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The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook)

If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more balanced and healthy perspective. Do you hold yourself—and perhaps others—to extremely high standards? Do you procrastinate certain tasks because you’re afraid you won’t carry them out perfectly? If you’ve answered “yes” to one or both of these questions, chances are you’re a perfectionist. And while there’s nothing wrong with hard work and high standards, perfectionism can also take over your life if you let it. So, how can you find balance? With this workbook, you’ll identify the causes of your perfectionism and the ways it is negatively impacting your life. Rather than measuring your self-worth by productivity and accomplishments, you’ll learn to exercise self-compassion, and extend that compassion to others. You’ll also learn ways to prioritize the things that really matter to you, without focusing on attaining fixed goals. Life isn’t perfect, and neither are we. If you’re ready to break free from out-of-control perfectionism and start living a richer, fuller life, this workbook will help you get started.

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cbt workbook perfectionism

Perfectionism

Resource type

Therapy tool.

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Anorexia Nervosa (Fairburn, Cooper, Shafran, 2003)

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Anorexia Nervosa (Fairburn, Cooper, Shafran, 2003)

Information handouts

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Bulimia Nervosa (Fairburn, Cooper, Shafran, 2003)

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Bulimia Nervosa (Fairburn, Cooper, Shafran, 2003)

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Clinical Perfectionism (Shafran, Cooper, Fairburn, 2002)

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Clinical Perfectionism (Shafran, Cooper, Fairburn, 2002)

Cognitive Behavioral Model of Perfectionism (Shafran, Egan, Wade, 2010)

Cognitive Behavioral Model of Perfectionism (Shafran, Egan, Wade, 2010)

Demanding Standards – Living Well With Your Personal Rules

Demanding Standards – Living Well With Your Personal Rules

Discounting In Perfectionism – The Ratchet Effect

Discounting In Perfectionism – The Ratchet Effect

Perfectionism Self-Monitoring Record

Perfectionism Self-Monitoring Record

Performance And The Yerkes-Dodson Law

Performance And The Yerkes-Dodson Law

Process Focused Case Formulation

Process Focused Case Formulation

Recognizing Anorexia Nervosa

Recognizing Anorexia Nervosa

Recognizing Bulimia Nervosa

Recognizing Bulimia Nervosa

Self-Monitoring Record (Universal)

Self-Monitoring Record (Universal)

Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Eating Disorders (Fairburn, Cooper, Shafran, 2003)

Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Eating Disorders (Fairburn, Cooper, Shafran, 2003)

Understanding Anorexia

Understanding Anorexia

Understanding Bulimia

Understanding Bulimia

Understanding Perfectionism

Understanding Perfectionism

What Keeps Anorexia Going?

What Keeps Anorexia Going?

What Keeps Bulimia Going?

What Keeps Bulimia Going?

What Keeps Perfectionism Going?

What Keeps Perfectionism Going?

Information Handouts

Center For Clinical Interventions

York St John University

Self-Help Programmes

Presentations

Recommended Reading

What Is Perfectionism?

Disorders that are associated with perfectionism, or in which perfectionism is elevated.

Perfectionism is thought to contribute to be associated with or elevated in:

Helpful Questions for Assessing Perfectionism

Some helpful questions for assessing perfectionism:

Treatment Approaches That Target Perfectionism

Shafran, Egan, and Wade (2010) published a cognitive behavioral model of perfectionism in which an individual’s self-worth is overly dependent on striving and achievement. They propose that this is maintained by both (1) revision of standards as insufficiently demanding when they are met, and (2) counterproductive behaviors and self-criticism when they are not met. There have been a number of small published studies that have examined the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of perfectionism, which show promisingly large effect sizes (e.g., Riley, Lee, Cooper, Fairburn, & Shafran, 2007; Steele & Wade, 2008).

Therapist Aid

cbt workbook perfectionism

What is Perfectionism?

Perfectionism is the belief that everything must be perfect all the time. A perfectionist sets impossible goals, and feels crushed when they are not achieved. Alternatively, someone who strives to do their best sets challenging but achievable goals.

Those with perfectionistic tendencies are often resistant to change, believing these tendencies are a strength. Digging deeper, they find that perfectionism contributes to a number of problems, including procrastination, stress, anxiety, and depression.

The What is Perfectionism? handout explains the difference between perfectionism and a healthy level of hard work, along with other helpful information. Using this worksheet, clients will gain insight into perfectionism, and learn to differentiate between reasonable and unreasonable expectations.

Following psychoeducation, therapeutic interventions such as recognizing strengths and CBT may be used to promote change.

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What is Perfectionism? Preview

1. Egan, S. J., Wade, T. D., & Shafran, R. (2011). Perfectionism as a transdiagnostic process: A clinical review. Clinical psychology review, 31(2), 203-212.

2. Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2005). The perils of perfectionism in sports and exercise. Current directions in psychological science, 14(1), 14-18.

3. Flett, G. L., Madorsky, D., Hewitt, P. L., & Heisel, M. J. (2002). Perfectionism cognitions, rumination, and psychological distress. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 20(1), 33-47.

4. Handley, A. K., Egan, S. J., Kane, R. T., & Rees, C. S. (2015). A randomised controlled trial of group cognitive behavioural therapy for perfectionism. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 68, 37-47.

5. Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of personality and social psychology, 60(3), 456.

6. Hill, R. W., Zrull, M. C., & Turlington, S. (1997). Perfectionism and interpersonal problems. Journal of personality assessment, 69(1), 81-103.

7. Mallinger, A. (2009). The myth of perfection: Perfectionism in the obsessive personality. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 63(2), 103-131.

8. Martin, S. (2019). The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance. New Harbinger Publications.

9. Steele, A. L., Waite, S., Egan, S. J., Finnigan, J., Handley, A., & Wade, T. D. (2013). Psycho-education and group cognitive-behavioural therapy for clinical perfectionism: A case-series evaluation. Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy, 41(2), 129-143.

10. Stoeber, J., & Stoeber, F. S. (2009). Domains of perfectionism: Prevalence and relationships with perfectionism, gender, age, and satisfaction with life. Personality and individual differences, 46(4), 530-535.

11. Stoeber, J. Stoeber, J., & Childs, JH (2011). Perfectionism. In RJR Levesque (Ed.), Encyclopedia of adolescence (pp. 2053-2059). New York: Springer.

12. Walton, G. E., Hibbard, D. R., Coughlin, C., & Coyl-Shepherd, D. D. (2020). Parenting, personality, and culture as predictors of perfectionism. Current Psychology, 39(2), 681-693.

Disclaimer: The resources available on Therapist Aid do not replace therapy, and are intended to be used by qualified professionals. Professionals who use the tools available on this website should not practice outside of their own areas of competency. These tools are intended to supplement treatment, and are not a replacement for appropriate training.

Copyright Notice: Therapist Aid LLC is the owner of the copyright for this website and all original materials/works that are included. Therapist Aid has the exclusive right to reproduce their original works, prepare derivative works, distribute copies of the works, and in the case of videos/sound recordings perform or display the work publicly. Anyone who violates the exclusive rights of the copyright owner is an infringer of the copyrights in violation of the US Copyright Act. For more information about how our resources may or may not be used, see our help page.

