IMPOSTER SYNDROME: QUESTIONING YOURSELF DURING COVID The past twelve months have required all of us to reinvent the ways in which we relate to our jobs, and to do so quickly, as our homes, work, entertainment, and relaxation suddenly blended into one space. This unexpected, and sometimes messy, fusion has left many people questioning themselves and feeling unable to keep up with the different angles of pressure. As quickly as the lockdowns took effect, self-doubt was armed and ready. What is imposter syndrome? Anyone new to a career understands imposter syndrome. Doubting our abilities and feeling insecure in our new roles. We may not feel as capable as we actually are or as evidence has shown us to be. As therapists, we know about imposter syndrome very well. We start off in our careers feeling out of place and wondering how we could possibly be enough for our clients. There are many reasons why even seasoned therapists’ imposter syndrome may be flaring up during the pandemic. COVID hit and therapists around the world were required to hastily turn their in-person practices to telehealth. We had to find HIPAA compliant methods of video conferencing, receiving payment, and securing our internet connections, amongst other technical challenges. I often say to people; I’m good with feelings, not technology. But whether comfortable or not, our clients needed us to act as if we were, and fast. We also began supporting clients through a shared trauma. Every single one of our clients, our family members, our friends, and ourselves have been experiencing the same global pandemic. We are counseling clients through the fear, confusion, and unpredictability that we are currently going
through. If there was ever a time that we could relate to our clients, it was now. Just like many of our clients, we probably had a difficult time managing our personal lives during the pandemic. Just like our clients, our families may have faced financial struggles, illness, death, or navigating our living situations, etc. Our own nervousness, worry, sadness, and emptiness may have spiked. Perhaps we had our own mood swings and couldn’t manage our frustrations. How could we hold it together for our clients when we don’t know if we can hold it together for ourselves? Feelings of self-doubt creep in and we begin to feel like a fraud. It’s no wonder that we’re left questioning if we’re actually well-equipped at our chosen profession.
So what can we actually do to move through these feelings of not being goodenough? Like we tell our clients, let’s start by gently normalizing these feelings of self-doubt and understand that everyone is riding these waves right now. These feelings are especially natural considering that we’re facing a completely unknown and unprecedented situation. None of us have ever had to reinvent our practices in the face of a global pandemic. Whether or not we have been 49 INSESSION APRIL 2021
