The Mindful Minute: Conversations at the Heart of Brain Health

Masking and Memory: A Conversation with Michelle, an SLP’s View of Brain Health

In this episode, Michelle shares why speech-language pathology is about so much more than speech—and how cognition, memory, problem-solving, and even swallowing can reveal what’s happening in the brain. We talk about why people “mask” cognitive challenges, why casual conversation isn’t always enough, and how objective assessments can bring clarity for patients, families, and clinicians. Michelle also offers a refreshing, stigma-free perspective on brain health—reminding us that more information leads to better support, better planning, and better outcomes.

Lifelong Learning Helps Brain Health: A Conversation with Lauren Emrich

In this episode, we’re joined by Lauren Emrich, RN, for an inspiring conversation about staying connected to your passion and embracing lifelong learning. Lauren shares why it’s never too early—or too late—to build habits that fuel curiosity, growth, and continuous improvement. Creating patterns of learning is just one example of lifestyle factors we review that can help keep your brain healthy.

Why Brain Health Matters: A Conversation with Dr. John Showalter

Our first episode features Dr. John Showalter, who brings both clinical and operational expertise to the discussion. Dr. Showalter explores why brain health is essential and how it can—and should—become a routine part of preventive care, just like mammograms or colon cancer screenings.  He also shares why a podcast is the perfect forum for these conversations and how storytelling helps connect big ideas in brain health to the day-to-day experiences of clinicians and patients.