Turning the Light on Imposter Syndrome

In honor of Halloween, Psychiatric Times launched “Scariest in Psychiatry,” a series that explores the scariest topic in mental health. Mindpath Health’s Kiana Shelton, LCSW, shares her biggest mental health fear.

My biggest fear is falling for imposter syndrome. When someone decides to go into the mental health field, they often walk in with a DSM and an understanding of psychological theories and concepts. What one is never fully prepared for is the many unique ways each client will present their symptoms. The ever-complex ways and alternative diagnoses impact clinical decision-making, and let’s not forget that at times we will only be working with limited amounts of information at the time of initial assessment. When I first started in the field, each day, I sat wondering if I was really cut out for this work—a work I wholeheartedly believed in because I have seen firsthand how helpful it can be. Yet 10 years post graduate school, imposter syndrome still feels like the scary monster under the bed.

Imposter syndrome or phenomenon is defined in the American Psychological Association Dictionary as “successful individuals paradoxically believing they are frauds who ultimately will fail and be unmasked as incompetent.” It is a collection of feelings regarding inadequacy that persist, despite evident supporting success. Those who experience imposter syndrome often suffer from chronic self-doubt and feelings of intellectual fraudulence. This is unfortunate because the normalization alone would help individuals move out of their feelings of doubt and step into assurance of their competence.

When we sit in doubt, we often perform poorly. It takes us twice as long to complete a task and we find ourselves never truly satisfied with our performance. What I find comforting amid addressing my biggest fear, is knowing I am not alone. I recall words from one of my great mentors, who has spent over two decades in the field of psychotherapy, “I question myself every day, but I do not let that stop me from showing up.”

When we metaphorically turn the lights on our scariest thoughts, we learn that that monster by the door was just a jacket on the hook. Here is what I have learned and continue to remind myself while facing my fears: Confidence does not equal

competence. This thought invites me to examine my thoughts of inadequacy and find the distortion. It is a call to action to remind myself of the tools and knowledge I hold. To feel confident and know that I will always show up and do my best; but to remember that perfection is never the expectation. After all, it is our positive light that will always help us see what is really in the room.

Read the full Psychiatric Times article with sources.