Therapy for Anxiety, Stress & Perfectionism

Understanding anxiety and perfectionism

Anxiety can manifest as persistent worry, racing thoughts, irritability, difficulty sleeping or physical symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. For some people, anxiety is intertwined with perfectionism and self-criticism—a relentless drive to do everything flawlessly and fear of making mistakes. Research shows that perfectionism contributes to anxiety and chronic self-criticism. Perfectionists often set rigid, unrealistic standards and engage in behaviors like excessive checking or procrastination to avoid perceived failure.

These patterns can lead to burnout, stress and difficulty enjoying achievements. If you feel anxious about deadlines, parenting, relationships or career goals and find yourself stuck in all-or-nothing thinking, therapy can help you break this cycle.

Treatment approaches

The primary treatment modality for anxiety and perfectionism is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps you recognize unhelpful thought patterns, challenge them and develop more realistic perspectives. It teaches you to unlearn negative thoughts and behaviors and adopt healthier thinking patterns. In CBT for perfectionism, we use cognitive restructuring to reframe self-critical thoughts, behavioral experiments to test feared outcomes and exposure to mistakes to build tolerance and flexibility. These techniques help reduce anxiety and build confidence.

We may also integrate mindfulness-based approaches that teach you to notice thoughts and feelings without judgment. Mindfulness fosters acceptance and reduces rumination, allowing you to respond rather than react. Emotion-focused therapy can address underlying emotional roots of perfectionism and help you process shame or fear.

What sessions look like

Sessions are 50 minutes via secure video. In our first meeting, we’ll discuss your history, current challenges and goals. Together, we’ll identify triggers, automatic thoughts and underlying beliefs. You’ll learn practical tools such as thought records, exposure exercises and relaxation techniques. We’ll also explore boundary setting and assertive communication to reduce overwhelm.

As therapy progresses, you will practice responding to worries with compassion instead of criticism. Homework assignments encourage you to test new behaviors and record your experiences. Over time, you’ll notice a decrease in anxiety, greater resilience and improved self-esteem.

Logistics & fees

Therapy is private-pay. Fee information is identical to the postpartum page (update with your rate). We do not accept insurance but provide superbills for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Telehealth sessions are available for residents of Connecticut and New York. Payment is due at the time of service. Sliding-scale options may be offered based on financial need.

Start your journey

If anxiety and perfectionism are keeping you stuck, compassionate support can help you move forward. Contact us today to schedule your first session and start living with more ease and self-acceptance.