In this episode of the Colleague Down the Hall podcast, I delve into the realm of impostor syndrome, exploring the pervasive feeling of self-doubt that significantly affects individuals in various areas. This is something that therapists don’t often talk about yet is a common and persistent challenge that fluctuates in intensity throughout one’s career. I talk about the types of situations where the impostor syndrome shows up and how to handle such situations within the therapy profession. I touch on the importance of identifying personal cues for burnout and seeking validation from colleagues in managing impostor syndrome. This episode aims to empower you as therapists by raising your awareness and equipping you with strategies to overcome this pervasive issue within our profession.
“You want to allow the feelings that you experience with impostor syndrome to flow. Okay, as you experience the doubts that are typical with imposter syndrome, make sure you are allowing internal validation into the equation; most likely you're well within your bounds of experience and skill sets. But it's good for you to do that assessment, if you're within your scope of practice, getting support from colleagues who can probably see things a little more objectively than you can see for yourself. And so that leads right into seeking validation externally. There's nothing more powerful than having a colleague affirm how awesome you are at what you do. It's also powerful to consult on someone else's case to remind you of this as well. So having a colleague not only affirm that ‘yes, this is a difficult case and let's see if we can figure out why this is’ but also affirm that ‘wow, this is a hard case I can see why you're struggling’.”
Insights you’ll gain:
Imposter Syndrome is Common and Persistent: Imposter syndrome is a widespread issue among therapists and professionals in general, not just a fleeting concern. It tends to fluctuate in intensity throughout one's caree.
Situations Triggering Imposter Syndrome: The context outlines six specific situations where therapists might experience heightened feelings of imposter syndrome, including working at the edge of one's scope of practice, dealing with atypical clients, learning new modalities, facing professional fatigue, reaching new levels of growth, and overriding personal intuition about client fit.
Seeking Support is Crucial: Emphasis is placed on the importance of peer consultation and support to navigate through imposter syndrome. Engaging with a clinical consultation group or a trusted colleague can provide the necessary perspective and validation to manage these feelings effectively.
Skill Assessment and Referral Ethics: Therapists are encouraged to critically assess their skills and the specific demands of each case, considering whether referral is the best course of action for the client. Understanding ethical and professional guidelines for referring out clients is essential for ensuring client needs are adequately met.
Addressing Fatigue and Burnout: Recognizing and dealing with professional fatigue and burnout is crucial, as these factors can exacerbate feelings of imposter syndrome.
Validation and Self-Care: Allowing oneself to feel and validate the emotions associated is beneficial. Self-care and setting boundaries are also emphasized as key strategies in managing professional challenges sustainably.
Normalization and Education: It’s important that we normalize discussions around imposter syndrome within the professional community and recognize the lack of preparation for dealing with such issues in our education.
Connect with Jeanene:
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