Anxiety & Perfectionism

Maybe your kid stays up past midnight rewriting a paper that was already fine. Maybe they melt down over an A-minus, or freeze before a test they studied hard for. Maybe they say they're fine, but you can see the worry running underneath everything.

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Anxiety and perfectionism often show up in the kids who look like they have it all together. They're working so hard to hold it together that there's nothing left at the end of the day.

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How I help

I work on the worry itself, not just the grades. Using CBT, I help kids and teens notice the thoughts that push them ("If I mess this up, everything falls apart"), test whether those thoughts are true, and practice doing things a little imperfectly on purpose. It sounds small. It changes a lot.

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I help parents, too. Anxious kids are really good at pulling the adults around them into reassuring and rescuing. I'll give you real, practical ways to respond so you're supporting your kid without feeding the worry.

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Why me

I spent 14 years as a school counseling director, working with high-achieving students and the pressure that comes with it. I know what a teen's week actually looks like, and I know how to work with schools when the stress is showing up there too.

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For adults

Perfectionism doesn't always fade after school. For a lot of adults it shows up as never being able to shut off, overpreparing at work, burnout, or a constant feeling that you're falling short. I work with adults using CBT and DBT skills to quiet that pressure and find a pace you can actually live with.

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Getting started

I see kids from age 6 through adults, in person in Milton or by telehealth, with morning, evening, and Sunday times. It starts with a free 30-minute call with me.