Episode 191 Overcoming Impostor Syndrome | Essential Strategies for Holistic Therapists: Solo Episode By Chris McDonald

Chris McDonald: Do you struggle with integrating new holistic modalities with confidence? Are you feeling like a fraud and are doubting yourself? You're not alone. Join me for this insightful solo episode on overcoming imposter syndrome, essential strategies for holistic therapists. In this episode, we'll explore the roots of imposter syndrome and why it's so common among therapists, how imposter syndrome can impact your practice and client relationships, and practical strategies to overcome self doubt and embrace your expertise.

Wherever you are in your holistic journey, this episode is packed with tips and encouragement to help you thrive with confidence on today's episode of the Holistic Counseling Podcast. Stay tuned.

This is Holistic Counseling, the podcast for mental health therapists who want to deepen their knowledge of holistic modalities and build their practice with confidence. I'm your host, Chris McDonald, licensed therapist. I am so glad you're here for the journey.

Do you have any ethical or legal concerns about blending holistic modalities with traditional therapy? Is this holding you back from integrating these? You are not alone. There are some things to consider to protect your license and practice before diving into holistic counseling strategies. This is why I created my one hour recorded training, The Ethical and Legal Considerations of Holistic Counseling.

In it, we will explore how to protect yourself against liability as a holistic therapist. You will learn more about scope of practice versus scope of competence and informed consent. Also addressed is how you can expand your therapy practice ethically into the holistic realms and where to draw the line.

I also address the ethics of research based interventions and how this works for holistic counseling practices. You get all this plus one continuing education contact hour to learn more, go to hcpodcast. org forward slash ethics course. That's hcpodcast. org forward slash ethics course. Welcome to today's episode of the Holistic Counseling Podcast.

This is Chris McDonald, and this is a solo episode. And today's topic, I think, is something that impacts all therapists. And recently it's impacted me because I am making some major changes in my business. And for me, when something new that I'm starting, Is on the horizon that increases my anxiety levels and stress and the inner critic imposter syndrome comes up a lot in lots of different ways.

So we'll get to more of that. But as holistic therapists in general, I know we're all trying to help others heal and grow. Yet, we often struggle inside with those feelings of inadequacy and self doubt. Imposter syndrome can be difficult in our field for so many, especially that pressure to be perfect.

And of course, we all want to make that meaningful impact with clients. And that can overshadow our confidence, especially when you have clients who aren't getting better. You may ask yourself, what did I do wrong? Why is this client not getting better? Would another therapist be able to help them more than me?

I know that's one that gets me a lot. So in this episode, we'll uncover the origins of imposter syndrome, what it is, kind of dig a little deeper with that. And why it's so prevalent among therapists. We'll discuss ways it can affect our professional lives, client relationships, and more importantly, I'm going to share some practical strategies to help overcome these feelings so that hopefully you can embrace your true worth as a healer.

And again, if you're just maybe just starting out, that's OK. This is for you, but maybe a seasoned practitioner. I think no matter where you are on your journey as a therapist, it can affect you. And this will help you with tools and insights to help you step into that role as a therapist, a holistic therapist with confidence and authenticity.

So sit back, relax, and let's explore together how to deal with this as a holistic therapist. Let's start with the definition. So what is imposter syndrome? We hear that a lot. For me, it just, It's that feeling when I feel like I'm a fraud, that I don't know what I'm doing. It's like that little voice in my head, you don't know what you're doing.

You're going to be found out that you are not an expert in holistic counseling as the host of a podcast, or how dare you teach yoga to therapists on how to integrate. You don't have enough experience or training. It's kind of brings you down a level. I think of a rung on a ladder, right? We're going down like, oof, into more anxious territory.

It's kind of a fear based response, or I don't know what to do with this client. What's wrong with me? Other therapists would know. I just don't have the experience for this. And to really think and step back sometimes that there's a lot we face as therapists trying to help clients with multiple issues, and especially some that really have.

complex trauma in many diagnoses they're dealing with and so many triggers, it can feel overwhelming. Like, where do we start as therapists? Can I help this person? So it can put us in a lot of difficult emotion. And I think for holistic therapists in general, there are more challenges, right? Because If you are stepping out of the traditional realm, that can be triggering and overwhelming, especially if you're someone who is a rule follower and it feels very uncomfortable to go against the norm.

Or maybe what you were taught in grad school, because I know about, I don't know about you, but I wasn't taught anything about holistic counseling in grad school. This was all experience based and had to learn on my own. That's, that's a big deal. That's a lot, right? And then of course, the fears of, Ooh, I could get in trouble with my board.

I could lose my license. Are there other ethical issues with holistic modalities? What are the legal issues? And that just can bring you to that place of overwhelm, almost a freeze response, like how do I move forward? I see that a lot with other therapists. How do I move forward as a holistic therapist when I have all the weight of that heaviness?

Cause I think in general with all the therapists I've worked with over the years, you want to do the right thing. That's why you're in this field. You want to provide the best service and help clients. And then if something feels like. Ooh, this may not be in the best interest of clients, or I'm not sure if it is.

Can we do this as therapists to step out to the holistic realm with breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, whatever is the, is your holistic modality. Oh, take a breath. But I think because we're so empathetic, right? We want to help ourselves and help people. And this is where We question our own inadequacy or adequacy, I should say.

We have such high standards in this field, and are we measuring up? That might be that little question in our mind. And that comparison with other professionals, we may have had supervisors, clinical supervisors or colleagues who are super successful. And you're like, damn, am I going to be that good? Am I that good?

