Let’s Talk About Brains: Janet Grove Featured on the Don’t Die Rusty Podcast

Podcast highlights: What Janet Grove shares in “Let’s Talk About Brains”

Here are a few standout themes from the conversation:

1) Janet’s path: from small-town roots to brain-health-focused care

Janet shares her journey from Ree Heights, South Dakota, to becoming a speech-language pathologist and eventually co-founding Progressive Therapy Associates—with a clear mission: help people improve real-world functioning, not just “pass a test.” 

2) Why brain health deserves attention before there’s a crisis

A major point Janet reinforces: we tend to think about brain health only after a concussion, stroke, or diagnosis. But learning how your brain works (and what affects it) can change how you approach daily life—work, school, relationships, and stress.

3) Sleep and movement matter more than most people think

Janet talks about how sleep and movement impact brain function—and why the basics are often the biggest levers for attention, mood, and cognitive stamina. 

4) ADHD is family-wide, not just “an individual problem”

Another key highlight: the hereditary nature of ADHD and how it can show up across generations—often in ways people don’t recognize until they have language for it. Janet speaks to the importance of understanding what’s really going on, so families can stop blaming themselves and start using effective strategies. 

5) Personalized care is the point

Janet emphasizes therapy that is collaborative, individualized, and grounded in the person’s real life—their routines, responsibilities, goals, and frustrations. 

Why learning about brain health is worth it (even if you feel “fine”)

Brain health isn’t just about avoiding worst-case scenarios. It’s about helping your brain do what you need it to do—consistently.

Better brain health can support:

• Attention and productivity (less “spinning,” more follow-through)

• Memory and learning (especially when life is busy)

• Mood and emotional balance

• Confidence (because struggling silently is exhausting)

Two “boring” habits come up repeatedly in research and public health guidance because they’re powerful:

• Sleep: Quality sleep supports attention, learning, and memory; poor sleep over time is linked with memory problems and confusion. 

• Physical activity: Regular movement supports thinking, learning, memory, and can reduce anxiety and depression. 

Practical takeaways you can use this week

Not medical advice—just strong starting points that align with the themes Janet discusses and what we see help many people build a “more efficient brain” over time:

1. Protect your sleep like an appointment

   Same wake time most days, reduce late-night scrolling, and aim for a wind-down routine.

2. Add movement that you’ll actually do

   Short walks count. Consistency beats intensity.

3. Stop “powering through” brain fog

   If your brain feels slow, scattered, or overloaded, treat it as a signal—not a character flaw.

4. Name the challenge before you try to fix it

   Is it attention, memory, planning, word-finding, processing speed, mental stamina? Getting specific changes everything. (This is often where professional guidance helps most.)

5. Ask for help sooner than you think you “deserve” to

   People often wait until they’re at a breaking point. You don’t need to “prove” your struggle is big enough.

When it’s time to get support

Progressive Therapy Associates works with adolescents and adults (14+) and commonly supports cognitive-communication needs related to ADHD, concussion/TBI, stroke/vascular issues, MS, and more—including people who “look fine” but feel like daily life takes far more effort than it should. 

Janet Grove’s clinical background includes cognitive-communication treatment for concussion, traumatic brain injury, stroke, encephalitis, and ADHD, and she became a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) in 2019. 

Ready to take the next step?

If something in this episode hits close to home—whether it’s attention struggles, lingering concussion symptoms, or feeling like your brain just isn’t cooperating—we’re here to help.

Progressive Therapy Associates offers a free consultation (no obligation). Call 701-356-7766 to learn what support could look like for you (or someone you care about). 

And don’t forget to watch the full podcast episode embedded above—Janet’s perspective is grounded, practical, and full of the kind of clarity people wish they had earlier.