Therapist Aid has obtained permission to post the copyright protected works of other professionals in the community and has recognized the contributions from each author.

cbt workbook perfectionism

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cbt workbook perfectionism

The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance (Practical Skills to ... Find Balance, and Reclaim Your Self-Worth) Kindle Edition

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If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more balanced and healthy perspective.

Do you hold yourself—and perhaps others—to extremely high standards? Do you procrastinate certain tasks because you’re afraid you won’t carry them out perfectly? If you’ve answered “yes” to one or both of these questions, chances are you’re a perfectionist. And while there’s nothing wrong with hard work and high standards, perfectionism can also take over your life if you let it. So, how can you find balance?

With this workbook, you’ll identify the causes of your perfectionism and the ways it is negatively impacting your life. Rather than measuring your self-worth by productivity and accomplishments, you’ll learn to exercise self-compassion, and extend that compassion to others. You’ll also learn ways to prioritize the things that really matter to you, without focusing on attaining fixed goals.

Life isn’t perfect, and neither are we. If you’re ready to break free from out-of-control perfectionism and start living a richer, fuller life, this workbook will help you get started.

A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook  image

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Editorial Reviews

About the author, product details.

About the author

Sharon martin msw lcsw.

Sharon Martin, DSW, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist who has been practicing in San Jose, CA for over 20 years. She specializes in helping individuals struggling with perfectionism, codependency, and people-pleasing using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and self-compassion. Martin is the author of The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism. She also writes the popular blog "Conquering Codependency" for Psychology Today and is a regular media contributor who has been quoted in publications such as Redbook Magazine, SimpleMost, The Huffington Post, and on Healthline.com, Today.com, and Inc.com.

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cbt workbook perfectionism

How to Overcome Perfectionism: 15 Worksheets & Resources

Overcome perfectionism

Maintaining that flawless veneer can put your mental and physical wellbeing at risk as you search for that perfect life (Thomson, 2019).

The number of people experiencing perfectionism is rising dramatically, especially among the young (Curran & Hill, 2019).

So, how do we manage the exceedingly high expectations we have for ourselves and others while addressing our concerns over making mistakes and handling criticism (Stoeber, 2018)?

This article introduces techniques and therapeutic approaches to combat perfectionism and understand when good is good enough.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology, including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

How to overcome perfectionism, helping perfectionists with cbt, 3 interventions, activities, and exercises, 3 counseling worksheets and workbooks, perfectionism questionnaires, measuring perfectionism: scales & tests, can meditation help with perfectionism, 4 fascinating books & podcasts, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

In their review of perfectionism in college students over a 27-year period, Curran and Hill (2019, p. 410) uncovered a concerning trend: “Recent generations of young people perceive that others are more demanding of them, are demanding of others, and are more demanding of themselves.”

As a result, young people – and other age groups too – are finding themselves subject to excessively high personal standards and increasingly critical self-evaluation. They are experiencing perfectionism .

Haven’t we all at times felt the desire to be more perfect : getting an A, a high-performance job, and having the best dinner date? Researchers and therapists are now finding increasing numbers of people unable to meet the high standards they are setting themselves (Stoeber, 2018; Thomson, 2019).

So, how do we overcome perfectionism?

With social media, parents, academia, an unpredictable economy, high-pressure workplaces, and demanding educational policies all guilty of pushing unrealistic targets for people of all ages, how do we manage the need to always do better?

There are ways to combat our desire for perfection. For some, depending on how they are feeling and acting, self-help books may be sufficient. Others may need talking therapies or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to break out of negative thinking patterns (Thomson, 2019).

Former clinical psychologist Alice Boyes (2020) suggests focusing on aspects of perfectionism and their potential solutions on a day-to-day basis. By doing so, we can recognize what is essential and what is not, and develop heuristics to manage our daily tasks without becoming derailed by perfectionist ideals.

The following three approaches can help you overcome perfectionism in the workplace (and outside) and ultimately get what is really needed done (modified from Boyes, 2020):

Learn to enjoy handing over tasks to other people and being relieved of the decision-making burden. Ask yourself: Am I best placed to do this? Would my time be better spent elsewhere? Could someone else step up and be accountable for this task?

Recognize that a client may not expect you to reply within two hours. And if you are paid for a day’s work, it should not be extended into the remainder of the week. Depending on the task, try to focus on areas where you can add the most value according to the time and resources agreed.

Be flexible. Recognize you can take time off from working toward your goals, especially if you are starting to feel burned out .

The three approaches above are practical ways to keep perfectionism from impeding high performance and task completion. Essentially, they are about balance. High standards are required in almost all jobs, but they have to be realistic, and you need to be aware that mistakes can lead to development and growth.

The following interventions and exercises go deeper, exploring how we can change the beliefs associated with avoiding setting impossible-to-maintain standards.

Technology & Mental Health

While traditionally focusing on clinical perfectionism – defined as being overly dependent on achieving “personally demanding, self-employed standards” – therapists can use it to challenge all aspects of perfectionist thinking and behavior (Stoeber, 2018, p. 284).

At its heart, CBT can help clients recognize that their self-worth does not depend on their striving or achieving.

Behavioral experiments are a core aspect of CBT treatment and are highly effective.

Joachim Stoeber (2018) takes us through an example of such a technique with a teacher with perfectionist tendencies that are affecting her work and life. Emmy worries that unless she spends excessive time on students’ yearly reports, parents will complain.

The following provides a working example of the key steps involved in this powerful CBT technique (modified from Stoeber, 2018):

Behavioral experiments are valuable in challenging perfectionism beliefs and, crucially, starting a change in the associated behavior (Stoeber, 2018).

Challenging and changing our beliefs is not always straightforward. Understanding and becoming more aware of our thinking can help us set goals and transform our lives, breaking free of perfectionism.

The self-assessment, identification of perfectionist triggers, and goal-setting activities and exercises below do just that.

Perfectionist Beliefs ‘Flexibility’ Self-Assessment

Assessing the flexibility of your perfectionist thinking is a valuable activity. The less rigid and more flexible your thought patterns, the easier it is to change unwanted or incorrect beliefs.

Use the Perfectionist Beliefs ‘Flexibility’ Self-Assessment worksheet to identify where your thinking is rigid and where you may need to focus further attention going forward (modified from Antony & Swinson, 2009).

Ask yourself the following questions:

If you are inflexible regarding your perfectionist thinking, you may find breaking free of it more difficult. Yet, in time, you can learn to ease up on yourself and others.

Identifying Perfectionist Triggers

There are most likely recurring themes or triggers behind your perfectionist thinking and behavior.

The Identifying Perfectionist Triggers worksheet will help you build a picture of and reflect on activities that trigger your perfectionism.

Review the form regularly. Add more lines and look for patterns in your perfectionist thinking and behavior. Identify where you need to cut yourself some slack and recognize areas in your life where perfectionism could do harm.

Goal Setting to Manage Perfectionism

Goal setting can help you define the problem you wish to overcome, the general goals you would like to set (in a non-perfectionist way), and the tasks involved in reaching them.

