How Somatic Therapy Can Help With Perfectionism
Perfectionism can be a complicated —driving success on the outside while creating stress, anxiety, and self-criticism on the inside. Many people who live in high-achieving environments like San Francisco know the pressure of always needing to “get it right,” yet don’t know how to break the habit. While talk therapy can bring some relief, perfectionism often lives deeper in the body, appearing as exhaustion, tension, and stress. That’s where somatic therapy San Francisco can be especially helpful. By addressing not just the mind but also the body, somatic therapy helps release patterns of overdrive and cultivate a gentle and more grounded sense of self-worth.
What Is Perfectionism?
Perfectionism is the persistent belief that nothing you do, say, or think is ever good enough. It can show up as overworking, procrastination, or harsh self-criticism. Over time, these patterns affect not only emotional well-being but also physical health, leading to anxiety, fatigue, and even burnout. Unfortunately, achievement can mask perfectionism and because our society rewards achievement and productivity, many people may not view their perfectionism as a problem. However, being unflinchingly harsh and driven does not allow for much mental flexibility. If someone with perfectionistic traits falls short of the standard they set for themselves, depression and despair may result. Additionally, the constant striving to achieve impossible standards may cause continual anxiety amplified by the feeling of not being good enough.
Why Thinking Your Way Out Doesn’t Always Work
Many perfectionists are highly self-aware and can identify their patterns, but awareness alone rarely changes them. This is because perfectionism often operates at the level of the nervous system, not just the mind. When the body is stuck in fight, flight, or freeze, it’s difficult to feel ease or self-compassion, no matter how much you “know better.” In fact, thinking doesn’t help us with processing feelings. . .it’s like using a screwdriver to hammer a nail. In order to overcome perfectionism, a person needs to start feeling uncomfortable feelings—the feelings that they may have used perfectionism to avoid in the first place. Perfectionism can feel like a way to avoid ever experiencing vulnerability or shame which, although unpleasant, are part of the human experience.
How Somatic Therapy Helps With Perfectionism
Somatic therapy works directly with the body to change patterns of perfectionism. It can help by:
Regulating the nervous system to ease chronic tension and stress.
Building body awareness so you notice how perfectionism shows up physically and learning to sit with the uncomfortable feelings that are present in the body.
Creating safety and resilience to try new ways of being without judgment or fear of failure.
Supporting lasting change by addressing both mind and body together.
Why Somatic Therapy in San Francisco?
San Francisco is home to professionals, innovators, and creatives who often feel intense pressure to perform at their best—both in the workplace and outside of it.. This makes the city a fertile ground for perfectionism—and also a place filled with resources for healing. Choosing somatic therapy San Francisco means working with a therapist who understands both the fast-paced culture and the importance of slowing down, reconnecting, and cultivating balance between the mind and body. Through a combo of both verbal therapy and dance therapy (a somatic approach that analyzes movement and uses movement interventions), somatic therapy San Francisco finds ways to tackle perfectionism that verbal therapy alone can’t touch.
What to Expect in a Session
In a typical somatic therapy session, you might practice gentle breath work or move mindfully to music.. You’ll explore emotions and sensations in a safe, supportive space while learning to soften the inner critic and reconnect with your body. The movement will help you uncover psychological themes and help you process the feelings, thoughts, and memories that arise. Over time, somatic therapy will help you carry more ease and self-acceptance into daily life. You will not just think about change but physically embody it—embracing a kinder and more compassionate sense of self.
Perfectionism doesn’t have to be how you exist.. With the right therapy, it’s possible to release the constant need to do everything perfectly and discover a more compassionate and embodied way of living. If you’re ready to move beyond overthinking and anxiety and move towards peace and calm,, consider exploring somatic therapy San Francisco. Please me to contact me a lisa@lisamanca.com if you have questions.