Perfectly Hidden Depression Workbook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Challenge the Ten Traits of Perfectionism That Mask Your Depression - Paperback

by Margaret Robinson Rutherford (Author), Kimberley Quinlan (Foreword by)

When your life seems perfect to others, but you're slowly and silently falling apart--this workbook will help you recognize and gently challenge the ten traits of destructive perfectionism that camouflage loneliness and even despair.

If you were raised to believe that expressing struggle is a sign of weakness, or if emotional honesty or transparency wasn't safe in your family or culture, then you may have protected yourself by creating a highly successful, perfect-looking life. The problem? What began as protection is now its own prison. You're secretly filled with memories that hold self-criticism and shame while you also stand guard, allowing no one to come close to guessing your inner struggles. You recognize something is wrong, but you're not sure what exactly--only that you feel trapped and alone. If this sounds like you, you may identify with perfectly hidden depression (PHD).

With this evidence-based, stand-alone workbook, you'll learn to gently challenge the ten traits that act to camouflage your inner depression, release feelings of shame, overcome the need to rigidly control your emotions, and cultivate true self-acceptance. You'll also find tangible tips for quieting that critical and rule-bound inner voice, and learn powerful, present-day strategies for coping with difficult feelings. Perhaps just as importantly, you'll discover that asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, but a reflection of your strong determination to heal.

This workbook will help you:

• Understand what created the need for your perfectionism
• Identify destructive beliefs and challenge their usefulness in the present
• Begin to express and honor the entire range of your feelings
• Build meaningful connections

If you're ready to stop hiding and start healing, this hands-on workbook will guide you--every imperfect step of the way.

Author Biography

Margaret Robinson Rutherford, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice with more than thirty years of experience treating individuals and couples for depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. Her 2023 TEDx Talk on "How to Recognize Perfectly Hidden Depression," where she challenges the mental health profession to recognize this overlooked and misunderstood presentation of depression, has received more than two million views. Her first book, Perfectly Hidden Depression, has reached a wide national and international audience. She offers her compassionate and commonsense therapeutic style to the public through her popular blog and podcast--The SelfWork Podcast--with the goal of making psychological treatment more accessible and approachable.

Foreword writer Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT, is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders. She is host of the Your Anxiety Toolkit podcast, and founder of www.cbtschool.com--an online psychoeducation platform for OCD, anxiety disorders, and body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs).