How to help the perfectionist client…
How to break the cycle of ‘when is perfect, perfect enough?
Perfectionism is not about excellence or healthy development but a rather sophisticated cognitive and behavioural mechanism (including a series of false autosuggestions) that internally sounds something like this: ‘if I deliver at 100% all the time and if I look perfect all the time and if I achieve 100% academically all the time, I shall no longer feel ashamed, embarrassed and will no longer be judged for underperforming – everyone will love and accept me then’.
Striving for a specific ‘reward’, whether material, professional or academic success, is wired into our neurological system and can be healthy for both the mind and body. However when suffering from low mood and low self-esteem, perfectionism is usually turned into an unhealthy obsession by constantly shifting the goal posts or aiming for unrealistic or even impossible standards.
According to Roz Shafran (2002) “the overdependence of self-evaluation on the determined pursuit (and achievement) of self-imposed, personally demanding standards of performance in at least one salient domain, despite the occurrence of adverse consequences” explains the mechanism behind perfectionism.
This obsessive drive forward is often misread by significant others (for example immediate family) as ambition. There is a threshold nonetheless, observable to the trained eye, by the experienced clinician who understands the difference between pathological tendencies that reinforce an anxiety or a depressive disorder and a healthy motivation to achieve.
What this workshop will do for you
The training covers a wide range of CBT topics from introductory through to advanced. The combination of lecture, case studies (video/ audio analysis) and role plays significantly develops skills and knowledge of CBT techniques and provides an effective and cost efficient investment in your professional development.
Learning objectives for the CBT for Perfectionism Workshop
Concepts, understanding and recognition
- A clear description of pathological (or clinical / unhealthy / dysfunctional) ‘perfectionism’ and a deeper understanding of a term that people commonly use to the extent that it has now been normalized. It has become part of our usual and every day vocabulary.
- How clinical (unhealthy) perfectionism manifest itself.
- How to recognise it in the therapy room
- Understanding mechanisms involved in the maintenance of perfectionism.
- Understanding what other disorders are associated with clinical perfectionism (e.g. other anxiety and depressive disorders) – and how they interact with it.
Treatment design and elements, specific interventions
- Introducing and socialising clients to the CBT model,
- Psychological education – about CBT and specifically perfectionism maintaining factors in CBT
- Modifying and challenging dysfunctional assumptions,
- Problem solving and setting realistic goals.
- Problem solving and setting realistic goals.
- The creative use of behavioural and social experiments as well as imagery work
- How to integrate different skills used in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders.
- The integration and use of hypnosis and negative self-hypnosis (negative autosuggestion model) into the CBT model
- The use of other more recent CBT approaches also know as third wave therapies such as mindfulness and acceptance, imagery, and relaxation.
About Daniel Mirea
Daniel Mirea is an accredited CBT consultant, senior lecturer, researcher and writer who trained and worked with some of the most recognisable clinicians in the United States and UK over the years (i.e. Donald Meichenbaum, Gilbert P, Corrie S, Padesky C, Young J, Hays S, Linehan M, Emmy van Deurzen, etc.).
He currently writes workshops, doctoral programmes and trains in different cognitive and behavioural approaches.
Enrol
Online Workshop: £108
Take the workshop as a pre-recorded online Course