Use the Goal Setting to Manage Perfectionism worksheet to capture what you would like to change and the goals you can set to complete the challenge.

It can be helpful to re-write the list regularly in priority order and remove those items you feel you have addressed. Let this become a working list of the changes you would like to make to ensure your perfectionist tendencies are managed and do not get in the way of living your life.

Perfectionism standards

Perfectionism Diary

In therapy and counseling, the process of helping an individual with a particular problem typically begins with an assessment (Antony & Swinson, 2009).

The Perfectionism Diary provides a valuable template to diarize perfectionist thinking when it happens. Its completion and later review can help identify triggers and patterns involved in thought processes.

Keep copies of the completed forms and review them once a week to see where expectations are set too high and standards are impossible to maintain.

Expecting Perfectionism From Others

Often our focus for perfectionism is not on ourselves, but on others in our lives. Unfairly and with impossibly high expectations, we may be setting them up to fail and risk harming our relationships with them (Stoeber, 2018).

The Expecting Perfectionism From Others worksheet identifies the people with whom you tend to be overly perfectionistic and why (modified from Antony & Swinson, 2009).

Reevaluating Your Perfectionist Standards

The previous worksheets are useful to understand where, when, and with whom perfectionism is typically triggered.

Awareness of perfectionist triggers is crucial, and so is an understanding of how unrealistic expectations impact lives.

Use the Reevaluating Your Perfectionist Standards worksheet to understand the effect of these perfectionist standards on others’ lives.

Working through these questions can help you gain perspective regarding the effect of your perfectionist standards on your life.

There are several less formal self-assessment questionnaires for perfectionism, many of which are available for free online:

Measuring perfectionism

Each contains subscales capturing perfectionistic strivings and concerns that combine to form the standard two-factor model of perfectionism.

There are significant links between the use of meditation and mindfulness  and a decline in perfectionist thoughts.

A seven-week mindfulness relaxation course increased students’ resilience and self-efficacy, while reducing stress levels and perfectionism scores (Burns, Lee, & Brown, 2011).

Why not try out these mindfulness and meditation podcasts ? Whether directly or indirectly, they may be beneficial in reducing or managing perfectionism.

There are many valuable books and podcasts on perfectionism, its impact, and how we can learn to cope with such challenging tendencies. We have selected four of our favorites below.

When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough: Strategies for Coping with Perfectionism – Martin Antony and Richard Swinson

When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough

The fully revised second edition of this immensely valuable text provides powerful and practical methods for understanding the root causes of perfectionism and introduces coping skills to help overcome its hold on your life.

This is an essential text for practitioners working with clients with perfectionist tendencies.

Find the book on Amazon .

The Psychology of Perfectionism: Theory, Research, Applications – Joachim Stoeber

The Psychology of Perfectionism

It is invaluable reading for students, academics, and professionals in clinical and counseling psychology.

The Sport Psych Show – Perfectionism in Sport

Although this podcast focuses on sports, this fascinating episode featuring Dr. Andy Hill is just as relevant to other areas of our lives.

Andy introduces the listener to valuable insights into the consequences of perfectionism and how coaches can help athletes overcome such tendencies.

Access this podcast episode here .

Psychologists Off the Clock – Perfectionism With Sharon Martin

In this insightful and valuable episode, Diana Hill interviews psychotherapist and author Sharon Martin about her knowledge of perfectionism.

Sharon helps listeners understand how perfectionists can find themselves disconnected from their values and are often left fearing the judgment of others.

We have many resources that will help you or your clients handle perfectionism better through increased awareness of emotional and psychological needs and effective coping mechanisms.

Setting high standards is not unhealthy; indeed, it will probably lead to exceptional performance in multiple areas of your life. However, working toward impossible-to-reach levels of performance can be damaging, especially when it is constant.

Similarly, it is vital to recognize that all of us will fail and make mistakes at some point. But that’s okay. If we accept that this is a necessary aspect of human growth , we can learn, improve, and strengthen our relationships with ourselves and those around us.

It can help to accept that being human means that we are not 100% consistent all the time and that our fallibility and vulnerability make us human, capable of unlearning and relearning.

CBT, along with other talking therapies, can help to challenge our beliefs. We can learn to identify our triggers and harmful thinking patterns, creating new realistic goals, and learning to accept how good enough looks.

Why not try out some of the exercises, techniques, and assessments and see the benefits of moving away from impossible-to-maintain perfectionist tendencies?

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

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pollydee p. goltche

Very useful article. I was raised by a perfectionist who set the bar super high. There was always ONE standard. As an only child of much older parents, I got the message quickly what was expected of me. Interestingly, when raising my own four children (as a young mother), I tried to instill high standards, yet was never critical of them, perhaps avoiding being like my dad had been with me, although I value endlessly all that he taught me. As I have gotten older, I have found that this orientation does not really go away. In times of stress, sadness, etc.. I even find that the perfectionism gets worse, perhaps in an effort to control “anything.” Your suggestions are excellent. Thank you so much.

Nicol Michelle

Thanks Jeremy for writing and sharing this. Great stuff! I was reading having my clients in mind and realized that I (may- LOL) be in denial of being a perfectionist myself.

Kylee

Thank you so much for this, Jeremy! I am currently a placement student at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, and I think this will greatly help me assist some of the clients who struggle with the stress of perfectionism.

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The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism

Evidence-based skills to help you let go of self-criticism, build self-esteem, and find balance.

by Sharon Martin

Foreword by Julie de Azevedo Hanks

Published by: New Harbinger Publications

Imprint: New Harbinger Publications

240 Pages , 8.00 x 10.00 x 0.52 in

$19.55 $13.99

If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more balanced and healthy perspective.

Do you hold yourself—and perhaps others—to extremely high standards? Do you procrastinate certain tasks because you’re afraid you won’t carry them out perfectly? If you’ve answered “yes” to one or both of these questions, chances are you’re a perfectionist. And while there’s nothing wrong with hard work and high standards, perfectionism can also take over your life if you let it. So, how can you find balance?

With this workbook, you’ll identify the causes of your perfectionism and the ways it is negatively impacting your life. Rather than measuring your self-worth by productivity and accomplishments, you’ll learn to exercise self-compassion, and extend that compassion to others. You’ll also learn ways to prioritize the things that really matter to you, without focusing on attaining fixed goals.

Life isn’t perfect, and neither are we. If you’re ready to break free from out-of-control perfectionism and start living a richer, fuller life, this workbook will help you get started.

Sharon Martin, MSW, LCSW , is a psychotherapist, writer, speaker, and media contributor on emotional health and relationships. Her psychotherapy practice in San Jose, CA, specializes in helping individuals overcome codependency and perfectionism, and learn to accept and love themselves. Foreword writer Julie de Azevedo Hanks, PhD, LCSW , is a psychotherapist, licensed clinical social worker, author of The Burnout Cure and The Assertiveness Guide for Women , and founder and director of Wasatch Family Therapy.

