Therapy for Perfectionism & People-Pleasing:
Disrupting the “good girl” and “strong one” narratives
Virtual support in Boston, Providence, Portland, and
throughout MA, RI, and OR
You care deeply about others and while your ability to shapeshift and be flexible can be an advantage, saying “yes” before you’ve even thought it through has gotten old. You spend late nights on social media feeling like you’re the only one who hasn’t figured “it” out. You do everything for everyone else…it’s easier that way.
You find that your self-worth is tied to the approval of others.
Does this sound like you?
You over function to avoid conflict or criticism.
You’re an expert at being a “chameleon” or “shape shifter” — adjusting your needs and personality to those around you.
You feel pressure to be low-maintenance, easygoing, or “perfect”.
You feel responsible for fixing others’ problems.
You feel out of touch with yourself and what you want.
You struggle with the “martyr myth”: that good parenting equals exhaustion and sacrificing health, identity, and needs.
Caring about others is a beautiful thing. I often find that my clients have sometimes “overdeveloped” the skill of people-pleasing as result of needing to stay safe and/or connected when they were younger. The transition to motherhood can amplify these patterns.
If your kindness comes at the expense of your well-being, therapy might be able to help.
Less performing
More living
Therapy might include:
Unpacking where the inner critic came from and increasing self-compassion.
Building practical skills to start saying “no” when you need to.
Moving out of the “fawn” response with nervous system regulation.
Using EMDR to process memories that contribute to a need to please others or to a “not good enough” narrative.
Therapy is tailored to your unique identity and experience. Whether you are navigating a major life transition, the complexities of parenthood, or a career that asks a lot from you — let’s see what’s possible.
The Process
Directly book a consultation call by using the button below.
We’ll check in to make sure we’re a good fit.
Start virtual sessions.