Understanding Your Concussion

Jana
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For anyone living with concussion symptoms for months....or even years...this podcast is for you. I'm Jana Kapp, and I know this journey deeply - both as a patient as as a clinician. I sustained three Concussions and spent seven years feeling unlike myself, without guidance, clarity, or support. Back then, information wasn't accessible the way it is now. I didn't understand what was happening to me or why I felt the way I felt. As a Physiotherapist trained in Canada, I later gained access to concussion rehabilitation courses. They helped - but only part of me healed. I still didn't feel like myself. So I began searching for answers. The searched led me to understand that concussion recovery isn't a one size fits all healing process. It isn't about rehab alone. Its understanding your whole self - your brain, your body, your nervous system, your emotions, your lived experience. No two brains are the same, which means no two recovery journey's are the same either. What I learned, and what I have seen in countess others, is this; Recovery isn't about finding the RIGHT way to heal, it is about finding YOUR WAY to heal. When you understand what is happening inside you - when you finally know why you feel the way you feel - you become empowered to navigate your recovery process with confidence, compassion and clarity. Join me in Understanding Your Concussion as we explore the science, the stories and the strategies that help you reconnect with yourself, your whole self, so that you can move forward feeling and functioning like you again. "Find your way, Follow your path through empowerment and understanding."

  1. Oct 1

    Episode 15: Intro to Understanding Your Concussion Course Part 3

    I used to think concussion recovery meant resting until the symptoms went away. In this episode, I explain why that approach is changing—and how carefully guided movement may help reduce symptoms, support sleep and mental health, and make recovery more manageable. I talk about what can happen in the brain and body after a concussion, including why symptoms may go beyond headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety, digestive issues, and exercise intolerance can also be part of the experience. I share my own complicated relationship with exercise during recovery and how I learned to approach movement gradually, even when it didn’t feel helpful at first. As a physiotherapist, I also discuss the shift toward active recovery, why exercise may be introduced early for some people, and why a gradual, individualized approach matters. Concussion recovery isn’t simply about waiting for symptoms to disappear; understanding what your body is going through can help you make more informed decisions as you heal. If you’re recovering from a concussion or supporting someone who is, I hope this conversation offers a clearer perspective on the role movement can play. Check with your doctor or qualified healthcare professional before starting exercise after a concussion.

  2. Sep 24

    Episode 14: What does it mean when they say "Let it be a process" in a healing journey

    When given the advice to let healing “just let it be a process” can feel frustrating and dismissive when stuck in concussion recovery. After many people telling me to “let it be a process” I decided to discover - what that really meant. In today’s episode, I break down what that phrase actually means and why when healing feels messy, its is not a sign that healing is failing—it’s a sign that healing is happening. Using neuroplasticity, newborn development, and my own long recovery, I explore why progress is built through tiny milestones, repetition, effort, and awareness—not by waiting for symptoms to magically disappear. If you’ve been pushing for a finish line and missing the small wins that get you there, this episode reframes the whole journey. I share why a baby learning to walk is the perfect model for concussion recovery, how the “learning space” between not knowing and knowing works, and why setbacks, overstimulation, and stop-start progress can be part of doing the journey. I also talk about how I stopped obsessing over the end result and started focusing on the foundation that makes lasting healing possible. If you’ve been living with long-term concussion symptoms and trying to get back to work, sport, or everyday life, this conversation offers a more compassionate, realistic way to think about recovery—and a reminder that slow and steady really can win this race.

  3. Sep 17

    Episode 13: Intro to Understanding Your Concussion Course: Lesson 3 Understanding Rest and Recovery

    Rest is not laziness, and during my concussion recovery, treating it like “doing nothing” kept me stuck longer than I expected. In this episode, I break down the surprising truth about rest, why avoiding it can prolong symptoms, and how I learned to use it as an active part of healing instead of something to feel guilty about I explain why rest is more than lying down or shutting everything off, and how the brain’s energy crisis changes what recovery really requires. I also explore the difference between passive rest and active rest, why emotional flooding can make downtime feel harder than it should, and how shifting my attention helped me recognize progress instead of focusing only on symptoms. I share the mindset shift that changed my own recovery after years of pushing through persistent symptoms. Reframing rest as productive rather than lazy helped me understand that recovery is not about forcing myself to bounce back—it is about giving my brain the support and energy it needs to heal. If I’m recovering from a concussion, supporting someone who is, or struggling with mixed messages about recovery, this episode offers a clearer and more compassionate way forward. Rest is not a luxury or a sign of weakness. It is a recovery skill, and learning how to use it effectively can make a meaningful difference.

  4. Sep 3

    Episode 12: To Push or Not to Push Through Symptoms?

    For years, I kept asking myself: Should I push through my concussion symptoms, or should I rest? I wanted a clear, straightforward answer—but recovery isn’t that simple. Through my own four-year push-crash cycle, I learned that the answer is both. There are times when gently pushing into my symptoms can help me grow my capacity, and there are times when my brain is telling me it’s time to slow down and return to my green zone. The key takeaway is learning to recognize my green, yellow, and red zones. Yellow can be a growth zone, but pushing too far into red can leave me overwhelmed, overstimulated, and needing much longer to recover. Healing isn’t about doing everything or doing nothing—it’s about finding the right balance, listening to what my brain is communicating, and gradually building my capacity through consistency. I also learned that symptoms aren’t always a sign that I’m doing something wrong. Sometimes, they can be my brain communicating that I’m approaching my capacity. The important part is learning to recognize the intensity of those symptoms and knowing when to keep going and when to take a step back. By understanding my capacity, I was able to move away from the push-crash and avoidance patterns and gradually grow my green zone—so I could have more energy, participate in life, and feel and function more like myself again.

