The difference between healthy and unhealthy perfectionism

Doing things right, perfect & precisely: perfectionism

Michael P. Twohig, Ph.D. is the co-director of the ACT Research Group, a licensed psychologist in the state of Utah, and a Professor of Psychology at Utah State University.

In this episode, I chat with Michael about his research on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on perfectionism and, in particular, one of the papers published in his lab: A randomized controlled trial of acceptance and commitment therapy for clinical perfectionism (2019).

In this study, over 50 individuals participated in a 10-week treatment protocol that targeted clinical perfectionism.

We chatted about the neurological screenings participants completed, the challenging moments of participants being attached to rules about how things are supposed to be, and how distinguishing helpful versus unhelpful perfectionistic actions is introduced in the study.

You will hear Michael sharing one of his favorite metaphors to facilitate behavioral flexibility.

Key Takeaways

  • The struggle with unhelpful or clinical perfectionism
  • The study of act-based treatment for unhelpful perfectionism
  • Challenges faced by perfectionists
  • The different types of act strategies
  • The mind’s role and psychological flexibility
  • Handling self-criticism
  • The study outcomes of act-based treatment

About Michael P. Twohig, Ph.D.

Michael P. Twohig, Ph.D., is well known for his work in ACT and OCD, which is closely related to perfectionism. Twohig is a professor in the psychology department at Utah State University. He is the past president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) and a current member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). He has written more than 170 peer-reviewed publications, seven books, and has received funding from many organizations, including the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

twohig

Resources

Resources from Dr. Z’s

Show notes with time stamps

01:37 Research and Methodology
02:26 Neurological Assessments
03:15 Tasks and Challenges
05:29 Participant Experiences
06:50 Understanding Perfectionism
08:41 Values and Goals
10:08 Navigating Perfectionism
12:36 Balancing Rules and Flexibility
14:37 The Coherence Trap
16:29 Learning from Experience
19:42 Advice for High Achievers
21:12 Traffic Light Metaphor for Mindset
21:46 The Importance of Proofreading
22:26 Embracing Imperfections
23:21 Dealing with Self-Criticism
24:19 Understanding Different Perspectives
25:06 Programming of the Mind
27:10 Functional Thinking Over Right and Wrong
28:55 Living Functionally Explained
32:10 Balancing Work and Life
33:43 Letting Go of Rigid Rules
35:01 Research on Perfectionism
36:06 Study Outcomes and Measurements
 

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About Dr. Z.

I’m originally from Bolivia, South America, and am a psychologist by training. I’m formally trained in empirically supported treatments, and when I say “formally,” I mean that since 2004 I have received intensive training in them, particularly in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). 

Over the past 18 years, I have created resources for and worked with overthinkers and overachievers dealing with all types of anxiety-related struggles: perfectionism, procrastination, productivity anxiety, uncertainty intolerance, indecision, impostor phenomenon, overthinking, phobias, rumination, panic, worry and obsessive-compulsive disorder. I absolutely love my job!

In 2019, I was nominated as a fellow by the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science because of my contributions related to the applications of ACT for anxiety-based struggles. I’m the author of seven books and the co-author of three (see the section on previously written books).

I’m the founder and director of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, a boutique private center in the San Francisco Bay Area that offers therapy and coaching for anyone experiencing anxiety-based struggles.

In 2023, I gave a TEDx talk, “Stop playing-it-safe and start living” that has more than 264K downloads.

While I’m a psychologist by training and science-based by passion, my style is jargon-free, accessible, caring, and lighthearted; teaching ACT skills doesn’t have to be boring or inaccessible, so I do my best to make every skill I teach—in any format—as engaging as possible. 

I believe that learning to navigate anxiety-based reactions is one of the key skills of the 21st century, and I’m passionate about it.

I'm passionate about disseminating ACT skills for anxiety-based struggles.

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