Anxiety & Perfectionism THERAPY in Los Angeles
Your mind rarely slows down. Even when things look “successful” from the outside, internally you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, self-critical, and constantly afraid of falling behind. You hold yourself to impossibly high standards.
At Sawtelle Psychotherapy Group, we help clients move from chronic anxiety, perfectionism, overthinking, and burnout toward lives that feel more grounded, flexible, connected, and sustainable.
We provide evidence-based anxiety therapy in West Los Angeles and virtual therapy throughout California, New York, Florida, & Vermont.
When Anxiety and Perfectionism Start Running The Show
Anxiety and perfectionism often reinforce each other. The more pressure you put on yourself to “get it right,” the more anxious you become.
And the more anxious you feel, the harder it becomes to slow down, trust yourself, or feel satisfied with what you’ve accomplished.
You may find yourself:
Overthinking conversations, decisions, or mistakes
Living with a constant sense of “what if?”
Feeling behind no matter how much you achieve
Struggling to relax without guilt
Relying on reassurance from others
Avoiding failure at all costs
Procrastinating because the pressure feels overwhelming
Comparing yourself to everyone around you
Feeling burnt out, emotionally exhausted, or numb
People-pleasing to avoid disappointing others
Feeling like your worth depends on performance
Many high-achieving adults in Los Angeles quietly struggle with anxiety that hides behind productivity, ambition, perfectionism, and self-criticism.
Evidence-Based Therapy for Anxiety, Overthinking & Burnout
Our therapists specialize in evidence-based approaches for anxiety disorders, chronic stress, perfectionism, panic, OCD-related symptoms, emotional overwhelm, and self-esteem challenges.
Depending on your needs, therapy may help you:
Understand the roots of your anxiety
Identify signs of burnout and overwhelm before they take over
Reduce perfectionistic thinking and self-punishment
Learn how to tolerate uncertainty
Build healthier coping strategies
Set boundaries without guilt
Improve emotional regulation
Feel more connected to yourself and others
Stop organizing your life around fear
Develop self-trust and flexibility
Feel calmer and more present in your day-to-day life
Our approach combines warmth, collaboration, and humor with practical tools that create meaningful and sustainable change.
Perfectionism Isn’t Just “Wanting to Do Well”
Perfectionism is often misunderstood. For many people, perfectionism develops as a strategy to:
avoid criticism
gain approval and a sense of worth
feel safe
maintain control
or prevent failure and rejection
Yes, your work ethic had a role in getting you where you are now — it’s helped you accomplish tasks, do quality work, and meet (and often exceed) expectations. Over time, though, perfectionism can become emotionally exhausting. Even accomplishments stop feeling rewarding because the goalposts keep moving.
You may intellectually know you’re doing enough — but emotionally, it just never feels like it.
Therapy can help you shift from living in constant pressure and self-monitoring toward a more flexible and compassionate way of relating to yourself.
MODALITIES
Our Approach to Anxiety & Perfectionism Therapy
At Sawtelle Psychotherapy Group, we tailor research-backed therapy to each client rather than boxing you into a one-size-fits-all model.
Our therapists integrate evidence-based modalities including:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
These therapies can support clients struggling with:
Anxiety Therapy in West Los Angeles & Throughout California
We provide in-person therapy in West Los Angeles near Sawtelle, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Westwood, Mar Vista, Marina del Rey, Culver City, and Century City.
We also offer virtual therapy across California, New York, Florida, and Vermont.
Many of our clients are high achievers, creatives, professionals, college students, young adults, parents, and people navigating major life transitions.
MEET THE TEAM
-
![]()
Brooke Schwartz, LCSW
Founder & Therapist
Areas of expertise: perfectionism, anxiety, depression, first time in therapy, personality disorders, relationship and interpersonal challenges, and life transitions.
