Addiction triggers worksheet
Summary
Use perfectionism therapy worksheets to help clients identify the three distinct types of perfectionism and the health risks associated with unrealistic standards.
Implement evidence-based strategies like CBT and SMART goal setting to challenge maladaptive thoughts and foster more flexible thinking patterns.
Use the perfectionism worksheets to provide structured psychoeducation and collaborative reflection during individual or group therapy sessions.
Encourage the practice of self-compassion and the reframing of failure to improve client self-esteem and reduce symptoms of burnout.
Equip your clients with the tools they need to transition from paralyzing perfectionism to healthy striving using our perfectionism therapy worksheet.
This article provides an overview of perfectionism and exercises to overcome it.
We’ve included a free downloadable perfectionism worksheet that you can save to your electronic health record (EHR) and use in your practice.
What is perfectionism?
Perfectionism involves the setting of unrealistically high expectations for oneself and others. Unlike those striving for success, perfectionists are self-critical and hard on themselves when they fail to meet their impossibly high standards, as nothing is enough unless it is perfect.
In contrast, striving for success means doing your best and working hard, but not at the expense of your relationships or personal health and well-being.
There are three types of perfectionism:
Self-oriented perfectionism: Setting high standards for yourself and feeling intense pressure to meet those expectations.
Other-oriented perfectionism: Expecting perfection from others and being critical of them for not achieving those standards.
Socially-prescribed perfectionism: The belief that others hold you to unrealistic expectations and will criticize you for not meeting them.
While striving for excellence helps people attain their goals, perfectionism can lead to adverse health outcomes, making perfectionism therapy worksheets helpful resources.
Research has linked perfectionism to a range of health outcomes, including:
Rumination about not meeting standards or their flaws
Anxiety and depression
Social phobias
Self-harm
Insomnia
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Eating disorders
Psychological distress
Suicidal thoughts
Feeling shame and guilt
Fear of failure
Stress, burnout, and emotional exhaustion
Low self-esteem
Studies also show that self-oriented perfectionism is on the rise among college students by statistically significant amounts, and socially-oriented perfectionism increased at twice the rate of self- or other-oriented perfectionism.
How to beat perfectionism
Perfectionism worksheets offer several strategies to tackle perfectionism, including:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT can help to identify and challenge unrealistic or unhelpful beliefs and thoughts and reframe them with more balanced and flexible thinking.
For example, a person might think, “If I don’t get a perfect score on this test, then I won't get into college, and I’ll be a failure.” CBT can help to reframe these thoughts to, “I am doing my best, it’s OK to make mistakes, and I can learn from my imperfections.”
Practice self-compassion
Perfectionism arises from a fear of failure, not meeting high expectations, and cognitive distortions about the potential impact of these failures. By practicing self-compassion, individuals can treat themselves with kindness and reassurance that they are doing their best.
Set more realistic goals
Using a goal framework, like the SMART goal structure, can help create more realistic and achievable goals that are good enough rather than unattainable.
Reframe failure
Instead of using failure as an opportunity for self-criticism, it can provide a chance to reflect on lessons learned, such as setting unrealistic expectations and highlight other ways to address the root of perfectionism, which is often rooted in low self-esteem.
How to use the perfectionism therapy worksheets
You can download and use the perfectionism worksheets in several ways:
Use the “What is perfectionism?” explanation in the worksheet to provide psychoeducation to clients.
Complete the perfectionism therapy worksheet collaboratively during the session and provide the client with a copy to take home.
Ask the client to reflect on the overcoming perfectionism worksheet and answer the reflection questions between sessions, reporting their findings at their next therapy appointment.
Use the worksheet in group therapy sessions to encourage clients to brainstorm strategies for how to get rid of perfectionism.
Combine this worksheet with other self-improvement resources, such as our positive traits worksheet, self-esteem completion worksheet, and positive experiences worksheet.
Share the worksheet with coworkers.
Use the perfectionism worksheet to provide training to interns or supervisees.
Sources
Curan, T., & Hill, A., P. (2018). Perfectionism Is Increasing, and That’s Not Good News. Harvard Business Review.
Harvard Academic Resource Center. (2023). Perfectionism.
Kelly J. D., 4th (2015). Your Best Life: Perfectionism--The Bane of Happiness. Clinical Orthopaedics and related research.
Kent, J. A. (2023). Perfectionism might be hurting you. Here's how to change your relationship to achievement. Harvard Summer School.
Rozental A. (2020). Beyond perfect? A case illustration of working with perfectionism using cognitive behavior therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology.
University of Michigan Counseling and Psychological Services. (n.d.). Coping with perfectionism.
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