Episode 329-From Scans to Sunlight: Rethinking Autism Care with Dr. Theodore Henderson

Send us a text What if “treatment-resistant” isn’t about you—it’s about the tools? We sit down with Dr. Theodore Henderson, a neurobiologist and psychiatrist, to rethink brain care for autism, TBI, depression, anxiety, and long COVID through neuroplasticity, functional imaging, and smarter energy-based therapies. Instead of labels and guesswork, we dig into how infrared light can reach mitochondria, raise BDNF, and trigger repair; why power and dosing make or break results; and how SPECT scans help clinicians ask better questions before prescribing. Dr. Henderson shares a striking case where a bipolar diagnosis crumbled under imaging—and Lyme disease treatment resolved years of symptoms. We also unpack the politics around SPECT access and the fresh shift in nuclear medicine guidelines that put TBI, dementia, and infectious disease back on the map. From there, we head into the future: ExoMind’s next-gen TMS with shorter, quieter, higher-impact sessions; the safety essentials that keep interventions comfortable; and the real-world outcomes families care about most—less anxiety, fewer spirals, clearer thinking, more daily ease. The theme is synergy: infrared plus ketamine, infrared plus TMS, layered with sleep, sunlight, and sensory-friendly routines to create lasting change. Along the way, we honor neurodiversity and practical wins for autistic individuals: reducing rigidity, softening anxiety, and supporting unique strengths without forcing sameness. If your current plan isn’t working, this conversation offers a hopeful pivot—more data, fewer assumptions, and a toolkit that actually matches the brain’s biology. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a new path, and tell us: what question do you want your brain to answer next? Support the show