You’ve worked your way into an academic or professional position, but do you feel like you belong there? In some uncertain moments, you might feel like an intruder. This is called imposter syndrome. Fortunately, you can learn how to overcome imposter syndrome and step into your confidence.

You may be reading this and thinking, “I don’t have imposter syndrome; I’m truly not as capable as anyone thinks.” An individual with imposter syndrome may have that precise thought. At Lightfully, we see people with similar thoughts in our Virtual Partial Hospitalization Program (vPHP).

People with imposter syndrome might have thoughts like:

• “I’m not as intelligent or dedicated as my teachers think I am. They don’t know how much I flounder while I keep up with the rest of the class.”
• “If my managers knew how difficult I found my work, they wouldn’t have hired me. They should have chosen someone else.”
• “My classmates must know that I don’t belong here. They aren’t telling me that because they are thoughtful and kind. Maybe they feel bad for me.”
• “This job is so much better than my last one. When will my boss determine that I’m not the kind of person who deserves this?”
• “I’m not good enough. I don’t know how I deceived anyone into thinking that they should rely on me.”

Relating to one or more of these thoughts might suggest that you have imposter syndrome, which is not a clinical diagnosis. You can fight back against insecurity and self-doubt with confidence-building treatment. Working through any co-occurring mental health conditions can help you find strength, too. Licensed clinical therapists at Lightfully can personalize therapeutic modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for you in our Precision Care Model (PCM).

Here are three ways you can challenge imposter syndrome:

• Speak with a licensed clinical therapist.

A therapist in our vPHP may use techniques from CBT or other forms of therapy to help you. Here, we’ll use a CBT technique: “examining the evidence.” Search for evidence that might confirm your thought and evidence that might disprove it.

Evidence that might confirm your thought could be:

• You haven’t seen your classmates struggle in class.
• Your co-workers have more years of experience than you.

Evidence that might disprove your thought could be:

• Your teacher provides commendatory feedback on your work.
• You and your classmates achieve grades within a similar range.
• Your transcript shows continuous progress toward graduation.
• Your manager speaks warmly about your work.
• Your co-workers rely on your skills and contributions.
• Your performance reviews show faith in your ability to excel.

When you inspect evidence that you are or aren’t a fraud, what do you see? You might find that you were qualified to join your school or workplace. Your teacher, manager, classmates or peers might not question your belonging even though you have felt that they should.

• Reinterpret your evidence.

Maybe you read the section above and thought, “But I’m fooling them all!” Could that be true — or could it be a distortion? Can you think of times that you oversold your competence or misled others intentionally? It’s possible that you cannot recall a sustained pattern of this behavior. 

Without an illustrated pattern of misrepresenting yourself, it’s hard to build a case that you are a fraud. The feeling may be there, but the evidence is lacking. You can learn to counteract imposter syndrome and gain the confidence to work through issues like these in a vPHP.

•  Shine a light on your strengths.

Let’s take another look at the evidence that disproves that you are an imposter. If you’re a student, what positive pieces of evidence can you assess? Do you have an admission letter, grades, feedback from a teacher or encouragement from a classmate? As an employee, can you look at written feedback, a performance review or a co-worker’s appreciative message? Perhaps you have received constructive advice that demonstrates belief in your abilities.

Any of these things could show you that your strengths are real, recognizable and valuable. Additionally, your capabilities have been appreciated by others. You’re not a secret intruder at school or work — you have every right to be there.

However, understanding this mentally may only be one step toward internalizing it. You may need ongoing support to build faith in your abilities. Any underlying mental health conditions may need treatment in order for you to progress.

Working with a professional may help you learn how to overcome imposter syndrome. With a licensed clinical therapist in a virtual program, you can participate in treatment at home. You can work with a therapist or a psychiatrist and participate in group meetings with other clients.

When you’re ready to take the first step, contact Lightfully. We offer several levels of care and thoroughly personalized treatment. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.