As a perfectionist, you are not satisfied with second-best, you will work as hard as you can to produce the best work possible, and you may be rewarded by degrees, grants and accolades. Yet the lived experience of being a perfectionist can be stressful and even overwhelming. You might find yourself unable to hand in work as you never feel satisfied. You might be haunted by fears of failure, find it difficult to make decisions, or downplay your successes. You may procrastinate as a way to avoid the pressure you put on yourself, then meet the deadline but feel disappointed with your performance. Chances are that you use perfectionism as an emotional coping mechanism. What comes up for you as you stare at a blank page or think about a new paper or chapter? Fear, self-doubt, feelings about your supervisor, about your future, or about your competence? This workshop will help you explore the causes and effects of perfectionism, and suggest ways to shift this tendency.
Facilitator: Dr. Susan Brook, Clinical Counsellor | Health and Counselling Services, Simon Fraser University
Susan has an M.Ed. in Counselling Psychology from UBC, and works in Health and Counselling at SFU with a particular focus on graduate students. She is currently running a Dissertation/Thesis Support Group and will soon be offering individual drop-in consultations with graduate students. Susan is also a part-time faculty member in the English Department, and received her PhD in Literature from Duke University. Susan is passionate about helping students navigate the institutional and personal stresses of graduate school life.