Anxiety and Perfectionism

For perfectionists, working hard can reap tangible rewards. Maybe you’ve always received good grades or had positive work reviews. This can make it feel like perfectionism is working.

However, under the surface it may feel like you’re never enough. No matter what you achieve, there is always something more to do. Or you may feel like an imposter who doesn’t deserve the accolades you have received. The pressure to be perfect can affect parenting, relationships, school, work, health, and body image.

If you’re struggling with perfectionism, you’re not alone. We’re constantly receiving messages about how to work smarter, live better, and improve our skincare routine. On the surface this advice is helpful. But for many people these messages only increase stress and anxiety.

Therapy can help you let go of perfection and find what you actually want. If that means taking more naps, excellent. If that means saying no to an extra work project, great. But it’s also okay if those things don’t change right away. Therapy can get caught in the cycle of perfectionism—it can feel like you need to be perfect at mental health. Together, we can notice how negative self talk and unrealistic expectations are cropping up in the therapeutic relationship.

Body image

A special note on body image—there is an incredible amount of pressure in our culture to look a certain way. Therapy can help you ditch society’s beauty norms. I am body positive, fat positive, and believe in HAES (Health at Every Size).