The Anxious Perfectionist: How to Manage Perfectionism-Driven Anxiety Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Is your perfectionism causing you anxiety, stress, and worry?

If you identify as a perfectionist, you may not see your perfectionism as a problem. But striving for unrealistic standards, basing your self-worth on meeting those standards, and engaging in persistent self-criticism will ultimately lead to anxiety, stress, worry, burnout, and unhappiness. So, how can you distinguish between "helpful" and "hurtful" perfectionism and stop holding yourself and others to unrealistically high standards?

Written by two clinical psychologists, The Anxious Perfectionist shines a much-needed light on the hidden costs of "being the best," and offers essential skills based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you cope with the anxiety that is driven by your perfectionism. You'll learn how your "need to be perfect" can actually hinder your productivity, and keep you from reaching your goals. You'll also learn skills to help you gain distance from negative self-talk and criticism, let go of unhelpful and self-limiting labels such as "success" or "failure," and give yourself and others permission to make mistakes while still honoring your high aspirations.

If you're struggling with feelings of anxiety and stress, and suspect your perfectionism may be to blame, this guide will show you how to stop getting in the way of your own success, and live a life guided by your deepest values.

Author: Clarissa W. Ong, Michael P. Twohig
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
Published: 03/01/2022
Pages: 152
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781684038459

About the Author

Clarissa W. Ong, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University. She received her doctoral degree in clinical/counseling psychology from Utah State University and completed her clinical internship at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Her research interests include ACT, process-based therapy, OCD, hoarding disorder, and perfectionism. She has contributed to over 50 peer-reviewed publications and a book. She has also received funding from The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS).

Michael P. Twohig, PhD, is well known for his work in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is closely related to perfectionism. Twohig is a professor in the psychology department at Utah State University. He is past president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), and a current member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). He has written more than 140 peer-reviewed publications, four books, and has received funding from many organizations including the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).