Wellbeing Hub

Finding Solid Ground: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

You’ve worked hard, earned your place, yet part of you still whispers: “I don’t belong here.”
That quiet unease — known as imposter syndrome — can creep into even the most accomplished lives. It’s not a flaw or a failure. It’s simply the mind’s way of saying: “I’m afraid to be seen.”

What Imposter Syndrome Really Is

Coined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, the imposter phenomenon describes the experience of feeling undeserving of one’s achievements despite clear evidence of competence.

A Guardian article by Kate Wills (2025) notes that nearly 82% of people report having felt like a fraud at some point. Psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd calls it “incredibly common among high-achieving, competent people who are outwardly successful.”
→ Feeling out of place: how to beat imposter syndrome – The Guardian

It’s not limited to work. Parenthood, relationships, or social circles can all trigger that same self-doubt. And yet, imposter feelings often reveal something tender and human — our wish to belong, to be valued, and to not disappoint.

The Roots Beneath the Feeling

According to the American Psychological Association, imposter thoughts often stem from early environments that rewarded achievement more than authenticity. As children, we may have learned that love and approval were earned by performance. Later in life, even genuine success can feel unsafe, as if it could vanish the moment we relax.
→ How to overcome impostor phenomenon – APA Monitor

Therapist Amanda Brenkley, interviewed by The Guardian, invites us to “swim in the unknown.” She reframes uncertainty as a kind of superpower — “coming from a place of not knowing” allows curiosity and humility to replace fear. Authenticity is not about being flawless but about being present.

The Cost of Staying Silent

Left unchecked, imposter syndrome can quietly narrow our world. It leads us to decline opportunities, downplay success, or live in quiet anxiety. Psychology Today notes that avoidance is one of its most subtle effects — we say no to things we deeply want because we’re afraid of exposure.
→ How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome – Psychology Today

In therapy, we often talk about how the body keeps the score. When imposter feelings surface, you might notice a tightening in the chest, a restless need to prove yourself, or an urge to withdraw. These are signs that an old part of you — often a much younger one — is afraid of being found out. Meeting that fear with compassion, rather than correction, is often where real change begins.

Nature’s Perspective: Trust the Process

At Hammock Counselling, we often draw inspiration from the natural world.
In a forest, no tree questions its right to exist. Each grows at its own pace, shaped by light, wind, and soil. Some seasons are about blooming; others are about quiet growth beneath the surface.

Science Focus reminds us that imposter feelings are not purely psychological — they’re biological. When we perceive threat, even social threat, our nervous system reacts as though survival is at stake. The solution isn’t to think our way out but to regulate the body: slow breathing, grounding, gentle movement, and time in nature. The body learns safety before the mind does.
→ 4 simple ways to overcome impostor syndrome, explained – Science Focus

Practical Ways to Rebalance

Drawing on research and clinical practice, here are some ways to soften imposter feelings:

1. Track Your Fears

Dr Jessamy Hibberd recommends writing down anxious predictions and later noting what actually happened. Over time, this builds evidence that the worst rarely unfolds. Confidence grows not from blind affirmation but from repeated proof that reality is kinder than our fears.
(The Guardian)

2. Name and Externalise the Voice

Instead of saying, “I’m a fraud,” try, “My imposter voice is loud today.” Externalising helps separate identity from experience. You’re not the imposter — you’re simply feeling like one.
(APA Monitor on Psychology)

3. Redefine Competence

Verywell Mind identifies five imposter “types”: the Perfectionist, the Expert, the Soloist, the Natural Genius, and the Superhuman. Understanding your pattern helps target change. For instance, if you’re a “Perfectionist,” progress may mean valuing learning itself — not only flawless results.
→ Imposter Syndrome: The Five Types, How to Deal With It – Verywell Mind

4. Practice “Curious Not Knowing”

When faced with something new, try saying, “I don’t know yet.” This small word — “yet” — signals to the brain that uncertainty is temporary, not shameful. Curiosity and growth coexist far better than fear and perfection.
(The Guardian / Brenkley)

5. Celebrate Your Wins

Those struggling with imposter feelings often dismiss success as luck. To counter that, Forbes suggests creating a “wins list” — a record of accomplishments, positive feedback, or moments of pride. Revisiting it grounds your sense of self in evidence, not emotion.
→ How To Beat Imposter Syndrome And Own Your Greatness – Forbes

6. Connect Authentically

The antidote to imposter isolation is connection. Sharing your fears with trusted peers normalises them. Johns Hopkins Wellbeing Blog notes that vulnerability breeds belonging; it reminds us that everyone — yes, everyone — is making it up as they go, to some extent.
→ Authenticity and the Imposter Syndrome – Johns Hopkins Wellbeing Blog

The Inner Landscape of Change

Healing from imposter syndrome isn’t about erasing doubt; it’s about transforming your relationship with it.
In therapy, we might explore the deeper narrative: What story am I telling myself about success, failure, or worth? Whose voice am I still trying to please or silence?

When those questions are met with gentle curiosity, self-acceptance begins to take root. A client once described the shift as “moving from performing to participating” — less about proving oneself, more about being oneself.

As Psychology Today puts it:

“Overcoming imposter syndrome isn’t about becoming more confident — it’s about becoming more honest.”

Honesty allows room for both strength and vulnerability — and it’s that combination that makes us fully human.

A Gentle Reframing

Instead of asking, “How do I get rid of imposter syndrome?” try, “What is this feeling trying to protect me from?”
Often, the answer points to a tender need — for safety, belonging, or recognition. When we meet that need with compassion rather than criticism, imposter feelings lose their hold.

At Hammock, we see this work as akin to settling into a hammock: finding balance between movement and stillness, trust and surrender. You don’t force balance; you allow it. Likewise, confidence grows naturally when self-judgment softens.

Coming Home to Yourself

If you’ve ever felt like you’re one mistake away from being “found out,” know this: you’re in very good company.
Maya Angelou, Michelle Obama, and countless others have felt the same. What unites them isn’t the absence of fear — it’s their willingness to keep showing up anyway.

As Amanda Brenkley says, “You might find that people respond better to the curious learner than the know-it-all expert.”
Perhaps authenticity, not expertise, is the truest marker of success.

In time, you may discover that the feeling of being an imposter was never a sign you were broken — it was an invitation to remember your humanity.