Therapy for
Perfectionism & Burnout
Counseling in Illinois and Colorado for folks who have
that inner voice that tells them nothing is ever good enough and that rest is only possible when everything is done.
Can't Stop Won't Stop
★
Go Big or Go Home
★
Rise & Grind
★
Stay Hustlin'
★
Can't Stop Won't Stop ★ Go Big or Go Home ★ Rise & Grind ★ Stay Hustlin' ★
Setting the Standard
Your inner critic might have a permanent seat at the table. And, unfortunately, you might not even notice because we live in a society that inundates us with messaging that cosigns our critic’s beliefs. Just take a look at the scroll on this page. I’m sure you’ve heard all of them before. And they all not so subtly tell us that good is not good enough.
This has an impact on you as a human being. It might show up in the way you feel guilt whenever you try to take a break or the way you push through way past your point of exhaustion but can’t seem to stop yourself.
Perfectionism is a standard you’ve set for yourself for so long
that it might feel impossible to change it.
But parts of you might be asking yourself
“What if I did try to change it?”
→ You didn’t treat every mistake you made like evidence in a trial
→ You took into account your capacity before agreeing to help someone else
→ You didn’t measure your self-worth based on output and productivity
→ You acknowledged the work you’ve done and gave yourself permission to feel a sense of accomplishment
→ You stopped confusing burnout for laziness and allowed yourself to rest
What if…
"Emotions are tunnels. If you go all the way through them, you get to the light at the end."
- Emily and Amelia Nagoski from Burnout
Understanding and Addressing the Fears
I know that it’s not as simple as answering those questions and then like a ✳︎snap✳︎ of your fingers, it’s better. The inner critic and perfectionist part of you have been working at this for a long time. They don’t know any different way to go about life, and the thought of changing what they do is really scary.
Instead of trying to strong-arm these parts into doing what you want them to do, because I’m sure you might have tried that before, maybe we try something different and hear them out.
Identifying What Triggers Them to Show Up
This informs a lot of what they are afraid of. We’ll take a look at those situations where you noticed those parts most. Leading from curiosity and compassion, we’ll explore what they were afraid of happening to you.
Attuning to How You Carry This in Your Body
Chronic tension and a nervous system constantly on edge are some things I commonly hear from folks experiencing burnout. We’ll get to know what’s happening in your body, too, and explore strategies to provide relief.
Playing for the Same Team
We will befriend these parts of you by having compassion for them through understanding their fears. Perfectionism is often rooted in shame. We’ll help these parts realize they don’t have to carry the burden of protecting you from that shame alone anymore. You’re here for them now.
Welcoming in Their Strengths
These parts of you have qualities that you love and want to keep. They don’t have to lose that if they stop doing what they’re doing. Helping these parts to soften and engage in less extreme ways allows for you to still care deeply and maintain your integrity.
“You don’t have to earn rest or comfort. You’re allowed to just be.”
- Becky Chambers from
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
If you’re feeling burnout and exhausted from pushing yourself to meet standards that you don’t even remember why you set them that high in the first place, I get it.
And I’d love to help you get to a place where you can feel tired, give yourself rest, and that’s okay.