Perfectionism Therapy & Counseling

I specialize in issues of perfectionism in and outside of the academic environment. In a society in which perfection is often seen as desirable or even necessary for success, it is not surprising to come across so many driven adolescents and adults struggling with perfectionist habits. But there is a difference between striving for excellence, even striving for perfection, and suffering from perfectionism.

Perfectionist attitudes are marked by a number of negative feelings, thoughts, and beliefs. Such attitudes can rob you of personal satisfaction so that even when you achieve tremendous success, you can’t appreciate it.

Myths about perfectionism are common.. One myth I hear often is, “I wouldn’t have gotten into (name of a college or company) if I weren’t such a perfectionist.” Another is, “My perfectionism ensures that I get things done right; my success depends on my perfectionism.” In reality, perfectionists may be no more successful than their equally motivated but less perfectionistic peers. Perfectionists often have problems with procrastination, missed deadlines, paralyzing self-criticism, high stress levels, and low productivity.

One reason it is so hard to let go of our perfectionist habits is that overcoming perfectionism means accepting our imperfection, our humanness, our permanent status as life-long learners. It is often the case that perfectionists feel they are valued by others only because of how much they accomplish or achieve. This can make it difficult to appreciate the process as well as the product of one’s efforts, and even more difficult to determine what you want to accomplish for yourself rather than for the approval of others.