Perfectionism therapists in Santa Monica, California CA
We are proud to feature top rated Perfectionism therapists in Santa Monica. We encourage you to review each profile to find your best match.
Perfectionism
Tracey Kiernan
Marriage and Family Therapist, MA, AMFT
Perfectionism often looks like success on the outside but feels exhausting internally. I help you understand the drivers behind it and shift toward a more sustainable, self-supportive way of functioning.
2 Years Experience
In-Person in Santa Monica, CA 90405
Online in Santa Monica, CA California
Perfectionism
Kim Gibson
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPCC, ATR
Many of my clients experience perfectionism secondary to ADHD or anxiety. I enjoy helping clients identify this pattern and explore what is behind it and if its time to change it.
25 Years Experience
In-Person Near Santa Monica, CA
Online in Santa Monica, CA California
Perfectionism
Danielle Esses
Psychologist, PsyD
Perfectionism can look like high standards on the surface, but often comes with anxiety, self-criticism, and difficulty feeling satisfied or at ease. Therapy helps you understand the function of these patterns and develop a more flexible, sustainable way of approaching achievement and self-worth.
8 Years Experience
In-Person Near Santa Monica, CA
Online in Santa Monica, CA California
Perfectionism
Dr. Jag Soni
Psychologist, Ph.D., HSPP, PCC, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
While the drive for excellence is often rewarded, the weight of Perfectionism and "never being enough" leads to burnout and paralysis. Drawing on 35 years of clinical experience, I help you shift from self-criticism to a resilient, high-functioning sense of self. We work to uncover the root of your perfectionistic standards and foster the internal changes needed to achieve your goals without sacrificing your mental well-being. In a private Telehealth setting, I provide a sophisticated space to help you trade the burden of perfection for an authentic and manageable life. Contact me to schedule your first appointment.
36 Years Experience
Online in Santa Monica, CA California (Online Only)
Perfectionism
LaTianna Williams, Therapy, Sexology, and Holistic Tantra
Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, CTRS, ABS
Perfectionism and Imposter’s Syndrome: Perfectionism can create the illusion of success while quietly fueling anxiety, self-criticism, burnout, procrastination, and fear of failure. No matter how much you achieve, it may never feel like enough.
I help clients uncover the beliefs and experiences driving perfectionism and develop healthier ways of relating to themselves and their goals. Together, we’ll cultivate self-compassion, resilience, and a more balanced approach to achievement.
This work is about letting go of impossible standards and creating space for growth, authenticity, and genuine fulfillment.
8 Years Experience
Online in Santa Monica, CA California (Online Only)
Perfectionism
Layla Ashley Psychotherapy
Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT
Perfectionism can create constant pressure to perform or appear flawless. In sessions, we explore how to shift rigid expectations, and cultivate a healthier relationship with achievement and self-worth.
23 Years Experience
In-Person Near Santa Monica, CA
Online in Santa Monica, CA California
Perfectionism
G. Roman Gupta, LCSW
Therapist, LCSW
I have been practicing for almost 20 years and I have a strength-based, trauma-informed, culturally aware, LGBTQ+ affirmative, sex positive, kink positive, poly affirming, feminist perspective. I have trained and practiced in a variety of treatment methods that offer us a variety of ways to meet your goals whether as an individual, couple, or family.
18 Years Experience
In-Person Near Santa Monica, CA
Online in Santa Monica, CA California
Perfectionism
Heidi Hartston
Psychologist, PhD
Therapy can help you navigate the traps related to perfectionism, including procrastination, self-criticism, fear of failure, imposter syndrome, overthinking and fear of falling short. We can work to quiet the inner critic, address black and white thinking in evaluating yourself and your work, and find purpose driven motivation (rather than fear driven). Shifting your inner conversation can result in great relief and can unlock your creativity, reinvigorate your interest and have you feeling proud of your work and your skillset. I combine insightful, caring depth work with evidence based techniques that effectively free you from self-sabotaging patterns, and help you to build the balanced, happy life you deserve.
35 Years Experience
Online in Santa Monica, CA California (Online Only)
Perfectionism
Mary Mallinson Therapy
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
Perfectionism often shows up as pressure, self-criticism, and fear of failure. Together, we explore the roots of perfectionism and work toward building self-compassion, flexibility, and a more balanced, sustainable way of relating to yourself.
