Treating Perfectionism - Megan Bruneau

Perfectionism isn’t really about high standards—it’s about avoiding shame.

Perfectionism doesn’t always look like overachievement—it can also manifest as self-sabotage, anger, procrastination, addiction, and more. But beneath each of these patterns lies the same fear: you don’t belong as you are.

In this integrative guide, therapist and executive coach Megan Bruneau offers a radical new conceptualization of perfectionism, reframing it as a protective strategy against core shame. By blending Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic approaches, attachment theory, and exposure therapy, she provides a framework for treating perfectionism at its root.

Filled with worksheets, assessments, and case studies, this book will teach you how to:

Perfectionism might be shame’s most sophisticated disguise, but Bruneau’s compassionate, clinically informed approach will allow you to unmask that shame and move clients toward authenticity.