“Perfectionists, procrastinators, and people-pleasers take note. There is a new book available that can change how you live your life! The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism by Sharon Martin is more than a book; it’s a program. If you find yourself caught up in self-criticism and self-judgment, struggling with deadlines, or sabotaging your own success, you will find enormous comfort and guidance in this well-thought-out, highly structured workbook.” — Jonice Webb, PhD, nationally recognized pioneer in the area of childhood emotional neglect, and best-selling author of Running on Empty and Running on Empty No More ~Jonice Webb, PhD
“This workbook redefines what it means to work through your stuff. It’s chock-full of activities that help you really think about what you want to change AND gets you actively moving towards the change you want to see. The workbook takes you from understanding perfectionism to navigating the tough road to recovering from perfectionism to being able to live a life without the guilt and people-pleasing that come from being a perfectionist. And while many workbooks claim to do this, the way Sharon has crafted this workbook shows you step by practical step how to succeed at making this a solid transition. Professionals will love working with this book in their practices, and clients will love working through their perfectionism with such a useful guide.” — Mercedes Samudio, LCSW , parent coach, and best-selling author of Shame-Proof Parenting ~Mercedes Samudio, LCSW
“I’m a big fan of workbooks because they allow the reader to become an active participant in their self-help efforts. Sharon Martin’s contribution to help people fight perfectionism is a fantastic antidote to getting perfectionism’s maladaptive behaviors better under control. Martin offers a direct and no-nonsense look at perfectionism that eschews psychobabble, pulling together techniques in a cohesive and sensible manner. This workbook works well as either an adjunct to psychotherapy, or as a stand-alone guide to those in need of help of silencing the perfectionist in themselves. There’s no better book on the market that offers such practical advice and exercises for someone who wants better control over their perfectionism.” — John M. Grohol, PsyD , founder and editor-in-chief of www.psychcentral.com ~John M. Grohol, PsyD
“Many people struggle with perfectionism whether it’s in our workplaces, in relationships, or the battle within ourselves. And many books talk about its root causes and how perfectionism affects the human psyche. But rarely do books offer ways to address perfectionism. In The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism , Sharon Martin offers practical, concrete, research-driven ways to let go of struggles like self-criticism, procrastination, people-pleasing, and the need for control. A must-read for anyone whose potential has been hindered by perfectionism.” — Melvin Varghese, PhD , psychologist, and founder of Selling The Couch ~Melvin Varghese, PhD
“Perfectionism can be paralyzing, but Sharon Martin gives you a road map to reclaim your life. Sharon expertly guides you to down a path to self-discovery, and arms you with exercises to find mental and emotional freedom. For lifelong high achievers, The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism is a must-have companion that will help you embrace imperfect action and reach your goals with less stress.” — Melody Wilding, LMSW , peak performance coach, and adjunct professor of human behavior at The City University of New York ~Melody Wilding, LMSW
“Sharon Martin has been a trusted resource for my clinical work for years. She has a way of breaking down complex topics into understandable explanations, which makes them easier to understand and address. This workbook is no exception. She clearly explains what perfectionism is, how it shows up in our lives, where it comes from, and what we can do to change the perfectionistic behavior, which can be so problematic in our lives. This workbook includes so many effective strategies to help those of us who struggle because of perfectionism, and I plan to use it in my individual work with clients as well as with groups. I highly recommend this book to clinicians and the general public alike.” — Laura Reagan, LCSW-C , integrative trauma therapist, and host of the Therapy Chat podcast ~Laura Reagan, LCSW-C

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Perfectionism

Perfectionism is not necessarily about being ‘perfect’.  Ask yourself this question…  Is it ever really possible to be 100% ‘perfect’?  So, if it’s not about being ‘perfect’, then what do we mean when talk about perfectionism? 

Although there’s no perfect definition, we understand perfectionism to involve three things: Firstly, the relentless striving for extremely high standards for yourself and/or others that are personally demanding. Secondly, judging your self-worth based largely on your ability to strive for and achieve such unrelenting standards. Thirdly, experiencing negative consequences of setting such demanding standards, yet continuing to go for them despite the huge cost to you.

Overcoming Perfectionism: This information package is designed to help you understand what is helpful and unhelpful about being a perfectionist.  The goal is not for you to give up your high standards altogether but to learn to pursue healthy high standards rather than unrelenting high standards that negatively impact your life. This package is organised into modules that are designed to be worked through in sequence. We recommend that you complete one module before going on to the next. Each module includes information, worksheets, and suggested exercises or activities.

Module 1 - What is Perfectionism?

In this module we will define perfectionism, identifying both the helpful and the unhelpful aspects of being a perfectionist, and identifying in what ways you might be a perfectionist. 

Module 2 - Understanding Perfectionism

In this module we will look at the underlying reasons for perfectionism.

Module 3 - What Keeps Perfectionism Going?

In this module, we will explore what keeps perfectionism going and why it is so difficult to let go of high standards, even when pursuit of these standards has negative consequences for you.

Module 4 - Changing Perfectionism

In this module, we will be helping you weigh up the costs and benefits of staying the same and the costs and benefits of changing your perfectionism. We will also be telling you what will be involved if you decide to change your perfectionism.

Module 5 - Reducing my Perfectionist Behaviour

In this module we will introduce some strategies for reducing perfectionism behaviours and we will encourage you to conduct some experiments to test out your beliefs and fears.

Module 6 - Challenging my Perfectionist Thinking

In this module we will be looking at challenging and changing the thoughts that keep your perfectionism going. We will be introducing strategies to identify and challenge your perfectionism thinking.

Module 7 - Adjusting Unhelpful Rules and Assumptions

In this module we will focus on the unhelpful rules and assumptions that keep you caught in the vicious cycle of perfectionism.

Module 8 - Re-evaluating the Importance of Achieving

In this module we will take a step back and look at the impact of perfectionism on your life. We will examine the tendency to over-evaluate the importance of achieving your unrelenting standards and offer you some strategies to create a more balanced life and a more balanced basis for judging your self-worth. We will then be looking at another way of thinking about perfectionism: as an overarching set of beliefs, or a mindset.

Module 9 - Putting it All Together

In this module we will put together all you have learned, so that you have a clear ‘road map’ of how to continue keeping your perfectionism in perspective.

Download the entire workbook

Click the link above to download all modules in this workbook at once, as a zip file.

What is Perfectionism

What Maintains Perfectionism

Reducing Perfectionist Behaviours

Challenging Perfectionistic Thinking

Perfectionism Rules and Assumptions

Re-evaluating the Importance of Achieving

Download all information sheets (zip file)

Last Updated: 24/10/2019

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Phone: (08) 9227 4399 Fax: (08) 9328 5911 Email: Visit the Contact us page

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The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism

The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism

Evidence-based skills to help you let go of self-criticism, build self-esteem, and find balance, a perfectionism workbook.

If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more balanced and healthy perspective.

Do you hold yourself—and perhaps others—to extremely high standards?

Do you criticize yourself for every imperfection or mistake?

Do you ruminate about what you should have done?

Do you diminish your accomplishments and feel “less than” no matter how much you accomplish?

Do you procrastinate certain tasks because you’re afraid you won’t carry them out perfectly?

If you’ve answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, chances are you’re a perfectionist. And while there’s nothing wrong with hard work and high standards, perfectionism can also take over your life if you let it. So, how can you find balance?

