It might sound like a good idea – to aim for perfect. But people who feel that only perfect is acceptable can find that this gets in the way of all sorts of things, like learning new skills, starting new things and making mistakes. Wanting everything you do to be perfect might mean that you spend far too long on tasks, and are often disappointed with yourself, and hardly ever proud of yourself.
Talking about perfectionism in therapy might mean acknowledging the impact of perfectionism, which could include feelings of anxiety and burnout. Understanding where you got the idea that you need to produce perfection and be perfect can be helpful, as can unpacking your beliefs around mistakes, failures and ‘good enough’.
As a person-centred therapist working with perfectionism, I want to validate your attachment to perfect, and also your wish to let it go. We can talk about what it’s like for you to both want to be perfect, and also want to be able to relax a little (or a lot!).
If you would like to talk about your perfectionism, please get in touch, we could arrange an initial meeting or a first session.
If you would like to know more about perfectionism, here are some useful links: