EP 106: Empowering Brain Health: A Conversation with Cognitive Protocol with Scott Thomson
Release Date: 02/02/2026
EP 106: Empowering Brain Health: A Conversation with Cognitive Protocol with Scott Thomson
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
What if the symptoms you’ve been “living with” for years aren’t something you have to accept at all? If you’ve ever been told to just shake it off, sit in a dark room, or wait out your concussion symptoms—chances are you’ve been missing one of the most foundational pieces of brain recovery. In this episode, I’m joined by Scott Thomson, co-founder of Cognitive Protocol, to unpack a hard truth: ignoring nutrition (or oversimplifying it) keeps people stuck in inflammation, brain fog, headaches, mood changes, and fatigue—sometimes decades after their last hit to the head. The...
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EP 105: Taking Time for Self-Care and Growth
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
Have you ever felt the pull to deepen your healing—but found yourself terrified of what might surface if you actually slowed down long enough to listen? If you're like many people on a concussion or trauma-related healing journey, you might be unintentionally doing the very thing that keeps you stuck: staying in your head, trying to control every outcome, and avoiding the “box” of unresolved experiences you’re afraid might burst open. But here’s the truth—healing rarely happens in the mind alone. And when you try to logic your way through everything, you disconnect from the very...
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EP 104: From Meditation to Mobilization: Engaging the Nervous System
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
What if the real reason your nervous system work isn’t “working”… is because you’ve been aiming for the wrong goal? So many people in the concussion and healing space are trying to “feel safe,” “stay calm,” or “get into parasympathetic mode” — only to end up more frustrated, more dysregulated, or even more disconnected from their bodies. And here’s the kicker: It’s not that you’re doing it wrong… it’s that you’ve been told to chase an outcome you can’t physiologically access yet. In this episode, Natasha breaks down the misconceptions around nervous system...
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Concussion Nerds: The Roundtable EP 4: Healing Paths Explored: Traditional vs. Contemporary Approaches
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
What if “evidence-based” isn’t the only correct path — but picking the wrong alternative care could cost your client their recovery? Too many patients and clinicians get stuck in a binary: either “only evidence-based” or “anything that feels good.” That leaves vulnerable people chasing unproven fixes, paying lots of money, delaying effective care — or worse, getting harmed. Here’s the hard truth: the concussion space is messy and full of gray. Research often lags behind clinical observation, but that doesn’t mean anything goes. The solution is evidence-informed,...
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EP 103: Navigating Vision Challenges Post-Concussion with Dr. Paul Rollett
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
Have you ever wondered why your vision still feels “off” long after your concussion recovery was supposed to be complete? You’re not imagining it — and you’re definitely not alone. So many concussion survivors go through the motions of rehab, only to find their eyes still struggle to track, focus, or process movement the way they used to. The problem? Vision issues are often an invisible piece of the concussion puzzle that goes undiagnosed or under-treated. In this episode, Natasha sits down with Dr. Paul Rollett, a neuro-optometrist who understands this struggle on a personal level....
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Concussion Nerds: The Roundtable EP 3: Money Talk in Concussion Rehab
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
Have you ever hesitated to recommend a treatment because you weren’t sure your patient could afford it — or worried your fees would look like you’re putting profit before care? Many private-practice providers freeze at the money conversation: we undercharge out of guilt, over-explain costs, or avoid talking about outcomes and value — and that leaves patients confused, underserved, or worse, exploited. That discomfort is exactly why this episode matters. The Roundtable pulls back the curtain on pricing, billing, and ethical care — we name the tension between value and access, then...
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Concussion Nerds: The Roundtable EP 2: Is your concussion clinic legit? The questions we need to ask
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
Could the clinic you’re trusting with your brain actually be doing more harm than good? Too many people assume “concussion clinic” on a website means expert care — and they end up getting one-size-fits-all treatments, vague reassurance, or worse: passive “symptom management” that stalls recovery. That confusion is costing people time, money, and progress. In this episode we pull back the curtain on what realconcussion care looks like, how to spot red flags (and good signs), and why an integrated, multi-system screen — not a single weekend course — matters. We also meet...