With this workbook, you’ll identify the root causes of your perfectionism and the ways it is negatively impacting your life. Rather than measuring your self-worth by productivity and accomplishments, you’ll learn to exercise self-compassion, and extend that compassion to others. You’ll also learn ways to prioritize the things that really matter to you, without focusing on attaining fixed goals.

Life isn’t perfect, and neither are we. If you’re ready to break free from out-of-control perfectionism and start living a richer, fuller life, this perfectionism workbook will help you get started. Get your copy today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Praise for the cbt workbook for perfectionism.

“Perfectionists, procrastinators, and people-pleasers take note. There is a new book available that can change how you live your life!  The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism  by Sharon Martin is more than a book; it’s a program. If you find yourself caught up in self-criticism and self-judgment, struggling with deadlines, or sabotaging your own success, you will find enormous comfort and guidance in this well-thought-out, highly structured workbook.” — Jonice Webb, PhD,  nationally recognized pioneer in the area of childhood emotional neglect, and best-selling author of  Running on Empty  and  Running on Empty No More

“This workbook redefines what it means to work through your stuff. It’s chock-full of activities that help you really think about what you want to change AND gets you actively moving towards the change you want to see. The workbook takes you from understanding perfectionism to navigating the tough road to recovering from perfectionism to being able to live a life without the guilt and people-pleasing that come from being a perfectionist. And while many workbooks claim to do this, the way Sharon has crafted this workbook shows you step by practical step how to succeed at making this a solid transition. Professionals will love working with this book in their practices, and clients will love working through their perfectionism with such a useful guide.” — Mercedes Samudio, LCSW , parent coach, and best-selling author of  Shame-Proof Parenting

“I’m a big fan of workbooks because they allow the reader to become an active participant in their self-help efforts. Sharon Martin’s contribution to help people fight perfectionism is a fantastic antidote to getting perfectionism’s maladaptive behaviors better under control. Martin offers a direct and no-nonsense look at perfectionism that eschews psychobabble, pulling together techniques in a cohesive and sensible manner. This workbook works well as either an adjunct to psychotherapy, or as a stand-alone guide to those in need of help of silencing the perfectionist in themselves. There’s no better book on the market that offers such practical advice and exercises for someone who wants better control over their perfectionism.” — John M. Grohol, PsyD , founder and editor-in-chief of PsychCentral.com

“Many people struggle with perfectionism whether it’s in our workplaces, in relationships, or the battle within ourselves. And many books talk about its root causes and how perfectionism affects the human psyche. But rarely do books offer ways to address perfectionism. In  The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism , Sharon Martin offers practical, concrete, research-driven ways to let go of struggles like self-criticism, procrastination, people-pleasing, and the need for control. A must-read for anyone whose potential has been hindered by perfectionism.” — Melvin Varghese, PhD , psychologist, and founder of Selling The Couch

“Perfectionism can be paralyzing, but Sharon Martin gives you a road map to reclaim your life. Sharon expertly guides you to down a path to self-discovery, and arms you with exercises to find mental and emotional freedom. For lifelong high achievers,  The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism  is a must-have companion that will help you embrace imperfect action and reach your goals with less stress.” — Melody Wilding, LMSW , peak performance coach, and adjunct professor of human behavior at The City University of New York

“Sharon Martin has been a trusted resource for my clinical work for years. She has a way of breaking down complex topics into understandable explanations, which makes them easier to understand and address. This workbook is no exception. She clearly explains what perfectionism is, how it shows up in our lives, where it comes from, and what we can do to change the perfectionistic behavior, which can be so problematic in our lives. This workbook includes so many effective strategies to help those of us who struggle because of perfectionism, and I plan to use it in my individual work with clients as well as with groups. I highly recommend this book to clinicians and the general public alike.” — Laura Reagan, LCSW-C , integrative trauma therapist, and host of the  Therapy Chat  podcast

Sharon Martin codependency perfectionism expert

About the Author

Sharon Martin, MSW, LCSW is an experienced psychotherapist, mental health writer, and recovering perfectionist. In her new perfectionism workbook, she utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and self-compassion to help you overcome perfectionism by addressing the underlying anxiety, fear of not being good enough, and feelings of inadequacy. The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism is full of practical exercises — many of the same strategies that Sharon uses with her own clients to help them reclaim their self-worth and finally let go of the constant need to achieve. Sharon writes the popular blog Conquering Codependency for Psychology Today and maintains a private practice in San Jose, CA.

Therapy Central

Counselling, Psychotherapy, CBT & Mindfulness in Central London & Online

How to Overcome Perfectionism Anxiety with CBT

How to Overcome Perfectionism Anxiety with CBT

If You are a perfectionist, you’re likely to spend a significant amount of time in bed thinking about your to-do lists and hardly managing to get some sleep. Perhaps it’s hard for you to take criticisms from friends and family, and it can be even more complicated when it has to do with your work or school performance. Simultaneously, you may find it challenging to give yourself praises, accept compliments from others about your work, and find hardly a minute to celebrate your victories! If this is what happens to you, you are likely experiencing perfectionism anxiety. You are not alone!  

Whether perfectionism is new to you or you can’t remember it ever being different, this type of anxiety and how you react to it can take a significant toll on your quality of life, impacting not only work but also your relationships and free time. The good news is that there are proven ways to deal with perfectionism anxiety. CBT (Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy) is the elective type of therapy for this type of anxiety. CBT helps people understand and challenge their unhelpful thinking styles while generating long-lasting change in responding to situations triggering their anxiety in everyday life. Read more to find out how to overcome perfectionism anxiety with CBT!

How are Perfectionism and Anxiety Connected?

If you are a perfectionist, you are likely to experience lots of internal pressure driven by the high standards you place upon yourself in various areas of your life. Often a significant emphasis is placed upon achievement. Consequently, perfectionists push themselves to work very hard, often giving themselves little time to relax, which can be mentally and physically tiring. As a perfectionist, If you meet the high standard, any inner positive praise (if there is any) is short-lived, the achievement may be downplayed, and the efforts are focused on the next goal to reach. When the high standard is not reached, this can be highly disappointing for someone with perfectionism. It can easily be attributed to having ‘failed’ instead of the bar being too high or simply accepting that not achieving a goal is a normal part of life.  

The internal pressure that perfectionists experience can be helpful to an extent as it can drive them to work hard and perform well. However, sometimes the pressure is too high and prolonged, leaving people feeling overly stressed and anxious.  

How does CBT Help With Perfectionism Anxiety?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a common therapy approach that has shown to be effective for various emotional difficulties such as depression, anxiety, stress and anger. Therefore, it can be a useful therapeutic approach for those who experience anxiety associated with their perfectionism. Here is what CBT for anxiety associated with perfectionism often looks like.

