ONLINE ANXIETY & PERFECTIONISM THERAPY | WASHINGTON & OREGON
YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP HOLDING YOURSELF TO IMPOSSIBLE STANDARDS.
You work hard, care deeply, and expect a lot from yourself. But when your mind rarely slows down and nothing ever feels quite good enough, even the things you're proud of can become difficult to enjoy. Therapy can help you understand what's driving that pressure and find a different way to live with yourself.
FROM THE OUTSIDE, YOU SEEM TO HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER.
WHEN ANXIETY BECOMES PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE
People see someone who is dependable, thoughtful, and capable. You're the person who gets things done, remembers the details, and follows through. What they may not see is how much energy it takes.
You replay conversations, worry about making the wrong decision, and spend more time than you'd like thinking about what other people might think. Even when something goes well, you can usually find a reason it could have been better.
Maybe you have trouble relaxing because there's always something you should be doing. Or you put off starting things because you're worried you won't do them well enough. Sometimes the pressure motivates you. Other times, it leaves you exhausted, frustrated, or feeling like you're falling behind.
But what if some of these patterns aren't simply personality traits? What if they're ways you've learned to protect yourself?
Perfectionism, overthinking, and people-pleasing can develop as protective responses to earlier experiences. When making mistakes, disappointing others, or losing control once felt emotionally unsafe, your mind and nervous system may have learned to anticipate problems, seek approval, or work harder to prevent something painful from happening.
These patterns may have helped you navigate difficult experiences or relationships. But what once helped you feel safe can eventually leave you feeling anxious, disconnected, or exhausted.
You don't have to keep relying on the same patterns to feel safe.
MMY APPROACH TO ANXIETY THERAPYYMY APPROACH TO ANXIETY THERAPY APPROACH TO TRAUMA THERAPY
THERE'S OFTEN MORE GOING ON BENEATH THE WORRY.
Anxiety and perfectionism don't always develop in isolation. Sometimes they grow out of experiences where being prepared, doing everything right, or keeping other people happy felt important to your sense of safety or belonging.
We'll explore not only what you're worrying about, but also what happens when you feel uncertain, make a mistake, disappoint someone, or can't control the outcome.
I draw from EMDR, somatic therapy, mindfulness, ACT, DBT, and attachment-focused approaches to help you work with anxious thoughts, emotional responses, and the physical experience of stress.
Our work isn't about getting rid of your ambition or making you care less. It's about helping you make choices without so much fear, pressure, and self-criticism running the show.
YOUR WORTH ISN'T SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO KEEP EARNING.
HOW ANXIETY & PERFECTIONISM CAN SHOW UP
OVERTHINKING
You analyze decisions, replay interactions, and imagine everything that could go wrong. Even small choices can become exhausting when you're trying to get them exactly right.
DIFFICULTY RESTING
Slowing down can bring guilt or uneasiness. You might feel productive all day but still struggle to relax because there's always something unfinished.
SELF-CRITICISM
You're quick to notice your mistakes and slow to recognize what you've done well. The standards you hold yourself to may be far higher than anything you'd expect from someone else.
FEAR OF GETTING IT WRONG
You avoid risks, overprepare, procrastinate, or seek reassurance because making a mistake feels more threatening than it logically should.
QUESTIONS ABOUT ANXIETY & PERFECTIONISM THERAPY
-
You don't have to wait until anxiety interferes with every part of your life to seek support. If worry, self-criticism, or pressure is affecting your well-being, relationships, sleep, or ability to enjoy life, therapy may be helpful.
-
Yes. We can explore the beliefs, fears, and experiences that contribute to perfectionism, along with practical ways to approach mistakes, uncertainty, and expectations differently. The goal isn't to lower your standards, but to reduce the distress attached to meeting them.
-
Not at all. You can care about your work, relationships, and goals without feeling constantly driven by fear or self-criticism. We'll explore how to maintain what matters to you while creating more flexibility in how you approach it.
-
Sometimes. EMDR can be useful when anxiety is connected to distressing experiences, fears, or beliefs developed in the past. Depending on your needs, I may also incorporate somatic therapy, ACT, DBT, mindfulness, and other approaches.
-
Even if anxiety has been present for much of your life, the way you relate to it can change. Therapy can help you understand your responses, develop new skills, and work with contributing experiences and beliefs.
-
Yes. I provide online anxiety and perfectionism therapy for adults physically located in Washington and Oregon. Sessions can include conversation, skills practice, somatic approaches, and EMDR when appropriate.
COMMON QUESTIONS
WHEN YOU'RE READY
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT TO BEGIN.
You don't need to have the right words or know exactly what needs to change. We can start with what's been difficult and talk about what you're hoping for.