Therapy for Perfectionism & OCD
Everything must be exactly right.
You’re not just detail-oriented. You feel responsible for getting things exactly right, and it’s exhausting.
A simple text can sit unsent for hours as you rewrite it to be clear and considerate. You triple-check your slide deck, worried that one mistake will reflect poorly on you or the team.
Each weekend is planned down to the minute, so nothing feels wasted.
Cooking a meal, organizing your desk, or doing laundry can turn into a test of whether you did it “right.”
A change in plans can feel unsettling to completely overwhelming, like the whole day or project is suddenly off track.
Your perfectionism and possibly OCD are getting out of hand.
Here’s how they show up in life.
You compare yourself to others, wondering if you measure up. After a conversation or meeting, you replay every word, checking for mistakes or missteps.
You might text a friend repeatedly to clarify what you meant or ask for reassurance that you weren’t misunderstood.
Even small decisions like what to submit, what to wear, or whether to speak up can feel impossible until you’re certain you’ve made the “right” choice. You over-explain yourself in emails or conversations to prevent judgment.
For some people, this overlaps with obsessive-compulsive disorder, especially when intrusive thoughts push you to check, fix, or seek certainty in ways that interfere with your day-to-day life.
Therapy helps address these compulsions.
We pay close attention to the patterns you’re already in. Attention will be paid to what sets off the anxiety, what you do next, and what short-term relief is costing you.
In the moment you feel the urge to recheck, over-explain, or get reassurance, we’ll practice responding differently in ways that are realistic for your life.
If OCD is part of the picture, we may use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). That means gradually testing what happens when you don’t follow the usual urge to check, fix, or reassure yourself at a pace that feels manageable.
What tends to change?
You spend less time in your head. Decisions take less effort. You’re able to let things be unfinished or uncertain without them lingering all day.
The same situations may still come up, but they don’t pull you in the same way. There’s more space in your day and less pressure to get everything exactly right.
Gain control over perfectionism and OCD.
Perfectionism has a way of convincing you there’s a “right” way to reach out, what to say, when to say it, and how sure you should feel first.
You don’t have to get it exactly right here. Reaching out, especially if it feels imperfect, is often the first step in doing something different.
Message me today to get started.