You chair the meeting and sign off the budget. Underneath sits a quiet worry that one day somebody will work out you are not up to it.
Imposter feelings can bring long hours, perfectionism and stress with them. Imposter syndrome is not a medical diagnosis, but the feelings are real, and talking therapies can help.
Key insight: it's not all in your head
Imposter feelings grow in particular soil: workplaces short on representation, cultures where praise is rationed, and institutions not designed with everyone in mind. Therapy can help you cope, but it should not be the only thing that changes.
Why “syndrome” is a slippery word
Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes first described the “imposter phenomenon” in 1978, in high-achieving women who could not take in their own success (Clance and Imes, 1978). They were naming a pattern of feelings, not a mental illness.
The word “syndrome” puts the whole problem inside the individual. For many managers, including disabled people, people of colour, women in male-dominated fields and the first in their family to reach a professional role, the doubt is fed by what is happening around them. Being the only person like you in the room is not a mindset problem.
What it looks like, inside and out
Imposter feelings shape how a manager behaves, and teams feel the effects.
| Inside your head | What your team sees |
|---|---|
| Success was luck, or good timing | Praise gets deflected, so wins are never properly marked |
| If I hand this over and it goes wrong, I am finished | Micromanaging, and a bottleneck where decisions should be |
| Feedback is a verdict on me | People stop being straight with you, so problems arrive late |
| My view is not worth saying out loud | The team's work has no advocate in the rooms that matter |
Four therapies, and what each one does
These talking therapies are offered one-to-one or in groups.
| Therapy | The idea behind it | Worth asking about if |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) | Changes how you think and what you do (BACP, n.d.a). You weigh a thought against the evidence, then test it, perhaps by delegating a task you always take back. | Your doubt runs on a few repeating thoughts you could almost write down |
| Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) | Tackles shame and self-criticism by helping you develop a compassionate inner voice (GMMH, 2023), so a setback stops feeling like proof. | You speak to yourself in a way you would never speak to your staff |
| Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) | Instead of fighting difficult thoughts, you learn to get “unhooked” from them and act on what matters to you (Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, n.d.). | Arguing with the doubt has only made it louder |
| Integrative therapy | Draws on different approaches and looks at the whole person (BACP, n.d.a). | The roots feel older and deeper than this job |
When proving yourself tips into burnout
Mind explains that burnout isn't a mental health diagnosis, but a collection of symptoms (Mind, n.d.a). If you spend every weekend recovering for Monday, treat that as a warning sign.
You are in good company
Many people feel they are the only one faking it. Plenty of people at the top of their fields have said the same out loud.
| Who | What they have said | What seems to help |
|---|---|---|
| Michelle Obama Lawyer and author | Speaking to schoolgirls in London in 2018: “I still have a little [bit of] impostor syndrome. It doesn't go away” (CBS News, 2018). | Sharing it, “because we all have doubts in our abilities” (CBS News, 2018). |
| Tom Hanks Actor | In a 2016 radio interview: “When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?” (NPR, 2016) | Seeing it as something everyone faces: “a high-wire act that we all walk” (NPR, 2016). |
| Kate Winslet Actor | Before a day's filming: “I can't do this. I'm a fraud” (Marie Claire, 2016). | Keeping going anyway, and aiming simply to do her best (Cheat Sheet, 2020). |
| Emma Willis Broadcaster | “I think that I'm not good enough, and that everyone is going to find out one day” (Stylist, 2020). | With age, telling herself she is doing fine and carrying on (Stylist, 2020). |
| Candice Carty-Williams Novelist | “I didn't really see anyone who looks like me doing what I did” (Stylist, 2020). | Reminding other women: “Look, you're here and you're doing it” (Stylist, 2020). |
Key insight: act anyway
None of them describe waiting for the doubt to disappear. They named it and got on with the job anyway, which is what the therapies above help you do.
Where to get help in the UK
On the NHS. In England, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP (NHS, 2025). These services treat anxiety and depression, so describe the effect on your sleep, hours and daily life rather than leading with “imposter syndrome”.
Privately. The BACP Therapist Directory only lists registered or accredited BACP members (BACP, n.d.b).
Through work. Your employer may offer an employee assistance programme (EAP), which should include some free counselling sessions. You can usually use it without going through your manager or HR (Mind, 2023).
Announcing the national rollout of the WorkWell support scheme in January 2026, the then Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “No-one should have to choose between a job they love and their health” (DWP, 2026).
Other help. NHS self-help shows you how to challenge negative beliefs about yourself (NHS, 2023). Mind has self-esteem tips and an Infoline on 0300 123 3393, weekdays 9am to 6pm (Mind, 2022; n.d.b). If it all feels like too much, call Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123.
The Zero Jargon bottom line
Confidence is built, and it can be rebuilt with help. If doubt is running your working life, talk to someone, and ask what your organisation is doing about the culture feeding it.
References
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) (n.d.a) Types of therapy: an A-Z of therapeutic approaches. Available at: https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) (n.d.b) How to find a therapist: BACP Therapist Directory. Available at: https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/using-our-therapist-directory/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
CBS News (2018) What is impostor syndrome? Michelle Obama says she has it, and 'it doesn't go away'. 5 December. Available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-impostor-syndrome-michelle-obama-says-she-has-it (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Cheat Sheet (2020) Kate Winslet opened up about having impostor syndrome. 28 December. Available at: https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/kate-winslet-opened-up-about-having-impostor-syndrome-im-rubbish-and-everyone-is-going-to-see-it.html/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Clance, P.R. and Imes, S.A. (1978) ‘The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: dynamics and therapeutic intervention’, Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), pp. 241–247. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006 (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (2026) Expansion of support scheme to help thousands of people back into work. 20 January. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/expansion-of-support-scheme-to-help-thousands-of-people-back-into-work (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (n.d.) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Available at: https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/your-visit/patient-information-leaflets/acceptance-and-commitment-therapy-ghpi1606/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) (2023) Compassion focused therapy: an overview. 27 March. Available at: https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/news/compassion-focused-therapy-an-overview-6121/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Marie Claire (2016) 16 celebrity quotes on suffering with impostor syndrome. 10 November. Available at: https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity-quotes-on-impostor-syndrome-434739 (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Mind (2022) How to improve self-esteem. Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/self-esteem/tips-to-improve-your-self-esteem/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Mind (2023) How to find therapy or counselling. Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/talking-therapy-and-counselling/how-to-find-a-therapist/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Mind (n.d.a) Coping with burnout. Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/influence-and-participation-toolkit/overcoming-challenges/i-feel-burned-out/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Mind (n.d.b) Helplines and listening services. Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
NHS (2023) Raising low self-esteem. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/raise-low-self-esteem/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
NHS (2025) Find NHS talking therapies for anxiety and depression. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/find-nhs-talking-therapies-for-anxiety-and-depression/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
NPR (2016) Tom Hanks says self-doubt is 'a high-wire act that we all walk'. Fresh Air, 26 April. Available at: https://www.npr.org/2016/04/26/475573489/tom-hanks-says-self-doubt-is-a-high-wire-act-that-we-all-walk (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Samaritans (n.d.) Talk to us on the phone. Available at: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/talk-us-phone/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Stylist (2020) Imposter syndrome: best celebrity quotes on self-doubt. 16 February. Available at: https://www.stylist.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/imposter-syndrome-quotes-celebrities/307473 (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
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Important medical disclaimer
The content provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP, psychiatrist or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Never start, stop or change a prescribed medicine without speaking to your prescriber first.
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