Perfectionism

What is perfectionism?

Perfectionism is the desire to always do things right and some discomfort when things aren’t, well… perfect. People with perfectionistic tendencies may feel a strong need to meet high standards and avoid mistakes or criticism. While this can be healthy in some doses and useful for success, motivation, and organisation, it can become stressful when it feels like nothing you do is ‘good enough’. You might begin to spend a lot of time worrying about making errors, disappointing others, or not meeting your own expectations.

Perfectionism in the wrong dose might affect work, study, relationships, and overall wellbeing as you feel a constant pressure to perform, behave, think, and interact in a way that is ‘perfect’. Living with perfectionism can feel exhausting. Perfectionism often works alongside anxiety and depression, contributing to low self esteem, burnout, and reduced sense of overall satisfaction. The challenge is finding balance so that high standards do not come at the expense of your mental health or quality of life.
Perfectionism doesn’t mean you are failing or doing something wrong. Often, it develops as a way of coping, staying safe, or seeking approval.

With the right support, it’s possible to build a healthier relationship with yourself, develop self-compassion, and learn ways to manage the pressure perfectionism can manifest. Our psychologists in Melbourne are well equipped to work with perfectionism, and there are useful treatments that are available to help. We offer counselling in Footscray, so please get in touch to find out how we can support you.

Signs and symptoms of perfectionism

We need to find the right balance between working hard and striving to achieve, and overdoing it in a way that creates more distress for us. There is a complex paradox with perfectionism…in that actually striving for perfection takes us further away from it. The Centre For Clinical Intervention has some self-help resources for perfectionism, available for free. This is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is a common treatment for perfectionism. Other therapies that might help include things like Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Schema Therapy and Psychodynamic-Informed Psychotherapy.

Symptoms of perfectionism

Setting extremely high standards for yourself
Feeling like your work or efforts are never “good enough”
Being highly self-critical or focusing on mistakes
Fear of failure, criticism, or disappointing others
Spending excessive time checking, editing, or redoing tasks
Avoiding tasks because you’re worried you won’t do them perfectly
Difficulty relaxing or switching off from work or responsibilities
Comparing yourself to others
Feeling anxious when things are uncertain or out of your control
Struggling to celebrate achievements or feel satisfied with success
Procrastination
Having low mood or reduced self-confidence when expectations aren’t met

Physical symptoms of perfectionism

Stress, tension, or feeling constantly “on edge”
Difficulty sleeping or switching your mind off
Fatigue or burnout from overworking yourself
Headaches, muscle tension, or stomach discomfort related to stress
Anxiety, irritability, or feeling overwhelmed

So, what can I do?

Seeking support for perfectionism can help you develop healthier expectations, improve self-esteem, and reduce the stress that comes from constantly striving to be perfect. With the right strategies, it’s possible to feel more balanced, flexible, and compassionate toward yourself while still working toward your goals.

Contact us to find a psychologist in Footscray who can offer evidence-based treatment for perfectionism in a supportive, and non-judgemental environment. We’re here to help, so please contact us to find out more, so we can chat about matching you with a psychologist who’s a good fit.

We have Medicare rebate psychologists, to help with the cost of therapy and also offer telehealth psychologists, Workcover psychologists TAC psychologists.

Psychology FAQs

Have a question? Take a look below… these are some of the common questions we get.

No referral is needed to book a session, but if you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, you might be eligible for Medicare rebates.

Yep, life happens! Just give us at least 48 hours’ notice so we can offer that spot to someone else. Cancellations within 48 hours will incur a fee.

We don’t usually offer instalment plans, but if money’s tight, chat with us privately – we’re happy to see how we can find a solution.

The Medicare rebates are listed above, but if you on WorkCover, TAC or VOCAT the gap fees tend to be lower. With private insurance, we find they tend to be on-par with Medicare rebates. We can help you understand what’s covered and what your gap fee will be – just ask us when booking.

No worries! You can book on their behalf, just make sure you have their consent and relevant details to help our intake process.

Ready to talk?

Please get in touch today to have a chat to our friendly team so we can match you with an appropriate psychologist. If you are an existing client, you can book online.

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