A woman with long dark hair, wearing a beige satin shirt, sitting at cluttered wooden table with her arms spread wide, resting her head on the table in defeat, in a room with a window, a lamp, a vase of pink tulips, a drink, and a vintage telephone.

Therapy for Perfectionists in Houston, TX.

Ugh, Perfectionism.

Perfectionism is a sneaky little energy vampire. You spend hours rewriting texts, avoid starting things, unless you know they’ll be perfect, and somehow still feel like you’re never doing enough. It’s like your brain has a full-time job critiquing…you.

Sound familiar? It’s not just you - and no, you don’t need to be “fixed.” You just need a break from the pressure of having to be perfect allll the time.

What perfectionism actually looks like:

  • You rewrite texts, emails, even Instagram captions five times before sending.

  • You procrastinate because the pressure to “get it right” is too intense.

  • You feel guilty when you're not being “productive.”

  • You beat yourself up for the tiniest mistakes — ones that no one else would notice.

  • You struggle to feel proud of your accomplishments, because “it could’ve been better.”

A person with dark hair holding their head with both hands, covering their face, in a black and white photo.

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame.”

- Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

Where does perfectionism come from?

Perfectionism often shows up when we’ve learned that our worth is tied to what we do, not who we are. Maybe you were praised for being the “high achiever” or a “good girl” growing up, always playing the part and never wanting to cause any trouble. Or maybe it wasn’t safe to make mistakes in your home, at school, or practice. So now your brain thinks “messing up” equals “not being lovable.”

Does it make sense? Yes. But is it sustainable? No.

Colorful sticky notes with motivational quotes and illustrations scattered on a blue surface. Notes include messages like 'You're doing great,' 'Go at your own pace,' 'Progress not perfection,' 'You can do it,' and 'Yes you can,' along with a simple bar chart and a smiley face drawing.

How I can help with perfectionism:

  1. Kick the self-criticism to the curb

  2. Build self-worth not tied to achievement or productivity (Yes, you are still a badass even if you didn’t complete everything on your daily to-do list)

  3. Foster intrinsic motivation based on personal values, beliefs, and needs - not what is expected of you

  4. Develop a sense of self-compassion

In therapy, we start by noticing the perfectionist voice — the one that's always critiquing, shaming, and pushing you too hard. And we gently start challenging it. Not with fake positivity or cheesy affirmations, but with curiosity and truth.

Together, we work on building a sense of self that doesn’t rely on gold stars or productivity. You get to learn who you are outside of “doing” — and reconnect with what actually matters to you, not just what gets you external praise.

We also talk a lot about self-compassion. (Yes, even if it sounds woo-woo at first.) Because being kind to yourself isn’t lazy or indulgent — it’s actually the antidote to burnout and shame.

What working together feels like?

I’m not here to judge you, fix you, or tell you to “just chill.” I know how loud and relentless the perfectionist voice can be — and how painful it is to never feel like you measure up. I offer a space where you can show up as you are — messy, anxious, trying-your-best — and start untangling all of it at your own pace.