What Happens During an ERP Therapy Session?
Exposure therapy can seem mysterious, but the approach is straightforward and does not have to be scary, extreme, or complicated. Learn what to expect in an ERP therapy session…
OCD & Anxiety Therapies
Perfectionism and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality (OCPD)
Embrace balance with therapy for overcontrol
In-Person Sessions in Ventura, CA
Face-to-face connection in a relaxed office setting. A good fit for clients who live locally.
Online Sessions in California
Virtual therapy from anywhere in California. Flexible and hybrid options available for busy schedules.
Help for OCPD
Therapy for Perfectionists and Workaholics
Do you find yourself hyper-focused, exhausted, and burned out from the never-ending quest for order and perfection? Does your work ethic or constant striving for improvement stress you out (even though you mostly believe it is the right way of doing things)? Do your friends and family feel neglected or controlled because of your workaholic and somewhat rigid tendencies?
Therapy will not change the essence of who you are, but it can help turn down the volume on aspects of your personality that seem to get in the way of your health and relationships. With professional help, you can move closer to a life that feels more balanced and fulfilling, while maintaining high standards and a drive for mastery.
Common Traits of OCPD
Obsessive-compulsive personalities have numerous strengths and are likely responsible for much of the world's innovation. It's generally positive to be deep thinking, to focus intensely on your goals, to be persistent, determined, and have a high degree of integrity in your work, morals, and creative pursuits. While these qualities are adaptive in many cultures and contexts, they can be maladaptive when taken to their extreme.
If your perfectionistic patterns are pervasive and compromise important areas of your life (eg. health, career, interpersonal functioning) you may meet criteria for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). The good news is it is possible to lose the ‘D’ with therapy and intentional practice. You can maintain aspects of your OC personality you appreciate while turning down the dial on the parts that are hurting you. Below are common traits of OCPD.
- Intense preoccupation with details
- Excessive concern with rules
- Strong need for order
- Work addiction
- Sense of urgency and burnout
- Extreme need for control
- Unhelpful perfectionism
- Rigid thinking
- Difficulty with emotions
- Difficulty delegating tasks
- Procrastination and indecision
- Hoarding tendencies
What Causes Perfectionism and OCPD?
Personality traits result from a mix of inborn temperament and social or environmental experiences. People may be born "wired" for anxious, vigilant, and overly detail-oriented vulnerabilities, and these vulnerabilities are activated during important periods of development.
Many people with obsessive-compulsive personality traits were raised in environments that valued achievement and doing over feeling. Emotional expression may have been discouraged and caregivers may have been unavailable for emotional regulation.
People who struggle with perfectionism may connect their self-worth to work performance and may not have a positive or stable sense of self that is separate from their accomplishments. Obsessive concern with order may be a response to early childhood environments that felt chaotic or unpredictable. Perfectionistic standards may have also been modeled in the home as ideal.
OCPD Self-Test
If you or a loved one are experiencing OCPD traits, this online test can be a good place to learn more. The self-test is not intended to take the place of a formal evaluation with a mental health provider. Your results will be emailed to you.
Take Test
Treatment for Perfectionism and OCPD
We use an integrative approach that draws from cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, and experiential treatments. Therapy can target self-limiting perfectionism, workaholism, stress, emotion regulation, and relationship struggles.
Therapy is appropriate for people with perfectionistic patterns that negatively impact their health and relationships. Often people are ready for help when their traits cause problems with employment and/or intimate partnerships. Therapy is a safe environment to reflect and evolve.
Get Started With Treatment
Therapy can help you grow in insight and self-compassion while committing to changing patterns that get in the way of your well-being and connection. With treatment, you can learn to modify the thinking and behavior that no longer works for you or your loved ones. While growth takes time and intention, it is possible to change while staying true to yourself and your values.
Licensed Therapist
Hi, I'm Teva Johnstone, LCSW
I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist specializing in obsessive-compulsive conditions. I provide individual therapy for OCD, anxiety, and related concerns. In-person therapy in Ventura County and online throughout California.
- Individual therapy for OCD, perfectionism, and OCPD
- In-person in Ventura or telehealth across California
- Integrative treatment approach
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