Imposter Syndrome
The feeling that you get when you doubt your skills, intelligence and achievements.
Insights into my Week
My insight into being a therapist this week focuses on how it is to be a private therapist. I started Foxglove Therapy in November 2022, but only as a one-day-a-week project whilst still working for a larger mental health service. I did this so I could dip my toe into the private practice world, but still have the security of employment. We then decided to move to the Netherlands in late spring/early summer 2023, which is when I thought it would be wiser to stick with the contract I had with the larger company as they allowed people to work abroad.
However, I was then made redundant in the summer 2023 which meant I had to rethink my plans. This new plan involved me becoming a full time private therapist and starting a business in the Netherlands. In the first few months there was a lot of uncertainty, especially having to learn how health care worked in another country but also trying to understand how to grow a successful private practice.
This week I sat down with my other half and we looked at how the business was doing, and I am so proud of how it has grown. I have new clients contacting me most weeks and I feel established in the work that I am doing. People who are close to me will know I can be impatient so whilst I was setting up I felt everything was taking too long, but now 6 months in, I can not believe how quickly things have taken off.
There are still times when I feel like an imposter especially as the healthcare system does differ from that of the UK. As well as, being without the safety of being an employee of a larger company, there are less opportunities to check with other people that you are doing the right thing. Feeling like an imposter is a common phenomenon and one I have chatted with many friends and clients about.
Insights to Take Away
There are more clinical definitions of ‘imposter syndrome’ which can be defined as experiencing self-doubt of your intellect, skills, or accomplishments. Those who are experiencing these thoughts, can dismiss their own success and feel anxious, sad or on edge at work.
When I have been researching how prevalent feeling like an imposter is, it is something that seems to be felt by a lot of different people; including doctors, nurses, students, academics/researchers, therapists and teachers. Some research also suggests that there also is high prevalence in ethnic minority groups also.
There have been investigations into predictors of imposter syndrome, relating it to feelings of low self-confidence or low self-esteem. Others noticed it occurred when individuals would compare themselves to others, and only notice when others were succeeding. There are also suggestions that people can feel self-doubt when they put high expectations on themselves or experience perfectionist tendencies.
Feeling like an imposter can be a difficult thing to experience especially if coupled with anxiety, depression and burn out. This is when extra support may be helpful to those who are experiencing more significant side effects. Seeking support with management, supervisors or therapists can be invaluable to help provide more helpful ways of thinking.
However, from my experience self-doubt is a common occurrence for most people, especially when you are in a new job or experiencing change. Feeling like an imposter can have its benefits too. It may give you the encouragement to seek out more training or to upskill yourself. Furthermore, if there are times when we are unsure if we are correct, listening to those around us and thinking constructively can result in better decisions being made.
To challenge feelings of self-doubt I find it useful to collect feedback from clients or colleagues. I often keep kind words or cards shared with me, so if the feelings of inadequacy seep in, I have reminders of the good work I have done. Lastly, I also take these feelings to supervision too so that I can talk through my thoughts and feelings constructively and find another perspective.
I would be super interested to know if you ever feel like an imposter and in which career are you in. Also what do you do to fight back feeling like an imposter? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Reference
Abdelaal, G. (2020). Coping with imposter syndrome in academia and research. The Biochemist, 42(3), 62-64.
Bravata, D. M., Watts, S. A., Keefer, A. L., Madhusudhan, D. K., Taylor, K. T., Clark, D. M., ... & Hagg, H. K. (2020). Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: a systematic review. Journal of general internal medicine, 35, 1252-1275.
Gill, P. (2020). Imposter syndrome–why is it so common among nurse researchers and is it really a problem?. Nurse Researcher, 28(3).
Gresham-Dolby, C. (2022). Imposter syndrome: an opportunity to positively influence mentees. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 14(2), 130-132.
Huecker, M. R., Shreffler, J., McKeny, P. T., & Davis, D. (2022). Imposter phenomenon.
Mann, S. (2019). Why do I feel like an imposter?: How to understand and cope with imposter syndrome. Watkins Media Limited.
Solgi, Z. (2023). Prediction of Imposter Syndrome in Gifted Female Students based on Ego Development, Self-efficacy, and Self-awareness. International Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 17(2), 57-63.