Overcoming Perfectionism in Therapy: Supporting Neurodivergent Clients Who Keep Moving the Finish Line

This presentation defines perfectionism as a form of anxiety and explores how it manifests across different directions (self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed) and types (adaptive and maladaptive). Because perfectionism is closely tied to fear of failure (and because failure is a universal human experience), it represents a meaningful risk factor for many clients across the lifespan and across neurotypes.

There is substantial evidence suggesting that maladaptive perfectionism is more prevalent among neurodivergent clients, particularly gifted, ADHD, and autistic individuals, in part due to neurological differences and heightened emotional intensity. This presentation examines how perfectionism shows up during demand-based tasks in both personal and professional contexts, using real-world examples to highlight the varied and often subtle ways perfectionism can present.

Participants will receive guidance on treating perfectionism using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Exposure and Response Prevention. The presentation concludes with perspective shifts to use with clients to support living life in an “anti-perfect” way, emphasizing progress over perfection.

This program is designed for psychologists, professional counselors, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and graduate-level clinicians who provide therapy or assessment services to neurodivergent children and adolescents.

The content included in this training is provided at an Inroductory level. A solid understanding of general traits of neurodivergent individuals and basic tenets of neurodiversity-affirming therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy are required to fully benefit from this training.

Matthew “Dr. Matt” Zakreski, PsyD is a high energy, creative clinical psychologist and professional speaker who utilizes an eclectic approach to meet the specific needs of his neurodivergent clients. He is proud to serve the Gifted community as a consultant, a professor, an author, and a researcher.

He has spoken over a thousand times all over the world about supporting neurodivergent clients, organizational wellness, and mental health. Dr. Zakreski is a member of Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), and the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children (NJAGC).

Dr. Zakreski graduated from Widener University’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology (IGCP) in 2016. He is the co-founder of The Neurodiversity Collective, LLC, co-host of the podcast “Nerding out on Neurodiversity,” and the author of the Neurodiversity Playbook: How Neurodivergent People Can Crack the Code of Living in a Neurotypical World.

Participants who attend the full program and complete the quiz will receive a certificate verifying the completion of 1.5 continuing education hours.

Psychologists: Neurodiversity Alliance is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Neurodiversity Alliance maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Counselors: Neurodiversity Alliance is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP #7510). This program meets NBCC requirements for continuing education credit.

Will this CE work for my profession in my state?
Continuing education requirements vary by state, licensing board, and professional designation. While this program is approved for APA and NBCC continuing education credit, many state licensing boards and professional organizations (including those regulating LMFTs, LCSWs, and other allied mental health professionals) accept APA-approved or NBCC-approved continuing education toward license renewal.

Participants are encouraged to review their individual state board or professional association requirements to determine whether this program meets their renewal criteria. If you are unsure whether APA or NBCC continuing education is accepted for your license, we recommend confirming with your licensing board prior to registration.
How is attendance verified? Are there other requirements?
Attendance will be verified through live participation monitoring. Participants must attend the entire program to be eligible for CE credit. A post-program evaluation assessing achievement of learning objectives and overall program quality is required. Certificates of completion will be issued electronically following program completion.

Participants unable to attend the live session will be provided access to the recording of the session to complete as a self-study/home study training.
What if I can't attend live?
Anyone who is unable to attend live will have access to complete the self-study course. Please allow 2 business days for the link for the self-study course to be sent via email.
What if I want to cancel or get a refund?
Registration fees, cancellation deadlines, and refund eligibility are provided prior to registration.

In-person events: Refund requests may be submitted up to seven (7) days before the scheduled program.

Virtual events: Refund requests may be submitted up to two (2) days prior to the event start time.

Refund requests must be submitted through the original registration platform. Transaction or processing fees charged by third-party platforms are nonrefundable. For more information about cancellation policies, please review our Continuing Education Policies document. (Found at the bottom of this page.)
Can I receive accommodations?
Neurodiversity University® is committed to providing accessible continuing education programming. Standard accessibility supports for live and online programs include access to presentation slides in advance when available, closed captioning and live transcription through Zoom or the learning management system, and platform-based participation features appropriate to the program format.

Participants may request additional accommodations in advance. Requests should be directed to Hannah Haedike-Swift, CE Program Coordinator, at hannah@neurodiversitypodcast.com.
Financial Disclosures
The presenter receives income from authored works and subscription-based educational content related to neurodivergent learning, including royalties from The Neurodivergent Learner (forthcoming, 2026) and paid Substack subscriptions. These relationships have been reviewed and are not considered to constitute a conflict of interest for this program. Dr. King also recieves an honorarium for her time and expertise offering this presentation.
Contact Information
For registration, accessibility, or CE credit inquiries, contact Hannah Haedike-Swift, CE Program Coordinator, at hannah@neurodiversitypodcast.com.

For more information about Neurodiversity University® and Neurodiversity Alliance, please access our Continuing Edcuation Policies. (Found at the bottom of this page.)

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