop into joy in my own personal life. 00:02:28.605 --> 00:02:35.315 So I've been juggling blogging, trying to keep the podcast going, and then focusing on. 00:02:35.315 --> 00:02:44.019 It has been an extremely busy year in the practice, unusually so throughout the year to be busy. 00:02:44.379 --> 00:02:52.275 And then I have participated in my own three-day psychological intensive, working on my own parts. 00:02:52.615 --> 00:02:57.715 I flew to Nashville to do that and worked with three amazing therapists for 00:02:57.715 --> 00:02:59.901 24 hours to do my own work. 00:03:00.324 --> 00:03:05.183 And then in a method that I have been training in over the last past year as well. 00:03:05.710 --> 00:03:08.992 And then I had that puppy I told you all about. 00:03:08.992 --> 00:03:14.062 And the puppy, she is still very much, you know, trying to run our lives. 00:03:14.062 --> 00:03:18.522 And so that was a busy piece of things that has been very joyful. 00:03:18.522 --> 00:03:20.970 I absolutely adore her. She's bald rotten. 00:03:21.475 --> 00:03:26.801 And then, gosh, it's just trying to, oh, play a lot of tennis. 00:03:28.059 --> 00:03:34.622 So it has just been kind of a full experience here as I was completing the book. 00:03:34.622 --> 00:03:42.362 And so Running on Empty is available now on Amazon, and I'm just very excited 00:03:42.362 --> 00:03:44.430 to share this book with you. 00:03:44.842 --> 00:03:48.622 You know, I was blogging. I've kept the blogs going. That has been something 00:03:48.622 --> 00:03:50.313 that I've really leaned into. 00:03:50.702 --> 00:03:57.072 And a lot of what's in the blogs around personalities and then relationships 00:03:57.072 --> 00:03:59.583 and health is included in the book. 00:03:59.949 --> 00:04:05.835 Adverse Childhood Experiences, those scores and what they mean included in the book, 00:04:06.922 --> 00:04:11.971 as well as a lot of this intersection of, 00:04:13.742 --> 00:04:17.764 how your stress levels are, your trauma experiences have been, 00:04:18.088 --> 00:04:24.222 your inner critic, your inner people pleaser, how those parts intersect with your 00:04:24.582 --> 00:04:29.222 overall health and autoimmune disorders and chronic fatigue. 00:04:29.222 --> 00:04:31.938 Vegan fibromyalgia that is in the book. 00:04:32.692 --> 00:04:37.842 So I'm excited to share all of that with you. I'm sitting here with a copy of 00:04:37.842 --> 00:04:43.455 the book in front of me and I will be talking in the upcoming podcast about the book. 00:04:44.455 --> 00:04:49.174 There are nine chapters. The first chapter is listening to your body. 00:04:49.534 --> 00:04:53.698 So many of the women that I've worked with over the years aren't listening to 00:04:53.698 --> 00:04:56.668 their bodies until their body, and I was one of them. 00:04:56.668 --> 00:05:02.166 I mean, this book is part memoir. It's my journey with lupus and putting lupus in remission and 00:05:02.526 --> 00:05:08.830 how I used my Oura Ring data to do just that, to absolutely go from someone 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:13.772 who was having lupus flares and really afraid that, you know, 00:05:14.099 --> 00:05:17.528 I was not going to be okay to someone. 00:05:17.528 --> 00:05:21.019 I talk in the book about, you know, considering going out on disability, 00:05:21.396 --> 00:05:25.828 while many of you were actually working with me, and then going from that to 00:05:25.828 --> 00:05:30.359 finding a way, utilizing my sleep data to getting to a healthier me. 00:05:30.643 --> 00:05:36.554 So how do you listen to your body and how can this data do that? 00:05:36.857 --> 00:05:41.338 So it's nine chapters plus an intro chapter that kind of lays the foundation 00:05:41.338 --> 00:05:42.970 of what the book's going to be about. 00:05:43.208 --> 00:05:46.499 Chapter two is your nervous system trauma and ACE scores. 00:05:46.958 --> 00:05:49.968 Everything that I've been writing about, blog me about Dr. 00:05:49.968 --> 00:05:52.968 Gabor Mate's work, Bessel van der Kolk's work. 00:05:52.968 --> 00:05:57.428 I'm just obsessed with that intersection of. 00:05:57.988 --> 00:06:02.718 All of the systems working together and you don't get to think that the autoimmune 00:06:02.718 --> 00:06:07.578 disorder and the chronic fatigue and the fibromyalgia doesn't have something 00:06:07.578 --> 00:06:10.548 to do with your past and doesn't have something to do with the way that you 00:06:10.548 --> 00:06:11.618 interact with the world. 00:06:11.618 --> 00:06:17.714 I'm obsessed with those connections and how everything is interrelated and how 00:06:18.027 --> 00:06:24.069 so many women especially do not understand that there is a connection amongst all those things. 00:06:24.533 --> 00:06:30.808 How to decode your ring data. I'm always so surprised by how when I ask a patient 00:06:30.808 --> 00:06:34.328 or client to show me their data, just hold your phone up to the, 00:06:34.808 --> 00:06:40.149 you know, camera, or if we're in office, give me your phone and talk to me about what's going on, how... 00:06:40.856 --> 00:06:46.719 The connections that I see are not obvious to my clients and to the women in 00:06:46.719 --> 00:06:50.339 my practice. And some of the women I work with have the luxury of seeing me 00:06:50.339 --> 00:06:54.755 90 minutes every week, sometimes a couple of times a week. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:01.169 But there are a lot of people who cannot afford time-wise, resource-wise to 00:07:01.169 --> 00:07:07.639 see me at that frequency and are not getting the benefit of my expertise when 00:07:07.639 --> 00:07:09.960 it comes to how to decode their wing data. 00:07:10.618 --> 00:07:15.802 If I see someone once a month, you know, which is the furthest I'd like to go 00:07:15.802 --> 00:07:21.841 out between visits at this point, just because of the way that my brain works and the practice works. 00:07:22.201 --> 00:07:28.272 But let's say I see someone once a month, that appointment, that may be 75 minutes 00:07:28.272 --> 00:07:32.932 if I'm lucky, is not going to be focused on the ring data. It's probably going 00:07:32.932 --> 00:07:35.117 to be focused on addressing something else. 00:07:35.424 --> 00:07:42.408 So I partly put all this in the book to help women have me when I'm not around. 00:07:42.675 --> 00:07:48.242 I would not be surprised if at some point my, you know, programmer husband doesn't 00:07:48.242 --> 00:07:50.322 take this information and make it an app. 00:07:50.662 --> 00:07:54.582 I

