In my practice, I've seen how isolating the struggle with perfectionism can feel. Though striving for excellence is often praised, the pressure to achieve flawlessness is seldom understood in its complexity. Like anxiety, the manifestations of perfectionism vary greatly from one individual to another. What drives one person towards perfectionism may not affect another in the same way, and the strategies to cope with these pressures can also differ significantly.
Many individuals minimise their experiences with self-critical thoughts like:
"I just have high standards for myself, that's all."
"I've managed on my own up until now so should be able to handle this"
"Others seem to be doing more, so my issues aren't that serious."
Many people refer to being a perfectionist as debilitating. I am interested in helping you understand what drives it and the ways it stops you from living the way you want to. It can get in the way of having the relationships that matter and of pursuing a job that you want.