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EP 102: Concussion Recovery: Exploring Neurofeedback Techniques
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
Have you ever wondered what’s actually happening in your brain after a concussion—and why some symptoms just won’t quit? You’ve probably tried the usual: rest, therapy, supplements… but your sleep is still off, your focus is fuzzy, and your mood swings are confusing everyone (including you). That’s where neurofeedback comes in—a powerful yet often misunderstood approach that can retrain your brainwaves and support true, lasting recovery. In this episode, Natasha sits down with Lisa Cramer, licensed professional counselor, neurofeedback provider, and owner of MindBody Neurotherapy...
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Concussion Nerds: The Roundtable EP 1: The Shocking Truth About Concussions (and Why Recovery Needs to Change)
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
What really happens when concussion care goes beyond silos and clinicians start collaborating? If you’ve ever felt like concussion care is disjointed—with one provider treating symptoms in isolation—you’re not alone. Too often, patients are left bouncing between professionals, trying to piece together their own recovery while struggling to understand what’s actually happening in their brain and body. That’s exactly why The Roundtable exists—to change that. In this first episode of Concussion Nerds: The Roundtable, host Natasha Wilch, along with Dr. Rachel...
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101. What CTE Can Do to the Mind — A Hard but Necessary Conversation
The Concussion Nerds Podcast
⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussion of suicide and recent shootings in relation to CTE. What happens when the body of an elite athlete breaks down—and the mind begins to follow? So many athletes push through pain, assuming that grit and discipline can outlast anything. But what happens when the symptoms you’re feeling—confusion, depression, vertigo, and memory loss—aren’t something you can train your way out of? In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode, former Team USA Bobsled athlete William Person shares his journey from Olympic-level competition to...
info_outlineWhat if the symptoms you’ve been “living with” for years aren’t something you have to accept at all?
If you’ve ever been told to just shake it off, sit in a dark room, or wait out your concussion symptoms—chances are you’ve been missing one of the most foundational pieces of brain recovery.
In this episode, I’m joined by Scott Thomson, co-founder of Cognitive Protocol, to unpack a hard truth: ignoring nutrition (or oversimplifying it) keeps people stuck in inflammation, brain fog, headaches, mood changes, and fatigue—sometimes decades after their last hit to the head. The solution isn’t doing nothing… it’s reclaiming agency. Strategic, targeted nutrition can calm the storm in the brain, reduce inflammation, and support real healing—without needing 25 different supplements or a full-time job in the kitchen.
BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:
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Why brain health was ignored for so long in sports—and how that mistake is still affecting adults today
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How Scott Thomson’s background in professional athletics and nutrition led to the creation of Cognitive Protocol
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The critical role of omega fatty acids, creatine, and inflammation-reducing nutrients in brain recovery
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How intentional nutrition gives concussion patients and caregivers back a sense of control and momentum in healing
Brain healing isn’t passive—and as Scott Thomson shares, you don’t have to live with lingering symptoms forever when you give your brain what it actually needs to recover.
Listener Discount Code: CONCUSSIONNERDS20
Website: https://cognitiveprotocol.com/
Let’s Connect!
@concussionnerds https://www.instagram.com/concussionnerds/
@natasha.wilch https://www.instagram.com/natasha.wilch/
Email: hello@natashawilch.com
Website: https://www.natasha-wilch.com
Learn how to connect & understand your nervous system so you can have greater outcomes in your health & healing journey: Grab a copy of the workbookhttps://www.natashawilch.com/understanding-connecting-your-nervous-system-1
Join the Clinician’s Edge to have Your Weekly Taste of Neuro Wisdom here: https://www.natashawilch.com/clinicians-edge
Join the Concussion Mini School and Membership!
Get the support and resources you need for concussion recovery:
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Mini School: https://www.natashawilch.com/concussion-mini-school
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Membership: https://www.natashawilch.com/concussion-mini-school-the-membership