The pursuit of excellence can sometimes take a toll on our mental well-being. Many of us strive for high levels of performance, whether in our careers, sports, or personal lives. We often hear about how to improve skills, manage time, and achieve our goals. But what about the mental side of high performance? This is where performance psychiatry comes into play. It is a field that focuses on optimizing mental health to enhance performance and overall quality of life.
Performance psychiatry examines how our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors can impact our ability to perform at our best. In our daily lives, it can help us deal with the pressures of balancing work and personal life. It can guide us in setting realistic goals, handling setbacks, and developing resilience. By understanding and addressing the psychological aspects of high performance, it helps us not only achieve our goals but also maintain a sense of well-being and balance in our lives. Remember, achieving excellence is not just about pushing ourselves harder but also about ensuring that our mental health supports and sustains our efforts.
Brook Choulet, M.D., is a board-certified concierge psychiatrist specializing in Performance Psychiatry™, where she helps high achievers and athletes optimize their mental health and performance. As the founder of Choulet Performance Psychiatry™, she works with clients across all ages, from children to adults. Dr. Choulet is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Psychology Today, and serves as the President and a founding member of the American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry.
In this episode with Dr. Brook Choulet, we will learn about the unique field of performance psychiatry and how it differs from traditional sports psychiatry. Dr. Choulet shares her journey of creating Performance Psychiatry, highlighting the importance of standardizing this specialty to better serve athletes and high-performing professionals. We also explore Dr. Choulet's practice model, where she combines mental health care with a concierge approach, offering personalized services to clients like professional athletes and other high-level professionals.
"If you are not mentally healthy, you're not going to perform at your best." – Dr. Brook Choulet
Topics Covered:
(00:00:34) Introducing our special guest, Dr. Brook Choulet
(00:01:32) The Performance Psychiatrist: Who is Dr. Brook Choulet?
(00:04:05) Why did Dr. Brook specialize in Performance psychiatry?
(00:06:27) Bet on yourself
(00:09:05) Overcoming imposter syndrome
(00:10:43) How can doctors maintain their self-worth?
(00:11:39) Core Principles of Performance Psychiatry
(00:13:03) The most valuable asset
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(00:15:16) Common traits of High-Performers
(00:17:10) What role does medication play in your practice as a psychiatrist?
(00:18:42) Handling return-to-play timelines
(00:20:06) Mental health education
(00:22:16) Creating safe spaces for athletes
(00:24:53) Final TimeOut with Dr. Brook Choulet: How does mental health impact peak performance for athletes, coaches, teachers, parents, and professionals?
(00:26:07) Where to connect to Dr. Brook Choulet
Key Takeaways:
“Betting on yourself is not easy when you don't have experience with what you're going into.” – Dr. Derrick Burgess
“The people who struggle the most are the ones that are so stuck in their ways, not looking to learn, develop, be flexible, and adaptable.”– Dr. Brook Choulet
“Your sense of self-worth should be defined from within rather than being influenced by the people around you.” – Dr. Brook Choulet
"As we all get older, our time and our health are our most valuable assets." – Dr. Brook Choulet
"It's very important to normalize mental health education and treatment because we're all dealing with something. Mental health exists on a spectrum." – Dr. Brook Choulet
"The more mentally healthy you are, the better you can show up for everyone around you. – Dr. Brook Choulet
Connect with Dr. Brook Choulet:
Website: https://www.brookchouletmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theperformancepsychiatrist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookchouletmd
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theperformancepsychiatrist/
Connect with Dr. Derrick Burgess:
Website: https://www.drderrickthesportsdr.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drderrickthesportsdr/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeOut.SportsDr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-burgess-72047b246/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHGDu1zT4K_X6PnYELu8weg
Email: thesportsdoctr@gmail.com
