Perfectionism Update

Featuring Adam Holman

Today we are joined by Adam Holman, LCSW. Adam has recently left his full time clinical practice in Arizona to join our Feeling Great app team here in San Francisco. I think you’ll be delighted by his warmth and wisdom. Although he works with us full-time, he still practices one day per week and specializes in X depression, anxiety, and screen addiction(e.g. video game addiction and more.) He has appeared on two previous Feeling Good Podcasts, # X and # Y.

We are delighted to have Adam as the honored guest on today’s Ask David podcast!

Today’s questions come all the way from North Macedonia!

Dear Dr. Burns,

Thank you so much for your kind response. I’d be truly honored if my questions could be considered for a future episode of your Ask David podcast. Your work has been a key influence in my research on perfectionism and its cognitive-behavioral aspects.

Here are a few brief questions I’m currently exploring:

1. How has your view of perfectionism evolved since Feeling Good?

2. What strategies have you found most effective for challenging perfectionistic thinking in therapy?

3. Is perfectionism often rooted in a fear of not being “good enough”?

4. How does it typically manifest in academic or professional environments?

If you happen to include any of these in a future episode, I’d be grateful if you could let me know so I can tune in.

Thank you again for your time and for the lasting impact of your work.

Warm regards,

Mitko Toshev

Doctoral Student

Faculty of Pedagogy

University “St. Kliment Ohridski” – Bitola

North Macedonia

David’s Reply

Yes, this will make for an excellent podcast with a refresher on perfectionism, featuring questions from Mitko and a spirited discussion with Adam, Rhonda and yours truly! We had an in depth discussion of all the latest bells and whistles in the treatment of perfectionism with TEAM CBT. This included the two very different but complementary approaches to treating depression or any of the 23 common Self-Defeating Beliefs.

So, if you’ve ever struggle with the thought that you’re not good enough, or that you SHOULDN’T have made this or that mistake, this podcast will be right up your alley!

Thanks, Mitko!

david