Sedona Prince: On Battling Her Bipolar II Diagnosis, Past Emotional Trauma, EMDR Therapy & Peak Performance

Sedona Prince: On Battling Her Bipolar II Diagnosis, Past Emotional Trauma, EMDR Therapy & Peak Performance

In this insightful episode, Dr. Daniel G. Amen sits down with professional basketball player Sedona Prince to discuss her recent diagnosis of Bipolar II disorder. Sedona opens up about her struggles with intense depressive episodes and the embarrassment she felt due to her condition. She highlights how periods of mania can lead to sleeplessness and irrational thoughts, affecting her personal and professional life. Dr. Amen analyzes Sedona's brain health, noting a negativity bias that predisposes her to depression.

He emphasizes the importance of starting and ending each day with positive affirmations to combat this bias. Through his Amen University, Dr. Amen provides resources and courses designed to improve happiness, memory, and mental health, offering listeners a chance to optimize their brain health. Sedona reflects on the emotional trauma from her past, particularly during her childhood, and how it has shaped her current mental state.

She discusses the role of EMDR therapy and working with a sports psychologist to address these issues and improve her mental resilience. As a professional athlete, Sedona faces the challenge of maintaining peak performance while managing her mental health, highlighting the pressures of medication and its impact on her manic episodes. The episode also touches on the importance of having an alter ego in sports, as advised by Todd Herman, to separate personal struggles from professional performance.

Sedona's journey is one of self-discovery, as she learns to love herself beyond her identity as a basketball player. Listeners are encouraged to explore ways to optimize brain health and emotional well-being, with special offers from Amen University to support their journey. The conversation ends with a reminder that mental health is a continuous journey, and optimizing brain health is crucial for long-term happiness and success.