Over-preparing
Rehearsing the meeting, rewriting the deck, checking the email one more time before you send it.
Perfectionism & anxiety therapy · Austin & online in 40+ states
Perfectionism and
high-functioning anxiety.
For the woman who rereads the email four times, sends it, and then lies awake thinking about it.
High standards probably helped build your career. Now they may have you over-preparing, rarely finishing anything to your own satisfaction, and unable to switch off. I’m Dr. Jana Rundle, a licensed psychologist in Austin, and I help women keep their drive and loosen the parts that are wearing them down.
A 15-minute call with me, Dr. Jana Rundle.
Sound familiar?
It looks like you have it together.
It doesn’t feel that way.
Perfectionism and high-functioning anxiety often travel together. From the outside, they can look like being very good at your job.
Nothing feels finished
Done means perfect, and it’s rarely perfect, so it’s rarely done.
The replay
One mistake replays for days, while ten things that went well barely register.
You can’t switch off
You’re on the couch and your mind is still in the inbox. Sleep is often the first thing to go.
If some of this sounds like you, a 15-minute conversation is an easy next step.
Book a free consultationWhat therapy looks like
What we’d work on.
Therapy with me is practical and structured, and built around situations from your actual week. Depending on what’s going on, we might work on:
Catching perfectionistic thinking
CBT tools for the “if it isn’t perfect, it’s a failure” thought, before it runs your evening.
Deciding which standards matter
Keeping the standards that serve you and lowering the rest on purpose.
Settling your body’s stress response
Skills for the racing heart and tight chest, so you can rest without a to-do list running in the background.
Where the pattern came from
Looking at where “I have to get it right” started, because understanding a pattern is often how you get to choose a new one.
Imposter syndrome
The sense that someone is about to find out, despite your track record, and how it shapes what you say yes to.
Setting boundaries
Saying no to the extra project, stopping the late-night polishing, and letting people see work that’s good enough.
Working with me
Structured, practical, and paced for a full life.
I work with executives, founders, physicians, attorneys, and women leading in tech and healthcare, and with moms whose high standards followed them home. Sessions are 50 minutes, in person at my Austin office or by video across Texas and 40+ PSYPACT states.
- 01
A 15-minute call
You tell me what’s going on; I tell you honestly whether I’m the right fit.
- 02
A plan that fits your week
Usually weekly at first, then every other week or monthly as things change.
- 03
Work on what matters
Real situations from your week, changes to try between sessions, and regular check-ins on what’s helping.
Something more specific?
Other pages that might fit.
If one of these is closer to what you’re dealing with, there’s a page for it. You don’t need to know which one before you call.
A few practical details
Before you reach out.
In person at my Austin office.
Online in 40+ states.
Is high-functioning anxiety a real diagnosis?
There’s no formal diagnosis called high-functioning anxiety. People use the term for anxiety that shows up as over-preparing, overworking, and never switching off. Because you keep performing, it often goes unnoticed, sometimes even by you. Underneath it there may be generalized anxiety or another condition we can treat.
Is perfectionism a mental health problem?
Perfectionism on its own isn’t a diagnosis. It becomes a problem when it drives anxiety, burnout, or depression, or when it keeps you from finishing things, resting, or enjoying what you’ve accomplished.
What kind of therapy helps with perfectionism?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has the most research behind it. A 2022 review of 15 randomized trials found that CBT for perfectionism reduced perfectionism, along with symptoms of anxiety and depression. In practice we use CBT tools alongside work on your relationships and on where the pattern started.
Will therapy make me less ambitious?
No. The goal is to keep what drives you while lowering what it costs your sleep, your health, and your relationships.
Can sessions fit around my work schedule?
There are some early morning and lunchtime appointments, so ask about them on the consultation call. Online sessions remove the commute, and plenty of clients meet from a parked car or an office with the door closed.
Can we meet online?
Yes. I see clients in person at my Austin office and online across Texas and 40+ PSYPACT states. Because I hold a PSYPACT E.Passport, I can keep seeing you by video while you travel for work or after a move to another participating state.
What does therapy cost?
Sessions are $225 for 50 minutes. I’m out of network and provide a monthly superbill you can submit to your insurance, and HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Any reimbursement depends on your plan. The 15-minute consultation is free.
Your next step
Let’s talk about what you need.
A free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Jana Rundle, by phone or video.