  5. Aug 28

    Episode 11: Intro to Understanding Your Concussion Course: Lesson 2 Understanding Your Symptoms

    I created the Understanding Your Concussion courses because I know how challenging it can be to navigate recovery without fully understanding what’s happening in your brain. As a physiotherapist who has also experienced persistent concussion symptoms, I’ve seen how much important information can be difficult to fit into a typical appointment. Recovery involves more than assessments and exercises—it also involves understanding your symptoms, learning how to respond to them, and knowing how to support your brain outside of the clinic. In this episode, I introduce the four lessons in Understanding Your Concussion and share why education became such an important part of my own recovery. I also talk about symptoms, overstimulation, capacity, and how changing the way we respond to what our brain is communicating can help us move forward. 🎧 Tune in to the full episode to learn more about my approach to concussion recovery and the Understanding Your Concussion courses. 💛 Lesson 1: Understanding Your Injured Brain is FREE.

  6. Aug 20

    Episode 10: The Emotional Impact on Our Concussion Recovery Process

    In this episode, I explore the often-overlooked connection between emotional experiences, the nervous system, and concussion recovery. Through my own recovery journey, I share how the thoughts, stories, and meaning I placed around my symptoms and experiences influenced my nervous system and shaped how I felt throughout the day. I discuss the concept of emotional flooding and how a negative outlook or perceived threat can keep the nervous system in a heightened state, even during periods of rest. I share personal experiences, including my walks to and from work and returning to swimming, to illustrate how changing the way I perceived an experience helped me approach recovery with greater awareness and regulation. I also reflect on why concussion recovery requires more than addressing the physical symptoms alone. Learning to recognize the stories I was telling myself, understand what my brain was communicating, and reframe perceived threats allowed me to work with my nervous system rather than constantly activating it. This is not about toxic positivity or ignoring symptoms—it is about developing a more realistic, compassionate, and supportive perspective throughout the recovery process. My goal in this episode is to help you recognize how your emotional experience may be influencing your symptoms and recovery, and to encourage you to pause, reflect, and consider: What is my nervous system communicating, and what story am I attaching to this experience?

  7. Aug 13

    Episode 9: How to Know Healing IS Happening: Recovery Time is the Key

    What if you’re healing… but you just don’t know how to see it? 🧠💛 One of the hardest parts of concussion recovery is still experiencing symptoms and wondering, “Am I actually getting better?” But healing isn’t always as simple as “I have symptoms = I’m not healing.” Your symptoms can still be present while your brain is adapting and creating new pathways. Instead of only looking at whether a symptom is there, start noticing the intensity, frequency, and especially how long it takes for your symptoms to settle. Maybe your headache still happens—but it takes less time to recover. Maybe the intensity has decreased. Maybe you can do a little more before symptoms appear. Those changes matter. Healing can be happening before you reach the point of being completely symptom-free. ✨ 🎓 Want to understand more about what’s happening inside your injured brain? Watch our FREE course video: “Understanding Your Injured Brain.” 🎧 You can also listen to the full conversation on our Spotify Podcast. 💬 Comment “HEALING” and we’ll send you the link! #ConcussionRecovery #ConcussionHealing #BrainInjuryRecovery #ConcussionAwareness #Neuroplasticity #HealingJourney #BrainHealth

  8. Aug 6

    Episode 8: The Mindset Required to Navigate A Concussion Recovery Journey

    Unlock the secret to healing from concussion: it’s not just about your symptoms — it’s about your mindset. In this episode, I share how my own recovery changed once I understood that symptoms and emotional shifts can be physiological responses, not signs that I’m failing. I talk through the autonomic nervous system, the stress-symptom cycle, and how I learned to notice real progress even when healing didn’t feel linear. I also break down the switchback analogy, which helped me see recovery as a series of ups and downs rather than a straight line. That shift made it easier to move between an injured mindset and a more resilient one, while paying attention to the small wins like better energy, improved mood, and shorter recovery times. If you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or unsure whether you’re actually getting better, this episode is for you. It’s a more compassionate way to think about recovery — and a reminder that healing can happen even when symptoms are still hanging around.

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About

For anyone living with concussion symptoms for months....or even years...this podcast is for you. I'm Jana Kapp, and I know this journey deeply - both as a patient as as a clinician. I sustained three Concussions and spent seven years feeling unlike myself, without guidance, clarity, or support. Back then, information wasn't accessible the way it is now. I didn't understand what was happening to me or why I felt the way I felt. As a Physiotherapist trained in Canada, I later gained access to concussion rehabilitation courses. They helped - but only part of me healed. I still didn't feel like myself. So I began searching for answers. The searched led me to understand that concussion recovery isn't a one size fits all healing process. It isn't about rehab alone. Its understanding your whole self - your brain, your body, your nervous system, your emotions, your lived experience. No two brains are the same, which means no two recovery journey's are the same either. What I learned, and what I have seen in countess others, is this; Recovery isn't about finding the RIGHT way to heal, it is about finding YOUR WAY to heal. When you understand what is happening inside you - when you finally know why you feel the way you feel - you become empowered to navigate your recovery process with confidence, compassion and clarity. Join me in Understanding Your Concussion as we explore the science, the stories and the strategies that help you reconnect with yourself, your whole self, so that you can move forward feeling and functioning like you again. "Find your way, Follow your path through empowerment and understanding."

Information

  • Creator
    Jana
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jana