Dr. Danielle Doucette is the Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Partner at Midwest Counseling & Diagnostics, an organization that provides specialized behavioral therapies and psychological services in the Chicago area. As a licensed clinical psychologist and a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS-S), Dr. Doucette is recognized for her expertise in exposure and response prevention for OCD, radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RO-DBT), and evidence-based treatments for anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. She is also involved in public health and has contributed to prominent publications on mental health topics.

Some teens seem to glide through adolescence with perfect grades, packed schedules, and spotless behavior. On the surface, everything looks fine — admirable, even. What happens when the traits that make a teen "successful" also keep them silently struggling, unable to share what's really going on?

According to Dr. Danielle Doucette, a clinical psychologist specializing in behavioral therapies, many high-achieving teens aren't acting out at all; they're turning inward. She believes these teens often rely on extreme self-control, rigid routines, and emotional reserve to manage their anxiety. Drawing from her experience working with adolescents who fit this "overcontrolled" profile, Dr. Doucette explains that their perfectionism and strong academic or athletic performance can disguise deep loneliness, fear of vulnerability, and escalating internal distress. She emphasizes that helping these teens soften, open up, and connect with others can be life-changing, not because it alters who they are, but because it allows them to thrive rather than simply cope.

In this episode of The Coping Podcast, Dr. Leigh Weisz is joined by Dr. Danielle Doucette, Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Partner at Midwest Counseling & Diagnostics, to discuss how to support perfectionistic, high-achieving teens. They explore the hidden struggles of overcontrolled adolescents, the signs that often go unnoticed, and why traditional DBT doesn't always meet their needs. Dr. Doucette also gives advice on practical skills teens can use to build more meaningful relationships.