Condition
Perfectionism
There is a big difference between the healthy and helpful pursuit of excellence and the unhealthy and unhelpful striving for perfection. Clinical perfectionism is rigid, self-critical, and tied to a sense that one's worth depends on performance.
Signs and symptoms
- Setting standards that are difficult to meet, then dismissing achievements when they are met
- Avoidance of tasks where perfection feels unattainable
- Excessive checking, redoing, or rumination over past mistakes
- Procrastination paired with high anxiety about outcomes
- Difficulty delegating; harsh self-criticism
How therapy helps
CBT for clinical perfectionism
CBT for clinical perfectionism is well-supported. Treatment focuses on the rules that drive over-evaluation of performance, the behaviours that maintain them (checking, redoing, avoidance), and on building a broader basis for self-worth.
Who Dr Turner works with
Dr Turner works with perfectionism in adults and adolescents, often where it overlaps with anxiety, OCD, BDD, or eating concerns.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't perfectionism a good thing?+
Striving for excellence is healthy when it is flexible and tied to genuine satisfaction. Clinical perfectionism is rigid, self-critical, and reliably costs more than it produces.
Related conditions
Sources & review
- CBT for clinical perfectionism is well-supported in the research literature.
Last clinically reviewed: July 2026
This page is general clinical information and does not constitute personal clinical advice. For assessment and treatment, please make an enquiry.
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