Tara C.
Psychologist, Author, Mindfulness Expert, Coach for High Achievers at KindMinds.co
Professional Training and Coaching
Education: University of Connecticut, Storrs - Adelphi University, The Derner Institute for Advanced Psychological Studies; Pre and Post-Doctoral Fellowships at Harvard Medical School; Teaching Associate, Harvard Medical School, Faculty at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance.
Boston, MA, USA
Biography
Perfectionism Coach, Part-Time Staff Psychologist at Harvard University's Counseling and Mental Health Service, Mindfulness Expert, and Author of two books, "The Perfectionist's Dilemma: Learn the Art of Self-Compassion and Become a Happy Achiever" (2025) and "The Kindness Cure: How the Science of Compassion can Heal Your Heart and Your World" (2018).
Passion
Empowering high-achievers to transcend perfectionism and lead with confidence, ease, and joy. My passion is to inspire you to be your best self, to be kinder than you think you are, overcome the negative effects of perfectionism, and elevate empathy and compassion as essential skills for success in life, relationships, work, and community.
Featured Video
Featured Book
I am willing to travel
Up to 100 miles
When it comes to payments
I generally get paid for speaking but make exceptions
Topics
Best Story
Why do I care about overcoming perfectionism? Because I have been where you are—and I made it to the other side. My moment of recognition came not long after earning my PhD in clinical psychology. We were having a summer barbecue, and my toddlers were playing on the swing set. With a food tray in one hand and grilling utensils in the other, I suddenly felt a searing pulsation from the right side of my face to the tips of my fingers. I thought I was having a stroke.
I couldn’t articulate a sound beyond muttering “911” to my husband. My fear was: “I’m going to die in front of my children.” As I heard my daughters giggling in the distance, I passed out.
It took being carried out on a stretcher in front of my confused little family for me to realize I had just experienced a panic attack. After years of striving, achieving, overworking, and feeling like nothing I did was ever enough, my body had had enough.
Although this was a clear wake-up call, it still took me a long time to find the remedies to rewrite my inner algorithms. Now, I want to share what I’ve learned so that your journey to happy achieving won’t take as long as mine did.
Origin Story
I know the exact moment I decided to become both an overachiever and a therapist. I was eleven years old. It began when I was promoted to an advanced math class—a surprising achievement given how shy and anxious I was, with school never being a priority due to a troubled home life.
On my first day in the new class, we were handed a surprise test on material I didn’t know. Panicked, I timidly raised my hand to ask for help. The teacher ignored me at first, but when I tried to explain myself again, she yanked me up by my hair until I was standing on my tiptoes. Red-hot shame burned through me as the “smart kids” looked on.
I fled to the guidance counselor for support, only to hear him question if I had raised my voice, as the teacher claimed. Stunned, I felt utterly betrayed. In that moment, my humiliation turned into determination.
I vowed to do better than all of them. A perfectionist was born. I wanted outsmart them and to become the kind of healer or helper who truly listens and never dismisses someone’s pain. I would be a harbinger of empathy and compassion. But that noble pursuit came at a cost—one I would only come to understand through more hard-earned lessons along the way.
Example talks
Cultivating Kind Workplaces: Small Actions Lead to Big Results
Instinctually, most people are caring, kind and compassionate. We carry empathic traits honed over generations of caregiving and kinship that have allowed humans to survive and thrive. Yet, pressures to perform at the highest levels, strive for excellence, be “on call'' whether working onsite or remotely, makes it challenging to protect personal time and self-care. No matter how well resourced or supported one may be—at work or at home—the demands may exceed any one’s ability to cope, leading to discontent and burnout. Certain self-defeating patterns may emerge, including negative self-talk, strained interactions with others, and chronic irritation or bad mood. Gone is common courtesy, kind behavior, and generosity! It takes teamwork to redirect attention to ways of increasing compassion and resilience, rekindling joy in your work, and reclaiming a sense of confidence. The talk will address three areas: Cultivating Self-Compassion, Understanding Social and Emotional Contagion, and Inspiring Workplace Positivity.
“While in the midst of a crisis of self-doubt and discomfort, I immediately opened up some of my notes and put them into practice... I appreciate all the strategies, resources, and advice you have shared with us.” - Attendee
“Can I bring you to work every day?! The realization that it takes more people to create an upward spiral of positivity to offset that one negative coworker really hit home. I know what we need to do now… top down and bottom up, it pays to be kind.” - Attendee
Overcoming Perfectionism: Learning to Become a Happy Achiever
If you have a love-hate relationship with perfectionism you are not alone. We seem to have a love-hate relationship with the ideal of perfection. We grasp for it even when we might know it’s unrealistic. If the notion of perfection is compelling yet cringe worthy, it may be that you are trapped by perfectionism — a human need to be perfect, flawless or exceptional in order to achieve recognition, status and happiness. Perfectionism is neither personal failing or a cherished ideal. It is not about what you do or don't do well. Perfectionism is in large part your nervous system’s response to avoid the potential threat of exclusion or rejection. Societal narratives, including expectations in the workplace, can unwittingly provoke a fear-based response, and have the opposite effect, such as low productivity, high burnout, or trigger inner algorithms of compare and despair. It’s time to radically change the inner code. Learn how to strive for excellence with more ease and joy—and yes—become a happy achiever.
“This talk was a ray of light in my dark tunnel. My perfectionism had blinded me from seeing the sun on the other side of the clouds. I now have a glimpse at hope.” - Attendee
“The most important thing for me was realizing that (1) I have perfectionistic tendencies that aren't helping me and (2) other people have them, too - i.e., I'm not alone in this. Of the things we've learned, I will be intentional about absorbing positive experiences and not dismissing my efforts.” - Attendee
Flip the Script: Befriending The Inner Critic
Feel like an imposter? Afraid to fail? Sensitive to rejection? Beat yourself up? Compare yourself to the rest of the world? Welcome to life as a human being.
It’s time to meet the inner critics taking up space in your mind. Forget all the hype about banishing or silencing your inner critic. It’s not happening! Yet, you can learn to befriend your inner critics and get curious about their motivations and positive intentions. Then when you’re really ready to evolve, you can release them from their duties. After all, your inner critics have been working hard for you and aren't going away easily. Not until you love them enough. You will learn the EVOLV framework to help you connect your head and your heart. It’s designed especially for those of you who struggle with inner critical narratives of “never good enough.” And that’s most of us.
“Never thought being kinder to myself would do a thing. But once I could relate to my inner critics , I found empathy for those parts. This really hit home in a new way.” - Attendee