-
![A man with brown hair, blue eyes, and a mustache, wearing a green button-up shirt, sitting on a cushion with a clipboard or tablet, smiling, in a room with a plant in a pot and a beige wall.]()
Mitchell Hale, LCSW
Staff Therapist
Areas of expertise: LGBTQIA+ issues, trauma symptoms and PTSD, OCD, body dysmorphia, anger, anxiety, career changes, critical self-talk, and depression
-
![A woman with light brown hair, wearing a denim jacket, smiling, standing outdoors in front of green foliage.]()
Sara Arpiarian, LCSW
Staff Therapist
Areas of expertise: anxiety, depression, relationship and interpersonal challenges, trauma, grief and loss, ADHD, adoption-related issues, parenting skills, and navigating life transitions.
-
![A woman with long blonde hair, wearing a light blue button-up shirt and black pinstripe pants, sits on a wooden chair with an orange cushion, holding a gray mug with both hands. She is smiling and has a plant with green leaves behind her on the left side.]()
Sophie Elkins, MSW, ASW
Staff Therapist
Areas of expertise: teen and young adult mental health, anxiety, perfectionism, body image, life transitions, self-esteem, trauma, couples, relationship dynamics, and effective communication strategies.
-
![A young woman with long blonde hair smiling, wearing a beige ribbed short-sleeve top, standing in front of a plain light-colored wall with a blurred plant in the background.]()
Kaitlin Christy, LMFT, APCC
Staff Therapist
Areas of expertise: child, teen, and young adult mental health, emotion dysregulation, anxiety (OCD, panic, phobias), depression, self-esteem, family dynamics, play & art therapy, parent-child work, impulse control, ADHD, and personality disorders.
Therapy That Is Both Evidence-Based and Deeply Human
Many people come to therapy worried they’re “too much,” “too sensitive,” or “bad at coping.”
We don’t see clients that way.
Our therapists focus on building safe, collaborative relationships while helping clients create practical and lasting emotional change. Therapy here is not about becoming emotionless or perfectly healed — it’s about learning how to navigate life with more flexibility, self-understanding, and steadiness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Therapy
Yes. Many people with anxiety and perfectionism appear highly functional while internally feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or deeply self-critical. Therapy can help even if your life looks successful from the outside.
Can therapy help if I’m functioning “well” on the outside?
1
What type of therapy works best for perfectionism?
2
Therapies like CBT, ACT, DBT, and ERP are commonly used to help reduce perfectionism, anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and rigid thinking patterns, and are designed to produce observable and measurable change. Your therapist will tailor treatment to your specific needs.
Is perfectionism related to anxiety?
3
We combine a thoughtful, human-centered approach with clear communication and reliable results. It’s not just what we do—it’s how we do it that sets us apart.
How long does anxiety therapy take?
4
Therapy length depends on your goals, history, and the challenges you’re facing. Some clients benefit from shorter-term focused work, while others prefer longer-term support and deeper exploration. At Sawtelle Psychotherapy Group, change can come from therapy no matter the duration, and is designed to last far beyond your time with your therapist.
If therapy helps me be less perfectionistic, will I still have ambition and get things done?
5
Many high-achieving people worry that if they become less anxious, hard on themselves, or perfectionistic, they’ll lose their motivation and drive. But for many people, chronic anxiety and self-pressure are not actually what make them successful — they’re just the strategies their nervous system learned to rely on. Often, clients find that as anxiety decreases, they’re able to think more clearly, feel more emotionally grounded, experience more creativity and flexibility, and pursue goals from a place of intention rather than fear, panic, or constant self-criticism.
Is procrastination related to perfectionism?
6
Often, yes. In many cases, procrastination is connected to anxiety, fear of failure, overwhelm, perfectionism, or the pressure to get something exactly right. When the stakes feel high, avoidance (like putting things off until the last minute, over-preparing, constantly revising, or getting too stuck to start) can become a way of coping with the discomfort. Therapy can help you better understand the emotional patterns underneath procrastination while building healthier ways of responding to stress, pressure, uncertainty, and self-criticism.
Start Anxiety & Perfectionism Therapy in Los Angeles
If you’re tired of living in constant pressure, overthinking, self-doubt, or emotional overwhelm, therapy can help.
We’ll work collaboratively to help you better understand your patterns, build healthier coping strategies, and create meaningful, sustainable change.
Schedule a Free Consultation
In-person therapy in West Los Angeles
Virtual therapy across California, New York, Florida, and Vermont
Evidence-based and personalized care