“Perfectionism and ADHD: Making ‘Good Enough’ Work for You” [Video Replay & Podcast #385]

Access the video replay, listen to the podcast episode (#385), download the slide presentation, and learn how to get a certificate of attendance for this ADHD Experts webinar originally broadcast on January 19, 2022.

Episode Description

Do you set unrealistic goals and worry about disappointing others? Are your personal expectations based on “shoulds” instead of your known strengths and interests? Does this result in shame and low self-esteem?

These behaviors point to a cycle of perfectionism, an unhealthy insistence on personal flawlessness that increases anxiety and holds you back from the natural process of learning that’s part of daily living. Perfectionism is common among teens and adults with ADHD who struggle with wanting something to be right so much that it becomes difficult to start (and complete) tasks, assignments, and projects. Though perfectionism can be motivating, it can also keep you overfocused on the end result and not the process of getting there.

In this webinar, Dr. Sharon Saline will explain how to stop setting unreasonable standards, engaging in negative comparisons to others, and criticizing yourself for living with ADHD. You will learn how to understand and manage the root causes of perfectionism, examine the role of imposter syndrome, decrease negative self-talk, and increase your capacity for personal compassion. You will understand how to improve executive functioning skills related to procrastination and productivity, stop reflexive shame, and create techniques for managing stress. With these resources, you’ll begin to nurture the essential resilience of a growth mindset and accept yourself as you truly are — perfectly imperfect.

In this free, hour-long webinar you will learn how to:

  • Understand the relationship between anxiety, perfectionism, and ADHD
  • Improve executive functioning skills related to procrastination and productivity
  • Set realistic expectations based on previous successful experiences
  • Develop techniques for addressing imposter syndrome, fear of failure, and shame
  • Increase the capacity for mindful self-compassion and self-acceptance

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Perfectionism

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on January 19, 2022, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »


Meet the Expert Speaker:

Sharon Saline, Psy.D., clinical psychologist and author of the award-winning book, What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life (#CommissionsEarned) and The ADHD Solution Deck (#CommissionsEarned) specializes in working with children, teens, emerging adults and families living with ADHD, anxiety, learning disabilities, high-functioning autism, twice exceptionality and mental health issues. | See expert’s full bio »

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.


Listener Testimonials

“Just a heartfelt thank you for providing such high quality presentations. Today’s was not only informative, but therapeutic as well, filled with empathy and validation. For those of us who have little, no, or inadequate support, this is like a lifeline.”

“Dr. Saline, your webinar on perfectionism & ADHD was beyond EXCELLENT. In addition to your slides, the conversation around the slides was extremely detailed and the examples used were highly relatable.”

“I thought Dr. Saline made a plethora of noteworthy points, and presented them really well and with clarity. I appreciate the time & effort that she committed to relaying this valuable information.”


Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is….

Play Attention: Enhance brain health and performance. For over 25 years PLAY ATTENTION has been helping children and adults thrive and succeed at school, home, and work. Our NASA inspired technology and cognitive training courses improve executive function and self-regulation. Each program includes a Lifetime Membership and a Personal Executive Function Coach to customize your program along the way. Click here to schedule your free 1:1 consultation to discuss a customized executive function training course for you! Call 828-676-2240 | www.playattention.com

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.


Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Amazon Music | RadioPublic | Pocket Casts | iHeartRADIO | Stitcher