On the surface, all we see is โperfectionisticโ, โneuroticโ, sometimes controlling behaviour. But if we look a little deeper we can begin to understand, that underneath perfectionism there may be a lot going on. Here we dive deeper into understanding perfectionism including how counselling can help.
โ
There are many ways perfectionism shows up in our life and can GET IN THE WAY of how we live (read our previous article to learn more about what perfectionism can look like).โ
Understanding perfectionism
Perfectionism can show up in many different domains in our life:โ
โ ๐
Work or schoolโ
๐
Relationshipsโ
๐
Physical activityโ
๐
Home environment or surroundingsโ
๐
Hygiene and healthโ
๐
Physical appearanceโ
๐
How you speak or writeโ
โ Many factors may contribute to developing perfectionist tendencies:
๐งฉ An insecure early attachment to a caregiver.โ
๐งฉ Having a caregiver model perfectionistic behaviours.โ
๐งฉ Having a caregiver routinely express disapproval when your efforts donโt measure up to their expectations.โ
๐งฉ Frequent fear of disapproval from others.โ
๐งฉ Personality style that is higher in conscientiousness and rigidity.โ
๐งฉ Experiences of trauma or shame.โ patterns, itโs ok and expected that itโll take some time to understand and change these patterns. โ
Change your habits and move towards self-compassion
If these sound familiar and you have figured out that perfectionism is interfering in your life in some way, we think youโll love ourย self help-guide, โThe Lifted Lifeโ to help you get started. Inside our therapist-designed guide are all sorts of self-reflective exercises, tools, and strategies to move you out of old habits and into a more self-compassionate, better version of yourself.
You can learn more aboutย The Lifted Lifeย guideย here.
Counselling for perfectionism
We hope that this information has helped you to shed some light on your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and allowed you to gain valuable insight. This is a first step towards change. But if you are ready to dive deeper and focus on making significant changes in your life, you may benefit from working through this with one of our counsellors. To book a session, click here.
If youโre not sure what kind of support you need, weโll be happy to match you with a counsellor who can help.