Breaking the Perfectionism Trap (9-12)

Grades, accolades, performance; it’s easy to believe these are the measure of a young person’s success. Today’s students are growing up in a culture of comparison, performance, and perfectionism. But what if that’s only part of the story?

In this talk, Dr. Jessica Tyler invites us to look beyond achievement and explore what truly helps youth thrive. Drawing from the latest in mental health and developmental research and real-world counseling experience, we’ll uncover how anxiety, perfectionism, and social pressures shape identity, and what we can do to support growth, resilience, and emotional literacy that lasts.

Together, we’ll explore:

 Why anxiety and perfectionism are on the rise, and how to we can disrupt it

 The difference between pressure and purpose (and how to spot it)

 How to create a culture of emotional safety and authentic connection at school and home

 Specific resilience-building tools and conversation starters for peers and parents

 How we can support one another in helping young people thrive, without losing

themselves or a standard of excellence along the way

Whether you’re guiding students or parenting through high-stakes seasons, this session offers a fresh, grounded framework to help our students move beyond performance to true growth, connection, and confidence.

Presenter bio:

Dr. Jessica Tyler is Associate Professor of the Practice and Program Director of the Human Development Counseling program at Vanderbilt University. She’s a licensed counselor, licensed counseling supervisor, and educator with over 15 years of professional experience working with identity and adjustment issues, perfectionism, and crisis management. Dr. Tyler’s work spans trauma-informed care, student mental health, resilience, and suicide prevention. She regularly partners with schools to lead trainings on perfectionism, social media use, emotional well-being, and supporting students under chronic pressure. Her research has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of Counseling & Development and The Professional Counselor, and she has been a contributor to The Thoughtful Counselor podcast. Known for her warm, grounded, and applicable style, Dr. Tyler helps students and adults navigate anxiety and perfectionism, reconnect with purpose, and build resilience from the inside out.

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Host or Publisher University School of Nashville