Understanding what Keeps Perfectionism Going: CBT Formulation

At the beginning of CBT, you will work with your therapist to develop a formulation, a diagram demonstrating how the anxiety associated with perfectionism is being maintained. There are many benefits of drawing a formulation collaboratively with your therapist. They help understand how perfectionism works and, crucially, why it persists over time. Here’s an example:

Perfectionism Anxiety - Vicious Cycle

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</p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p><strong>Please include attribution to https://therapy-central.com with this graphic.</strong></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p><a href=’https://therapy-central.com/2021/07/05/how-to-overcome-perfectionism-anxiety-with-cbt/’><img src=’https://therapy-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perfectionism-Anxiety-Vicious-Cycle-1024×1024.png<span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span>’ alt=” 540px border=’0′ /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>

Not Getting a Promotion at Work

I should have worked harder. I’m a failure. I’m not good enough. I’m a fraud.

Stress. Anxiety.

Body tension. Headaches. Upset stomach. Palpitations

Work long hours, give myself few breaks. Prepare lots before meetings/presentations. Check over my work several times. Procrastinate.

A formulation diagram like this one also shows a typical vicious cycle that is experienced in the present moment, showing how it is often the type of responses we adopt to deal with our difficult emotions and thoughts that lead to maintaining perfectionism.  

What Triggers Perfectionism?

A crucial aspect of drawing a formulation is to understand what your triggers are. These are event and interactions which kick-start your vicious cycle. Learning about your specific triggers with a therapist can make you feel more in control of your perfectionism. This can happen already from the initial stages of therapy. You can start to predict instances where it might manifest and begin to prevent it from taking over. Triggers are very subjective, and they will change from person to person. However, some common triggers we found with clients are as follows:

What Causes Perfectionism?

After understanding how your perfectionism works in the present, it can be very helpful in therapy to uncover what earlier experiences have led to the development of your anxiety associated with your perfectionism. Some common factors linked with developing perfectionism we often see in therapy are:  

Perfectionism Anxiety Infographic

</p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p><strong>Please include attribution to https://therapy-central.com with this graphic.</strong></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p><a href=’https://therapy-central.com/2021/07/05/how-to-overcome-perfectionism-anxiety-with-cbt/’><img src=’https://therapy-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perfectionism-Anxiety-Infographic.png<span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span><span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span>’ alt=” 540px border=’0′ /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>

How Will You Benefit from a CBT Formulation for Perfectionism Anxiety?

Completing your formulation with your therapist can help you gain a more in-depth understanding of your anxiety and perfectionism, which can be empowering in and of itself. In addition, becoming more aware of how it may have developed and is persisting in the present can lead to people being more compassionate and gentle towards themselves because they face such vicious cycles and struggle with high stress and anxiety levels.  

Very importantly, the formulation reveals where it is good to make positive changes or adjustments. For example, suppose you can make good changes to one or more of the cycle areas (i.e. thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical sensations). In that case, this can break down the cycle, leading to improvements to your emotional and physical well-being and gradually letting go of your perfectionism.

Let’s now look at ways that CBT can help to make some of these sound changes.  

What CBT Techniques Can Help with Perfectionism Anxiety?

CBT has multiple techniques in its arsenal which help deal with anxiety, including when it ties in with perfectionism. Once a formulation has been drawn collaboratively with your therapist, CBT will help via a mix of cognitive and behavioural techniques. These will target the thoughts and actions that keep you stuck in a cycle of perfectionism anxiety. For example, one of the most common techniques, known as ‘thought challenging’, aims to rebalance unhelpful thinking styles.

Thought Challenging to Help with Perfectionism Anxious Thoughts

A significant component of CBT involves examining an individual’s thinking patterns. Here are some common thinking patterns in those who are perfectionistic:

Of course, if these thoughts are frequent, always believed, and we allow them to dictate what we do, this can lead to anxiety and stress. A crucial technique In CBT helps you catch and challenge these kinds of thoughts with the help of a therapist. One way we do this in therapy is by helping you answer questions such as:  

Answering such questions can help you develop more balanced, accurate and helpful thoughts. In turn, your anxiety and stress will decrease.  

cbt workbook perfectionism

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The other major component of CBT is to examine behavioural tendencies resulting from perfectionistic thoughts. Although these behaviours might be an understandable response to difficult thoughts and emotions, they can make anxiety and stress worse and ultimately keep perfectionism going. Here are some examples of unhelpful behaviours:

In CBT, your therapist will help you identify your behavioural tendencies and analyse the extent to which they are helping and whether they have any downsides. Then, overall, you will be able to determine whether it is good to keep up those behaviours, amend them, or completely stop them. If you choose to stop them altogether, your therapist will work to help you gradually reduce them if this is difficult to do straight away.

Testing New Responses with Behavioural Experiments

We have looked at thought challenging earlier. Another way to challenge thoughts is to test them out through ‘behavioural experiments’ or our actions. Here are some ways in which we can test our thoughts through our behaviours:

People who try this often discover that their troublesome thoughts turn out not to be true, and as a result, they lose strength over time.

Addressing the Challenges of Being an Over-Achiever

Perfectionists can tend to place a lot of emphasis on achievement at the detriment of other areas. When you do this, you put excessive time and energy into working hard to achieve things. However, this will add extra pressure on you. It can be particularly crushing if you face setbacks while you attempt to achieve something.  

If you recognise yourself in this, it can be helpful to list other areas in your life that give you fulfilment, for example, friends, family, hobbies, health, community, and spirituality. Then consider how much time and energy you are committing to these other areas.  

Ask yourself, could it be helpful to spend a little less time trying to achieve and, instead, spend more time and energy on these other areas of your life? If you decided to invest more in these different areas of your life, be careful not to bring the achievement element into them too much!  

Dealing with Perfectionism Anxiety with CBT in London & Online

Are you tired of spending sleepless nights thinking about work and your to-do list? Do you struggle to take in criticism even if it is constructive? Do you find it difficult to believe others when they congratulate you on your work? Do you notice not being able to celebrate your achievement and immediately start thinking about what to work on next? Are you tired of engaging in negative self-talk?

If you’re experiencing some of these issues, you may be struggling with perfectionism anxiety. Whether you’ve only recently started feeling this type of anxiety, or you feel like you’ve lived with it for your entire life, at Therapy Central, we have therapists who specialised in using CBT to treat perfectionism anxiety. We can provide you with the guidance and support you might need to take this definite change in your life, where you will be able to achieve and succeed without compromising your health, relationships, and general well-being. Contact us for a free 15 min consultation today to get started with CBT therapy .

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The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance Paperback – 28 Feb. 2019

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If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more balanced and healthy perspective. Do you hold yourself-and perhaps others-to extremely high standards? Do you procrastinate certain tasks because you're afraid you won't carry them out perfectly? If you've answered "yes" to one or both of these questions, chances are you're a perfectionist. And while there's nothing wrong with hard work and high standards, perfectionism can also take over your life if you let it. So, how can you find balance? With this workbook, you'll identify the causes of your perfectionism and the ways it is negatively impacting your life. Rather than measuring your self-worth by productivity and accomplishments, you'll learn to exercise self compassion, and extend that compassion to others. You'll also learn ways to prioritize the things that really matter to you, without focusing on attaining fixed goals. Life isn't perfect, and neither are we. If you're ready to break free from out-of-control perfectionism and start living a richer, fuller life, this workbook will help you get started.

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About the author

Sharon martin msw lcsw.

Sharon Martin, DSW, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist who has been practicing in San Jose, CA for over 20 years. She specializes in helping individuals struggling with perfectionism, codependency, and people-pleasing using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and self-compassion. Martin is the author of The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism. She also writes the popular blog "Conquering Codependency" for Psychology Today and is a regular media contributor who has been quoted in publications such as Redbook Magazine, SimpleMost, The Huffington Post, and on Healthline.com, Today.com, and Inc.com.

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The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance

The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance

The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance

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Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1

1 What Is Perfectionism? 5

2 What Perfectionism Looks Like in Your Life 13

3 Uncovering the Roots of Your Perfectionism 33

4 From Fear to Courage 51

5 From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion 65

6 From Procrastinating to Getting Things Done 87

7 From Busy to Mindfully Present 105

8 From People-Pleasing to Being Assertive 131

9 From Anger to Peace 147

10 From Criticizing to Accepting Others 161

11 From Guilt to Self-Care 177

12 From Shame to Connection 191

13 Putting It All Together 203

Appendix A Cognitive Distortions 215

Appendix B Questions for Challenging Perfectionist Thinking 217

Appendix C Feeling Words 219

Appendix D Self-Care Activities 223

References 225

Martin resides in San Jose, CA.

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How to Challenge Your Perfectionism

Progress not Perfectionism - Harper Mason

I’ve struggled with perfectionism ever since I was a child. Constantly being an academically driven person, I would beat myself up over getting two answers wrong on a math test and do anything to avoid gym class since it was the one subject that I wasn’t good at.

cbt workbook perfectionism

I used to view perfectionism as a positive trait, even putting it on all my resumes as a skill. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has done this!

Even though perfectionism can seem like a positive trait, I’ve learned that it often can lead to several mental health concerns. I’ve spent the last few years of my life trying to curb my perfectionism and I will share some of my techniques below.

What is Perfectionism?

Perfectionism is an internal pressure some people put on themselves to achieve an incredibly high and unrealistic standard of “perfection.” Perfectionists feel they need to BE and APPEAR perfect. It is frequently viewed as a positive trait because perfectionists are often successful. This success justifies perfectionistic behavior.  In reality, perfectionism is rooted in a fear of failure or judgment, and a strong sense of self-criticism and becomes an unhealthy mental pattern.

Here is a video about what perfectionism is and why it isn’t as great as you may think:

The Dangers of Perfectionism

Perfectionism leads to self-defeating thoughts and actions that actually make it more difficult to achieve our goals. These thoughts include:

Perfectionism also comes with a laundry list of clinical concerns including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, insomnia and fatigue, procrastination , self-harm, and suicide.

The Signs of a Perfectionist

Overcoming Your Perfectionism

Progress not Perfectionism - Harper Mason

If you are interested in being more efficient and making better use of your time, here is a list of research-based tips that have helped me:

Find a Therapist

I understand that reading an article alone may not be enough to help you change your perfectionistic mindset. Sometimes, we need help in figuring out how to deal with deeper mental patterns, like managing self-criticism and addressing some of the mindsets that come with being a perfectionist. Therapists trained in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy can help you take the steps towards becoming a healthier and better version of yourself.

Book An Appointment

If you are interested in therapy in Vaughan, Thornhill, Markham or the GTA, please call  905.597.4404  for a free 15-minute consultation or fill out the form below and someone will contact you within 24 business hours:

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About Giselle Franco

Giselle has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Toronto Metropolitan University. She is an intake coordinator and administrative assistant at CBT Psychology for Personal Development.

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Perfectionism Workbook

The Perfectionism Workbook

Proven strategies to end procrastination, accept yourself, and achieve your goals.

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Table of Contents

About The Book

About The Author

Taylor Newendorp, M.A., LCPC, is the founder and president of Chicago Counseling Center P.C.—a clinical counseling practice that specializes in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), perfectionism, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders. Taylor received his BA in English Literature from Kenyon College and his MA in Marital and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. He worked as a therapist and clinical supervisor at both the Center for Eating Disorders and the Center for Anxiety and Obsessive- Compulsive Disorders at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Illinois prior to opening his own practice. Taylor has also completed the International OCD Foundation’s Behavioral Therapy Training Institute and is a member of OCD Midwest. He is a scientific adviser for the CBT-based app nOCD . He lives in Chicago with his wife and three sons.

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Raves and Reviews

" The Perfectionism Workbook will be an invaluable resource for anyone has ever been paralyzed by the need to be perfect. Taylor Newendorp takes complex concepts from the world of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and makes them accessible and simple to use. I'm excited to use it in my practice!" — Rodney J. Benson, Ph.D., ACT, Executive Director, Depression and Anxiety Specialty Clinic of Chicago (DASC)

"While there are a lot of self-help books out there, the exercises in this one bring it notches above the rest. It is also a darn good addendum for therapists to assign to their perfectionistic patients so that they have a great resource at their fingertips." —Patrick B. McGrath, Ph.D., A.V.P., Residential Services, AMITA Health, Foglia Family Foundation Residential Treatment Center, Fellow, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

"This book is a must-read for anyone who suffers from perfectionism. Newendorp takes a complicated subject and makes it easy to understand and apply to your unique situation. I highly recommend this book for any person who realizes that perfectionism is not their friend." —Karen Lynn Cassiday, PhD, ACT, Owner and Managing Director, Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Chicago

" The Perfectionism Workbook is a terrific new resource for anyone wanting to overcome unhealthy perfectionism and get better at being imperfect. Each new concept is masterfully followed with a relevant exercise to help readers cement new skills. Newendorp's clear understanding of the suffering perfectionism causes and the mindfulness and CBT tools that alleviate this suffering combine to make an enjoyable and accessible read." —Jon Hershfield, MFT, Co-Author of The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD and Everyday Mindfulness for OCD , Author of When a Family Member Has OCD and Overcoming Harm OCD , Director of The OCD and Anxiety Center of Greater Baltimore

"This workbook will be a welcome resource to individuals who struggle with perfectionism. It will not only help people better understand their own style of perfectionism but also addresses important topics as procrastination, fear of making mistakes, the need for approval, impossible standards, and fear of judgement. It holds the potential to make your life much more efficient and satisfying." —Paula Young, Ph.D, ACT, Clinical Director, Rogers Behavioral Health in Chicago

“At best, perfectionism impairs functioning. At worst, it can contribute to OCD, anxiety, depression, and other problems. Fortunately, Newendorp offers the antidote. The Perfectionism Workbook reveals the myths of perfectionism and chronicles the damage of holding oneself, and others, to rigidly held standards. It also provides the tools needed to identify and change the toxic impact of perfectionism. Proclaiming this the perfect workbook would violate the author’s message, so let’s just say it’s darn good." —C. Alec Pollard, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Family and Community Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Director, Center for OCD and Anxiety-Related Disorders, Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute

"This book is truly a self-help gem. Newendorp combines empirically-supported strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MCBT), and exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) into a user-friendly self-help format that will assist readers confront and break the cycle of perfectionism. This workbook will certainly become a part of my collection as a suggested read for my clients." —L. Kevin Chapman, Ph.D., HSPP, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

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The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance

Sharon martin.

