Imposter Syndrome in Complementary Therapists: 6 Powerful Ways to Break Its Grip by Jayney Goddard, MSc, PGDip Ed, FCMA, FRSM, President of the Complementary Medical Association
You have trained for years. You have the qualifications, the CPD certificates and a growing list of clients who tell you how much you have helped them. And yet, every so often, a small voice whispers: “Who am I to be doing this? Sooner or later, someone is going to find me out.”
If that voice sounds familiar, you are in very good company. Imposter syndrome is one of the most common – and least talked about – experiences among skilled professionals, and complementary therapists are no exception. Left unchecked, it can stop you raising your prices, applying for opportunities, speaking up about your work and, ultimately, reaching the people who need you.
The good news is that it does not have to run the show. Here are six powerful, practical ways to break its grip.
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
The term grew out of the work of psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, who in 1978 described what they called the “imposter phenomenon” in a group of high-achieving women: a persistent inner belief that they were not truly capable, despite clear evidence of their success. They attributed their achievements to luck, timing or sheer hard work rather than ability, and lived with a constant fear of being exposed.1
It is not a formal diagnosis. It is a pattern of thinking – and, crucially, one that tends to show up in people who are genuinely competent.
6 Powerful Ways to Break the Grip of Imposter Syndrome
1. Recognise How Common It Is
One of the most reassuring facts about imposter syndrome is simply how widespread it is. A systematic review of 62 studies involving 14,161 participants found reported rates ranging from 9% to 82%, depending on how it was measured. It appeared across professions, including among doctors and other clinicians, and was linked to burnout, lower job satisfaction and reduced performance at work.2
In other words, feeling like an imposter is not evidence that you are one. Many of the most respected Practitioners you admire have felt exactly the same way. Naming the experience – “Ah, this is imposter syndrome talking” – creates a little distance between you and the thought, and that distance is where your choices live.
2. Separate Feelings From Facts
Imposter syndrome is persuasive because it feels true. The antidote is evidence.
Start a simple “evidence file” – a notebook or digital folder where you record the facts of your professional life: your qualifications, the CPD you have completed, your professional Membership, the thank-you cards and messages from clients, and the progress you have helped people make. When the inner critic speaks up, open the file. Feelings are real, but they are not facts, and a page of solid evidence is very hard to argue with.
Your professional recognition matters here too. Membership of a respected professional body is an external, independent statement that your training meets a recognised standard – something worth remembering on the days you doubt yourself.
3. Break the Over-Preparation Cycle
Clance and Imes noticed a revealing pattern: people with imposter feelings often over-prepare intensely for a task, succeed, and then credit their success to all that extra effort rather than to their own ability.1 The success never “counts”, so the anxiety returns, stronger, next time.
Many Practitioners will recognise this – re-writing a treatment plan five times, spending a whole weekend preparing a ten-minute talk, or rehearsing a phone call with a new client until it feels scripted. Try setting a sensible limit on preparation, then deliberately noticing afterwards that it went well because you are good at what you do. Over time, this rewrites the story.
4. Reframe Nerves as Excitement
Before a big moment – a first appointment, a networking event, a talk – most of us try to calm ourselves down. Research suggests that may not be the most effective approach.
In a series of experiments, Harvard researcher Alison Wood Brooks asked people facing anxiety-provoking tasks, including public speaking, to say either “I am calm” or “I am excited” beforehand. Those who reframed their anxiety as excitement gave speeches that independent judges rated as more persuasive, competent and confident.3 Anxiety and excitement are both high-energy states, so it is far easier to shift from one to the other than to force yourself into calm.
Next time your heart is racing, try saying, out loud if you can: “I’m excited.” It is a small change with a surprisingly big effect.
5. Talk About It
Imposter syndrome thrives in silence. When you keep the feeling to yourself, it is easy to believe that everyone else has it all worked out. When you share it with a trusted colleague, supervisor or peer group, you very quickly discover that they have felt it too.
Peer support, supervision and professional community are not luxuries; they are part of sustainable practice. Connecting with fellow Members, attending live Tutorials and joining professional conversations all help you see your own work more clearly – and more kindly.
It is also worth knowing that imposter feelings often travel alongside anxiety and low mood.2 If your self-doubt feels persistent or overwhelming, or is affecting your sleep, mood or daily life, please speak to your GP or a qualified mental health professional. Looking after yourself is part of looking after your clients.
6. Act Before You Feel Ready
Perhaps the most important truth about confidence is this: it usually follows action, rather than coming before it. Many Practitioners wait to feel confident before they put themselves forward – and so they wait for years.
Choose one small, stretching step this month. Explain the evidence for your therapy to a curious friend (our recent article on how to explain complementary therapy evidence in 60 seconds will help). Offer a short talk to a local group. Say yes to the opportunity you would normally turn down. Each step adds a new page to your evidence file, and the voice of doubt grows a little smaller every time.
Reflective Practice
Take ten minutes to reflect honestly on how imposter feelings show up in your professional life:
- When did you last feel like an imposter at work? What triggered it, and how did you respond?
- What evidence of your competence could you add to an evidence file today?
- Where might you be over-preparing, and what would “good enough” preparation look like?
- How do you usually handle nerves before an important moment? How might reframing them as excitement change that?
- Who could you talk to openly about self-doubt – a peer, supervisor or mentor?
- What is one opportunity you have avoided because you did not feel “ready”?
One change I will make: ______________________________________
CPD tip: Log the time you spend on this reflection, together with your notes and your commitment, in your CPD record as evidence of reflective practice and professional development.
From Self-Doubt to Standing Ovation
For many Practitioners, the place imposter syndrome shouts loudest is in front of an audience. Yet my own MSc research into what makes Practitioners thrive found that giving expert public talks was the common thread among genuinely successful Practitioners. The very thing that feels most daunting is often the thing that transforms a practice.
That is why I created Fully Confident – Fully Booked: Fill Your Practice Through the Power of Public Speaking, a full-day live workshop in Kensington, London, on Monday 16 November, co-presented with my wonderful colleague Angie Litvinoff. You will learn how to manage nerves, find your authentic voice and leave with a ready-made, evidence-based presentation you can deliver with confidence. Places are limited to a small group, so if you are ready to step forward, find out more and book your place here.
References
- Clance PR, Imes SA. The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice. 1978;15(3):241–247. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006
- Bravata DM, Watts SA, Keefer AL, et al. Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: a systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2020;35(4):1252–1275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1
- Brooks AW. Get excited: reappraising pre-performance anxiety as excitement. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. 2014;143(3):1144–1158. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035325
About the Author
Jayney Goddard MSc, PG Dip Ed, FCMA, FRSM is the Founder and President of The Complementary Medical Association (The CMA), the world’s leading professional body for complementary medicine. With more than three decades at the forefront of complementary and integrative healthcare, Jayney has dedicated her career to raising professional standards across the sector and to championing rigorous, evidence-based natural approaches to health and longevity. She is the author of several best-sellers, including Rewind Your Body Clock – the Complete Natural Guide to a Happier, Healthier, Younger You (Watkins/Penguin Random House), which debuted on the Amazon charts at No. 1 among ALL books on the platform. Jayney is a sought-after international speaker and a passionate advocate for the safe, ethical integration of complementary medicine within mainstream healthcare. Through The CMA, she supports a global community of Practitioners, Fellows, and Approved Suppliers committed to the very highest standards of practice.