5 Years Experience
Online in Santa Monica, CA California (Online Only)
Perfectionism
Mia Turner
Therapist, MA, RYT, ASDCS, LMFT, NPT-C, CMNCS, CMIP
Perfectionism is often less about striving for excellence and more about seeking safety, belonging, predictability, acceptance, or protection. It can develop in response to trauma, marginalization, giftedness, neurodivergence, family expectations, racism, ableism, cultural pressures, high-achievement environments, or experiences where mistakes felt costly and being "good enough" never quite felt good enough.
What is often labeled as perfectionism may also reflect a nervous system that learned to stay vigilant, perform, overprepare, overachieve, self-monitor, mask, or anticipate problems in order to avoid criticism, rejection, disappointment, conflict, shame, or harm. For many people, perfectionism becomes intertwined with identity, self-worth, productivity, competence, and the belief that value must be earned rather than inherently possessed. It may show up as chronic self-criticism, difficulty resting, procrastination, overthinking, people-pleasing, hyper-independence, fear of failure, fear of success, difficulty making decisions, or feeling as though there is always more that should be done.
This work explores the protective role perfectionism has played throughout your life while examining the ways it may be impacting relationships, wellbeing, creativity, joy, authenticity, and connection with yourself. Particular attention is given to the influence of family systems, culture, gender, neurodivergence, trauma, and the internalized narratives that shape how you relate to achievement, mistakes, success, failure, worthiness, and belonging.
My approach is grounded in the belief that perfectionism is often an adaptive survival strategy rather than a personal flaw. Rather than attempting to simply eliminate perfectionistic tendencies, we become curious about what those parts are protecting, what they fear might happen if they loosened their grip, and what needs may exist beneath the pressure to perform. Using EMDR, somatic therapy, mindfulness, polyvagal-informed practices, parts work, neuropsychotherapy, expressive arts, attachment-focused approaches, and liberation-oriented healing, therapy supports developing a more compassionate relationship with the parts of yourself that learned to equate achievement with safety.
Attention is also given to the ways perfectionism lives in the body and nervous system. This may include chronic tension, difficulty slowing down, overactivation, self-monitoring, exhaustion, difficulty experiencing satisfaction, or feeling unable to rest without guilt. Through greater awareness of sensation, emotion, nervous system states, and embodied experience, space is created for increased flexibility, self-trust, self-compassion, and choice.
The goal is not to stop caring, striving, creating, achieving, or growing. It is to cultivate a relationship with yourself that is not dependent upon performance, productivity, approval, or getting everything right. Often, the work involves reclaiming authenticity, playfulness, creativity, rest, joy, pace, and the internal permission to be fully human rather than a constant self-improvement project.
10 Years Experience
Online in Santa Monica, CA California (Online Only)
Santa Monica combines proximity to the entertainment industry with a strong wellness culture, creating demand for therapists who specialize in performance anxiety, the pressures of creative and entertainment careers, identity, and the particular stresses of living adjacent to fame and public scrutiny. The area's affluent demographic and beach lifestyle coexist with significant rates of anxiety, eating concerns, and relationship distress, and the Westside has a notably high density of experienced therapists relative to its size. Providence Saint John's Health Center and UCLA Health provide institutional mental health anchors for the Westside community. Many Santa Monica therapists also serve clients from Malibu, Pacific Palisades, and the broader Westside corridor.
Perfectionism therapists in Santa Monica, California Statistics
Perfectionism therapists in Santa Monica, California average 12 years of experience and charge around $201 per session. 100% offer online sessions. The top treatment approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (70%), Somatic Therapy (47%), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (45%).
Average years in practice
12 Years Experience
Average cost per session
$201
Accept insurance
43%
Offer sliding scale
40%
Gender ID
| 72% |
Female |
|
| 16% |
Male |
|
| 7% |
Non-Binary |
|
| 5% |
Gender Fluid |
|
Session Type
| 51% |
In Person and Online |
|
| 49% |
Online Only |
|
Top Treatment Approaches
| 70% | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |
| 47% | Somatic Therapy |
| 45% | Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) |
| 38% | Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) |
| 38% | Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) |
| 36% | Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) |
| 36% | Psychodynamic Therapy |
Ages Served
| 100% | Adult |
| 77% | Young Adult |
| 57% | Senior |
| 43% | Teen |
| 19% | Children |
Client Focus
| 66% | Women |
| 53% | LGBTQ+ |
| 34% | Hispanic / Latino |
| 34% | Persons with Disabilities |
| 32% | Asian |