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For many people, pets are far more than companions; they become part of the nervous system’s sense of safety. For individuals with a history of childhood trauma, the human–animal bond can provide a form of connection that feels emotionally consistent, nonjudgmental, and regulating. Trauma often leaves the brain and body in states of hypervigilance, chronic stress, or emotional shutdown. The calming presence of an animal can help shift the nervous system out of survival mode and into greater regulation through touch, routine, attunement, and emotional connection. One biological reason for this is the release of oxytocin, often called the “bonding hormone,” which supports feelings of safety, connection, and calm while also helping reduce stress hormones like cortisol.   This connection can become especially important for individuals living with chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, or long-term stress-related health symptoms. Chronic activation of the stress response impacts not only emotional well-being, but also inflammation, immune function, sleep, digestion, hormones, and pain sensitivity. For many people, animals provide grounding, emotional co-regulation, and a reason to remain engaged in daily life during difficult seasons of physical or emotional struggle. During menopause, when hormonal fluctuations can contribute to anxiety, mood changes, sleep disruption, and nervous system sensitivity, the comfort and predictability of a pet can offer profound emotional stabilization. The simple acts of petting an animal, hearing a familiar sound, or engaging in caregiving routines can create moments of regulation that support both mental and physical health.   Because these bonds are so neurologically and emotionally significant, the grief associated with losing a beloved pet can be profound. Pet loss is not “just losing an animal”; for many people, it is the loss of safety, companionship, emotional attunement, routine, and unconditional connection. Trauma survivors, especially, may have found a pet to be one of the safest relationships they have ever experienced. The nervous system does not measure grief based on social status; it responds to attachment, love, and loss. Honoring the depth of that bond and allowing space for genuine grief is an important part of healing. The human–animal connection is deeply therapeutic, biologically regulating, and often profoundly protective across the lifespan.   This was a personal perspective on loss and attachment, that I thought relevant to my work and the people whose lives I touch. I hope this podcast speaks to you and resonates with your nervous system.   #grief #attachment #autoimnunity #healing #love #Lupus #neuropsychiatriclupus #Lupusawarenessmonth #pets #dogmom #loss https://www.docbrownbush.com