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

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Isbn 13: 9781684031535, the cbt workbook for perfectionism: evidence-based skills to help you let go of self-criticism, build self-esteem, and find balance, martin msw lcsw, sharon.

9781684031535: The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance

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If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more balanced and healthy perspective.

Do you hold yourself—and perhaps others—to extremely high standards? Do you procrastinate certain tasks because you’re afraid you won’t carry them out perfectly? If you’ve answered “yes” to one or both of these questions, chances are you’re a perfectionist. And while there’s nothing wrong with hard work and high standards, perfectionism can also take over your life if you let it. So, how can you find balance?

With this workbook, you’ll identify the causes of your perfectionism and the ways it is negatively impacting your life. Rather than measuring your self-worth by productivity and accomplishments, you’ll learn to exercise self-compassion, and extend that compassion to others. You’ll also learn ways to prioritize the things that really matter to you, without focusing on attaining fixed goals.

Life isn’t perfect, and neither are we. If you’re ready to break free from out-of-control perfectionism and start living a richer, fuller life, this workbook will help you get started.

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Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Language: English. Brand new Book. If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more balanced and healthy perspective.Do you hold yourself-and perhaps others-to extremely high standards? Do you procrastinate certain tasks because you're afraid you won't carry them out perfectly? If you've answered "yes" to one or both of these questions, chances are you're a perfectionist. And while there's nothing wrong with hard work and high standards, perfectionism can also take over your life if you let it. So, how can you find balance?With this workbook, you'll identify the causes of your perfectionism and the ways it is negatively impacting your life. Rather than measuring your self-worth by productivity and accomplishments, you'll learn to exercise self compassion, and extend that compassion to others. You'll also learn ways to prioritize the things that really matter to you, without focusing on attaining fixed goals.Life isn't perfect, and neither are we. If you're ready to break free from out-of-control perfectionism and start living a richer, fuller life, this workbook will help you get started. Seller Inventory # HUK9781684031535

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  1. The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You

    This item: The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance by Sharon Martin MSW LCSW Paperback $17.89 The Better Boundaries Workbook: A CBT-Based Program to Help You Set Limits, Express Your Needs, and Create Healthy Relationships by Sharon Martin MSW LCSW Paperback

  2. The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You

    The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) ... If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more ...

  3. CBT Worksheets For Perfectionism

    Multiple definitions of perfectionism have been offered including: "Those whose standards are high beyond reach or reason, people who strain compulsively and unremittingly towards impossible goals and who measure their own worth entirely in terms of productivity and accomplishment.

  4. What is Perfectionism? (Worksheet)

    Perfectionism is the belief that everything must be perfect all the time. A perfectionist sets impossible goals, and feels crushed when they are not achieved. Alternatively, someone who strives to do their best sets challenging but achievable goals.

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    The Perfectionism Workbook: Proven Strategies to End Procrastination, Accept Yourself, and Achieve Your Goals Taylor Newendorp MA LCPC 472 Kindle Edition 1 offer from $2.99 How to Be an Imperfectionist: The New Way to Self-Acceptance, Fearless Living, and Freedom from Perfectionism Stephen Guise 871 Kindle Edition 1 offer from $5.99

  6. How to Overcome Perfectionism: 15 Worksheets & Resources

    The Identifying Perfectionist Triggers worksheet will help you build a picture of and reflect on activities that trigger your perfectionism. Review the form regularly. Add more lines and look for patterns in your perfectionist thinking and behavior.

  7. The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism

    The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance. by Sharon Martin. Foreword by Julie de Azevedo Hanks. Published by: New Harbinger Publications. Imprint: New Harbinger Publications. 240 Pages, 8.00 x 10.00 x 0.52 in. Paperback;

  8. Perfectionism Self-Help Resources

    Workbook - Perfectionism in Perspective Information sheets - Perfectionism We have a range of other resources which you may find helpful. Some people with perfectionism may put off starting tasks because they worry they won't be able to do them perfectly.

  9. The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism

    A Perfectionism Workbook If you feel an intense pressure to be perfect, this evidence-based workbook offers real strategies based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you develop a more balanced and healthy perspective. Do you hold yourself—and perhaps others—to extremely high standards?

  10. PDF Cognitive*BehavioralTherapyfor ! Perfectionism!

    Biology and Perfectionism Genetics Studies ! Disorders associated with perfectionism (e.g., depression, anxiety disorder, eating disorders) are moderately heritable. ! The trait of perfectionism has been found to be moderately heritable (Moser et al., 2012; Tozzi et al., 2004). Neurotransmitters ! No studies in perfectionism

  11. How to Overcome Perfectionism Anxiety with CBT

    CBT has multiple techniques in its arsenal which help deal with anxiety, including when it ties in with perfectionism. Once a formulation has been drawn collaboratively with your therapist, CBT will help via a mix of cognitive and behavioural techniques.

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    In The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism, Sharon Martin offers practical, concrete, research-driven ways to let go of struggles like self-criticism, procrastination, people-pleasing, and the need for control. A must-read for anyone whose potential has been hindered by perfectionism."

  14. The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism

    The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-Criticism, Build Self-Esteem, and Find Balance Sharon Martin New Harbinger Publications, Jan 2, 2019 -...

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  16. How to Challenge Your Perfectionism

    Perfectionism leads to self-defeating thoughts and actions that actually make it more difficult to achieve our goals. These thoughts include: Believing nothing you do is good unless it's perfect Never being proud of your work or progress Focusing on how to make things flawless Feeling worthless, afraid, and shameful

  17. The Perfectionism Workbook

    The Perfectionism Workbook offers actionable exercises to help you overcome the barriers created by perfectionism and develop skills for living a healthier, more gratifying life. The desire to continuously improve can be a positive trait that fuels success. However, those same aspirations can also turn into perfectionism, which causes us to put unrealistic pressure on ourselves and set ...

  18. Preview

    The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism is an excellent book for anyone who is struggling with perfectionism and is just beginning to find a solution for it. The book explains the different factors that contribute to perfectionism and how to solve them through simple steps that are to be repeated and incorporated into a routine.

  19. The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-Based Skills to Help You

    And many books talk about its root causes and how perfectionism affects the human psyche. But rarely do books offer ways to address perfectionism. In The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism, Sharon Martin offers practical, concrete, research-driven ways to let go of struggles like self-criticism, procrastination, people-pleasing, and the need for ...

  20. The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism

    A new Harbinger self-help workbook The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence-based Skills to Help You Let Go of Self-criticism, Build Self-esteem, & Find Balance, Sharon C. Martin: Author: Sharon Martin: Contributor: Julie de Azevedo Hanks: Publisher: New Harbinger Publications, 2019: ISBN: 1684031532, 9781684031535: Length: 240 pages:

  21. 9781684031535: The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism: Evidence ...

    And many books talk about its root causes and how perfectionism affects the human psyche. But rarely do books offer ways to address perfectionism. In The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism, Sharon Martin offers practical, concrete, research-driven ways to let go of struggles like self-criticism, procrastination, people-pleasing, and the need for ...