Listen HR 1. HR 2. Our guest is Ann W. Smith, MS, LMFT, author of Overcoming Perfectionism: Finding the Key to Balance & Self-Acceptance. Do you think you are a bit of a perfectionist sometimes? Does it get in the way of what you really want in life? Do you know perfectionists? Do you think they are happy?
You have heard anything worth doing is worth doing well. And practice makes perfect. Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing. Failure is not an option. In today's perfection-obsessed culture, these are the maxims we live by. Yet, the damage that they cause is stifling.
Renowned author and pioneer of codependency treatment Ann W. Smith knows this first hand. Smith has dealt with her fair share of her own perfectionism and has bared witness to this all too common phenomenon in her professional life, having spent the last thirty years studying the impact compulsive disorders have on individuals and family. While perfectionism lacks much of the stigma attached to today's most common compulsions—smoking, gambling, sex addiction, alcoholism, and drug abuse—many of the negative connotations on self and the family system are the same.
In this program we talk with Ann W. Smith about her own personal challenges and her ground breaking work with her own clients. When does this perfectionism first show itself and why? What impact does it have on people's lives anf their families' lives? How can people overcome perfectionism and find peace of mind and happier relationships?
PRAISE FOR OVERCOMING PERFECTIONISM
Readers will learn how to identify and confront the root cause of their problem, how to reveal and accept their essence, and finally, they will learn the importance of forgiveness and letting go. Additionally, readers discover the key characteristics of a healthy family system, along with the single most important lesson of all—perfection does not exist.
“As I discuss in my new book Recover to Live: Kick Any Habit, Manage Any Addiction, you can’t lead a productive and fulfilling life if unhealthy behavior is holding you back. Perfectionism can be just as damaging as many other compulsive behaviors. Ann Smith is among the best in the world at helping people to break lifelong patterns and find balance in their lives. I would highly recommend this book.”
—Christopher Kennedy Lawford
“As a former Miss USA, I’ve dedicated a lot of time to trying to be the perfect woman. In fact, I spent so much time trying to be the Tara that everyone else needed me to be that I wasn’t in touch with my own needs. Ann Smith has helped me to develop and live in sync with my own values and authentic self. She has empowered me to love the woman I am today. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking self-acceptance.
—Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006, Public Advocacy Consultant, Caron Treatment Centers
“The drive for perfection is a painful dynamic that destroys relationships and leads to a life of despair, emptiness, and exhaustion. Ann Smith has taken her seminal work on perfectionism and created an inspirational and practical guide! I’d recommend this book for anyone who is plagued by patterns of perfectionistic thinking or behavior!”
—Rokelle Lerner, Author of The Object of my Affection Is in My Reflection: Coping with Narcissists, Clinical Director Cottonwood Inner Path Workshops
Ann W. Smith MS, LMFT, is a nationally recognized leader and expert in the field of codependency, frequently presenting at major conferences throughout the U.S., Canada, and Finland. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, she has spent nearly thirty years researching the impact compulsive disorders have on individuals and family systems. Ann is also the director of Breakthrough at Caron—a program she designed for Caron Treatment Centers aimed at helping adults shift destructive life patterns, improve relationships, and foster personal growth.
To learn more about Ann visit annsmith.com or breakthroughatcaron.org.
You may purchase OVERCOMING PERFECTIONISM Finding the Key to Balance & Self-Acceptance wherever books are sold and on Amazon HERE.