Week 3 of The Brain Warrior’s Way focuses on sleep and exercise for brain longevity. Learn how rest, movement, detox, and daily habits protect cognition, mood, and long-term health. https://www.docbrownbush.com

So many people try to change habits with a brain that is depleted, inflamed, or dysregulated. When that happens, willpower fails, motivation drops, and self-blame creeps in. This episode explains why supporting the brain biologically must come before expecting behavioral change. https://www.docbrownbush.com

What if your focus issues, anxiety, low mood, or brain fog weren’t “just psychological”? What if they were signals from specific brain systems needing support? This Week 1 The Brain Warriors Way Masterclass episode breaks down brain types, targeted supplementation, nutrition, and why four days of consistency matters for real brain change. https://www.docbrownbush.com

The fundamentals of brain health, are also the fundamentals of mental health  https://www.docbrownbush.com

How is 2025 treating you? How have you done with executing on your 2025 intentions? What do you want to see shift as the year progresses? How can you tap into Self-Love by excavating parts? Here is the podcast that was released in August: Root Causes of ADHD and Anxiety & Nervous System Rewiring for Women #30 - https://bit.ly/4ojXh3O Here are the recent Blogs: Blog | Therapist in Cornelius, NC | Dr. Tiffany Brown-Bush https://www.docbrownbush.com

Is it Second Puberty? Mood swings, Crazy cycles, Sleep issues, Hair changes, Wt. gain, Anxiety and Anger, Keep reading Learn what this infographic is about and what to do: https://conta.cc/4lmbD1t Relationships are so important If you’ve found yourself wondering, “What is happening with my marriage?” especially in your 40s or 50s, you’re not alone. Perimenopause can shake the very foundation of how you think, feel, and relate. The mood swings, memory issues, body changes and more will affect your relationships. Before making any significant decisions, take the time to learn more. In my latest blog, I explore how functional medicine and relational insight can help you pause, reset, and access your thinking brain. Your body might be changing, but so is your sense of self. This isn’t the end. It might just be your awakening. Read the blog here to learn more: https://www.docbrownbush.com/perimenopause-and-divorce https://www.docbrownbush.com

In this podcast episode, I share recent labs from clients with anxiety symptoms as well as ADHD symptoms. I love therapy, however the brain and body must be balanced for it to be truly effective. https://www.docbrownbush.com

Are you Anxious? There is so much going on, it makes sense if you are feeling a little/a lot anxious right now! Visit here for the free download. https://www.docbrownbush.com/anxiety https://www.docbrownbush.com

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In this episode, I joined Evan H. Hirsch, MD to his EnergyMD Podcast, to explore about the transformative power of Internal Family Systems (IFS) Parts Work in healing ME/CFS, Long COVID, and other chronic conditions. I, Dr. Tiffany Brown-Bush, a Traditional Naturopathic Doctor, Licensed Neuro-Psychotherapist, and Certified Functional Medicine Clinician with 24 years of experience in brain health, nervous system regulation, and holistic healing. I specialize in ADHD, anxiety, and reversing/preventing dementia, offering a unique blend of Emotional Freedom Techniques, Functional Neurology, Brainspotting, and IFS therapy to support deep healing. I developed the Doc Brown-Bush Method, a science-backed approach that integrates the brain, body, and mind to rewire the nervous system for lasting wellness. Many clients seek my expertise as a natural alternative to psychiatric medication, looking for sustainable solutions to mental and physical health challenges. Want to learn more about how to rewire your nervous system for healing? Access my free training here: www.drbrownbush.com https://www.docbrownbush.com

A love note to women in your 40's and 50's, you are not going crazy, your brain is dramatically changing. The changes are totally normal! https://www.docbrownbush.com

You are meant to bend, but not break. If ever there was a time to learn about resilience training with the Oura ring, it was during a time of constant change. https://bit.ly/42OrgbE https://bit.ly/4hLHmHD https://www.docbrownbush.com