I read ‘The Anxious Perfectionist: How to Manage Perfectionism-Driven Anxiety Using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy’ by Larissa W. Ong and Michael P. Twohig because it offers a different approach to addressing anxiety than the currently dominant approach, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). I was drawn to the title as perfectionism seems to frequently be the hallmark of the anxious. My hope was that it offered an alternative for those who do not connect with CBT, and perhaps a few more tools for those struggling with the challenging demands of perfectionism. What I found was an alternative approach that offered a different way of thinking about our thoughts and how we address them.
I think it is helpful to understand the difference between CBT and ACT in addressing anxiety before reading this book. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are both effective forms of psychotherapy, but they have different approaches and goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. The idea is that by changing your thoughts, you can change your emotions and behaviors. It involves techniques like cognitive restructuring, where you challenge or modify irrational or unhelpful thoughts. The primary goal is to alter your thought patterns and reactions that have not served you well. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes accepting your thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them. It aims to increase ‘psychological flexibility’. It uses mindfulness and behavior-change strategies to help you accept your experiences and commit to actions that align with your values. The main goal is to help you live a meaningful life despite the presence of symptoms or difficult emotions.
‘The Anxious Perfectionist’ explains how the six core principles of ACT can help you address perfectionism that may be affecting your life. The six core principles of ACT include acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self-as-context, values, and commitment to action. Each step is laid out well, with the authors acknowledging that perfectionism may serve some people well; it is those who have inner thoughts that trap them in a game of perfectionism that are often anxious, depressed, or immobilized, and this book is really for them.
In reading the book, I think many would find it helpful, especially if you have struggled with CBT. The authors of this book challenge the CBT concept that we can really change our thoughts, and instead encourage the reader to become aware of their own thoughts and values, and examine if they are helpful. If they are not helpful, then the approach encourages you to acknowledge your thoughts, increase distress tolerance, and not let the thoughts determine your actions. The really important part of the book or this approach, I think, are the chapters that encourage the reader to examine their thought patterns and values. Many people are not aware of the messages or thoughts that drive their behaviors or emotions, and ACT does offer a way to examine this thinking. Once people are aware of the thoughts that are not serving them well, then likely both ACT and CBT would assist them.
Karrie Derbyshire
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