There is this thing that we SLPs experience regularly, in a huge amount, that likes to come calling when we are suddenly not 100% sure of a therapy protocol, if a session went differently than planned, when a parent asks us a question and catches us off guard, or when your supervisor says “are you sure?”. It’s that little voice, calling you from afar, like a creature luring you into a forbidden fairytale forest, only to trick you once you follow it.
And it is Imposter Syndrome.
The feeling that you are a fraud. That you know nothing. That you are lucky you have made it this far, And that today might be the day when you are exposed and found out.
I know I have experienced this as an SLP, as a yoga teacher, and as a writer, author, and coach here in this space. That sudden panic or thoughts that “oh no, I can’t be enough”.
I know I am not alone in these feelings, especially as an SLP.
So many SLPs, maybe even you, head to work each day with their fingers-crossed, hoping that no one notices they have absolutely no clue what they are doing. Or, at least, it feels that way. That even though you have spent 6 or so years learning all of the ins and outs of the field and how to do therapy, and how to evaluate someone, and you are the expert in this, that, somehow, you are really just a fraud, disguised as the expert and the one who is knowledgeable about all of this stuff.
Imposter Syndrome can be a huge block when it comes to letting go of stress, connecting to your work, and growing in it, even when challenges arise. It can come from perfectionism, and the competitiveness that is often in our field and in grad school.
And it is really no wonder when you look at a few things about Imposter Syndrome.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
According to the APA, “impostor phenomenon [also called Imposter Syndrome] occurs among high achievers who are unable to internalize and accept their success. They often attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than to ability, and fear that others will eventually unmask them as a fraud.”
This means that Imposter Syndrome happens to those who are used to striving for more, reaching high productivity levels and caseloads, and wanting to do the best, and do it “right” with no mistakes. It means feeling the need to be perfect and to do more than is expected, or more than is possible, to prove you are worthy of the position, of the work you do, and of being the SLP for these students or clients.
And it sums up the realities of being an SLP better than any grad school flier or job recruiter ever could.
Imposter Syndrome can happen when you are in grad school or in your CF year, or as a brand new CCC-SLP, but it can also happen when you are a “seasoned” SLP, who has been practicing in the same setting and building for decades. If you are leaning towards perfectionism or having to meet high expectations all the time, Imposter Syndrome is likely to hit and likely to keep you from reaching out for help.
As WebMD puts it, professionally “If you believe your career success is due to luck instead of your skills, you may be less likely to ask for a promotion or raise. You could also feel you need to overwork to meet the unrealistically high standard you’ve created for yourself.
Studies show that imposter syndrome can cause more burnout, lower job performance, and less job satisfaction.”
As an SLP, it is likely that you already know how hard burnout can hit in this field, and that chronic stress can lead to it. But you might not have realized that the perfectionist tendencies or doing more and doing the job *just right* might be leading to that same burnout and overwhelm, rather than helping with it.
If you are facing Imposter Syndrome, here are a few things you can do.
4 Ways to Stop Imposter Syndrome in its Tracks
Bring in awareness: Where is it that you are currently struggling to do more or do perfectly? Where are you feeling that you are not enough, and possibly striving to prove you can do it?
Just observing this part of your day and your habits, brings awareness to it. In mindfulness, awareness is often the first step towards creating new habits or making a change. It is about seeing what is happening, so you can understand it better, without forcing it to be different or labeling it as “bad”, “wrong”, or “not good enough”.
Reflect on it: Ask yourself, what is the purpose here? What is not working and what is working?
You might be familiar with hearing people say “remember your why?”. So, when I say, “what is the purpose here”, this is not quite what I am talking about. Remembering your why can be helpful when you feel disconnected and have had a really tough day. But this is something a little different.
Here, take a movement to pause and reflect on what the purpose of what you are doing, the Imposter Syndrome-inducing, perfectionist-driven things, and what the point of them is. If you are working really, really hard to do more and take on more, to prove you can do it, stop and ask yourself, “Why this action? What is the purpose?”. It can help you to take the awareness to the next level – to move from noticing what is happening to understanding why it is happening and why this is what you are using to work with.
Often, when you go back to the purpose of it all, you can see how the habits and strategies you are using, that are leading to Imposter Syndrome, are keeping you from reaching that purpose, rather than bringing you towards it.
Take note of what is not working for you, and, in the next step, find some ways to help shift and move forward.
Shift your focus: What is working and going well?
If you are stuck in Imposter Syndrome, you are likely very hard on yourself and critical of the work you do each day. This means your focus is on what is not going well, what you are not doing “right” and what is not working, over and over and over again. If you start consciously shifting ot what is working, and train yourself to make this a habit and routine each day, it can help you to see all the things that you are doing well, give you motivation to do more of those, and connect you back to your work, without the need to prove you are worthy of it.
Reach out for support. Find an SLP friend or mentor that you can reach out to and share your feelings of Imposter Syndrome with.
When I was a new SLP, especially in the school setting, I felt really alone with my struggles of feeling disconnected from my work. It seemed like everyone else LOVED their work, enjoyed coming in early and staying late, and lived to be an SLP with each and every breath. And I just didn’t. And that was ok. I just didn’t know it then.
Having people who I can reach out to now, and seeing that others are going through similar things and other things, helps to know that we don’t need to be perfect to be an SLP. We just need to keep showing up. And we don’t know it all or won’t always to it *just right*.
Social media can make this seem even worse, when you see people talking about how they would NEVER do therapy this way, or showcasing all the perfect and wonderful things in their day while leaving out the challenges, or judging others for not being perfect. It is NOT the reality of most things and is typically one-sided (another post for another day).
Finding a group of SLPs online that are kind (not judgmental or snarky) or a mentor you can reach out to when things are confusing or a friend you can go grab a coffee/wine or zoom call with, can help you to work through it and not feel like the only one who doesn’t know it all.
If you are feeling that you are not good enough or in the wrong field or that you have no idea what you are doing, first know that you are not alone, and second, now that it is Imposter Syndrome calling you in.
Stop, become aware of it, reflect on it, focusing on what is working for you, and find someone to connect to where you can share your feelings and frustrations or ask a question or twelve.
When do you feel Imposter Syndrome the most? Share in the comments below!
For more resources, to help with Imposter Syndrome and Managing Stress, make sure to sign up for The Resilient SLP Toolbox. You’ll get access to online yoga classes, meditation audios, journal templates, guides and more.
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With Love and Light,
Jessi