Hypnosis for Impostor Syndrome

Hypnosis for Impostor Syndrome

Impostor Syndrome affects many people: professionals, entrepreneurs, students, artists…

This persistent feeling of never being competent enough, of not deserving of one’s place and successes and of living in constant fear of being “unmasked” can become a major obstacle in professional and personal life.

How can Hypnosis help alleviate Impostor Syndrome to unleash and better express your potential?

Imposter Syndrom

What is Impostor Syndrome?

The “impostor phenomenon” was first defined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes.
Then the usual term “impostor syndrome” developed, which would almost make it a kind of pathology.

However, it is “normal” to have a certain apprehension when we enter areas where we do not feel competent or legitimate. This is the initial definition of stress, a stimulation to allow us to better adapt to a situation that is new to us.

But when it becomes a deep doubt about our value, when it cuts us off from our initiatives, when we are no longer able to appreciate our successes, often with the deep fear of being unmasked as a “fraudster”, then the impostor phenomenon becomes a real obstacle.

Who is more prone to Impostor Syndrome?

According to Clance and Imes, this phenomenon is more common in individuals who have grown up in a perfectionist environment where intellectual and academic success was overvalued.
Women, minorities, high intellectual potentials and professionals in highly competitive environments are more prone to Impostor Syndrome.

Valerie Young described 5 main types of Impostor Syndrome that will trigger different sensitive points depending on the person:

  • The perfectionist sets goals that are too high, sometimes with a paralysis to act unless everything is perfect. They are never satisfied with their results, and this is often combined with a strong need for control and delegation problems.
  • The superman/woman will extend these high expectations to all areas of their life, being at the top in their professional life but also in their private life as a couple, in their family, in their social life and of course they are always in shape…
  • The expert will want to know everything about their subject, with the risk of procrastination and paralysis to act before knowing everything….
  • The “soloist” who wants to succeed alone, without the help of others because otherwise success has no value
  • And what Valerie Young calls the “natural genius” who wants to succeed on the first try, effortlessly thanks to their “talent”. Maybe it worked for them as a child, or for a while, but now they avoid situations where they are not going to be the best. The effort, the learning time, it would show that their are mediocre…

Finally, according to Carol Dweck’s work on the fixed mindset and the growth mindset, people with a fixed mindset who believe that their abilities are innate will feel impostor syndrome more.

The consequences of Impostor Syndrome

Whatever the form of Impostor Syndrome, the consequences can be very disabling for the person concerned, including:

  • A chronic feeling of doubt about their skills, their legitimacy and even their personal value, which will for example hinder their professional development.
  • Stress, anxiety, ideas that go round and round – the “I should have”, “I should”… – that burn energy unnecessarily
  • Procrastination and sometimes even self-sabotage to avoid situations that could reveal their inadequacy.
How to overcome Imposter Syndrome

How to get rid of Impostor Syndrome?

Impostor Syndrome can be well anchored in us, and very tenacious!

Because it is fundamentally built on negative or limiting beliefs about ourselves:
I am not capable; I am not legitimate…

And our beliefs have often been there for a very long time, often since childhood, and reinforced by the family, school, social environment…
So it’s difficult to question them because they have structured our personality and our lives.

With a classic bias – confirmation bias – which makes us prefer to change our interpretation of reality to confirm our beliefs rather than question them.
So if I have difficulties on a project even if it has nothing to do with me, well it shows that I am not up to the task…

Thus, a kind of vicious circle of loss of self-confidence is created which reinforces my negative beliefs about myself, etc…

Hypnosis for Impostor Syndrome: How does it work?

The main challenge is to change these negative beliefs about yourself, and a belief can resist strongly, especially if it has structured our life.
And just because you’re rationally aware of it doesn’t mean it’s easy to change!

Hence the benefit of Therapeutic Hypnosis to work at the unconscious level:

  • to identify these beliefs, to understand what they are for, what they have allowed you to do, but also when they become obstacles.
  • And then challenge and loosen them, replacing negative thought patterns with positive affirmations.

In Hypnosis for Impostor Syndrome, we will also work on self-confidence and self-esteem to enhance strengths, encourage action “even if it’s not perfect” and remove self-sabotage patterns.

And also, helping you recognize your successes and celebrate them!

Sometimes we will add exercises for you to practice at home:

  • Listen to the suggestions from your hypnosis session to better anchor them, feed your self-talk with positive affirmations,
  • Keep a “success journal” where you will note three successes every day, even small ones, to nurture a more positive vision of yourself,
  • Do exercises to visualize your future success, or use the “as if” technique to adopt the attitude of a confident person and gradually transform your own feelings…
Getting rid of Imposter Syndrome

How Audrey overcame her Impostor Syndrome at work

Audrey, a consultant in a auditing firm, had excellent results and evaluations but lived with the constant fear of not being up to the task and putting enormous pressure on herself.

During the hypnosis sessions, she identified the beliefs at the origin of her insecurity to “soften” them and even reject some of them.

And she worked on grounding techniques to develop self-confidence, especially in situations of professional stress.

Dare to believe in yourself! 🚀

Impostor syndrome is not inevitable.

Therapeutic Hypnosis is a very interesting tool to help reprogram your unconscious, transform your negative beliefs about yourself, remove your doubts about your competence and legitimacy, and regain a stronger self-confidence.

How about taking the first step today?

Our team of hypnotherapists at Solutions Hypnosis, in Quebec, Ontario and by Video is here to support you.

Make an appointment now to create the life you want with hypnosis!

See you soon.

The Solutions Hypnosis team

 

To go further:

  • Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention.
  • Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

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