Psychology Today: The Perfect Patient: How letting go of perfectionism in therapy creates meaningful change.

Article Featuring Dr. Melissa Jermann

• Perfectionism can present as motivation for therapy but is often rooted in shame and a need to fix oneself.

• Clients with perfectionism have a difficult time connecting to emotions and tend to turn skills into rules.

• Meaningful therapeutic change requires recognizing perfectionistic patterns and cultivating self-compassion.

• Letting go of unrealistic expectations for therapy opens the door to true growth and self-acceptance.

Dr. Melissa was featured in Psychology Today in the article “The Perfect Patient: How letting go of perfectionism in therapy creates meaningful change.” In this piece she explores how perfectionism shows up in therapy, how it can interfere with genuine growth, and why accepting imperfection can open the door to deeper healing and self-compassion.