And that can kind of spiral you to many more self doubt questions and wonder if. you will be able to measure up. I know when I started my internship, as my one supervisee says, a baby counselor, and I was in the school system and I would sit and observe for a while with my supervisors there who were high school school counselors.

And I thought to myself as I was like, wow, listen to them and they are on it with their counseling skills. They're so knowledgeable. How will I ever develop that? I don't have those skills now, which I shouldn't have, right? But it's so intimidating when you see somebody who is an ace in their field and it just makes you wonder.

Can I do this as well? Or how do I find my way, especially for those that are listening that are maybe just starting out in your field. But I think it can make you hesitate to want to add holistic practices or other things outside the traditional realm in counseling, make it hard to take on new challenges, that fear of failure.

What if it doesn't go well? And what if you have clients that are just like, Ooh, I don't want to do yoga in session or any of these other holistic modalities. And that can just make you question yourself more. And of course, with clients that can impact the relationship, they may sense that self doubt if that comes up a lot.

And of course, transferring that onto them, which could impact progress, could be a self fulfilling prophecy. So it's kind of like a cycle. that you could get, find yourself trapped in and make it really difficult to break free of. So that fear can hold you back from pursuing more training or looking at these.

You may look at the trainings online or hear about them and be like, Oh, I'd love to be able to learn more how to be an integrative therapist. But you hesitate because that self doubt is like, Ooh, I don't think that's for you. Can you really do that? Do you have the skills for this? And maybe even avoiding talking to other people or seeking supervision for that fear of like being exposed as a fraud that they know what they're doing but I don't.

That's a heavy weight, isn't it? So we got to sit back and think about that for a moment. So take a breath with me. Inhale and exhale. Oh, it's a lot. I can just feel that. Because I know it inside of me, and I know it happens for you as well. It connects us together in some way, doesn't it? The universality of imposter syndrome.

So how do we find ways to overcome self doubt and just embrace our expertise and feel more confident? It's just not an easy thing to do, is it? So first step is recognizing it. And recognizing our triggers, noticing when is that voice getting louder, or is it on repeat? When am I noticing my fear response?

So that self reflection and self awareness we talk to clients so much about. And how do we feel in our bodies? Do we notice that sinking feeling in our chest or belly? Maybe some tension? Or something else that tells us, our body will tell us that we're feeling more in that imposter syndrome, that we don't know what we're doing and maybe journaling.

Sometimes journaling can be a way to really reflect and taking what's inside and putting it outside onto paper, letting it go. And sometimes it does take some bravery to, to say, you know what, let me just check with my friend who's a therapist, maybe somebody you trust or a colleague and say, Hey, these feelings are coming up.

I'm not sure what to do with that, but it's really impacting my life. Does this happen to you as well? You know, I've done that before. I've been real afraid to bring it up to people, but then I bring it up to someone I trust and they're like, Oh my God, all the time. And here's what I do. And I think. Think about that positive support, you know, can be so helpful, which brings me to the next thing, seeking support, supportive network of peers, mentors, supervisors, people, especially people that feel like safe people that you can talk to.

Cause of course there could be people that may not be so helpful and can really feed into the imposter syndrome, unfortunately. So who can you talk to and really share experiences and possible solutions? But I think also reframing, how can we reframe imposter syndrome, that it could be a sign of growth and commitment to the profession because you want to do the right things.

You want to be ethical. You want to help clients in the best way possible without causing harm. That's a good sign, because if you weren't stopping and thinking, you may just jump in without the training, knowledge, expertise to help clients. But you went to school, you did all the right things, you did your supervision, so maybe reframing this as a normal response, a sign of growth.

And what would help me in this moment right now to deal with this? See if you can tap into your inner wisdom, intuition, higher self, whatever you want to call it, and see what comes up. This could be a journaling activity. I sometimes do that. What do I need to deal with this right now? Or, if you like tarot or oracle cards, that can help.

I know I did. Use some yesterday with imposter syndrome and the fears I have in moving forward with changes in my business and something that came up for me was my current mindset, which was survival. It does kind of feel that way when you're trying to deal on a daily basis with anxiety and these difficult thoughts, emotions, sensations in your body that is.

uncertainty. Where am I going to go with this? Will I be successful or will this be an epic failure? And I think encouraging yourself if it fails, let's regroup, let's figure out what we can do and be curious about it. Is there another way that we could use this intervention or maybe I need to do something different and that's okay.

And I think that that's important to consider. The other thing you may need is More training. Sometimes it can be a sign that maybe that one day workshop isn't enough for you to move forward with that practice. I know when I started Brainspotting, I did the first training, which was over a three day weekend.

And I jumped in with clients and there were things that come up. Of course, the first person I did Brainspotting with, it went. Nothing like the training where we work on each other and everybody's kind of in the same boat. Um, he couldn't find the brain spot and I just got really dysregulated in the session and wasn't sure what to do and felt uncertain.

And that's when I knew at that point, I need to continue training, get some group, had some group supervision and ended up years later getting certified. For me, I was I want to get the most training I can in these modalities and be able to get that supervision, the individual and group supervision, so that I'm doing them correctly and not causing harm.

And I did learn through the certification, because we do have to meet with someone for supervision. I was doing it some of it wrong. I mean, I don't think it would have caused harm, but I want to. do them in the right way so clients can get the most benefit. So that's something to think about. No matter what your training is in, we all can benefit from supervision or if you want to call consultation.

Some of these clients are not going to be as easy as practicing on other therapists in trainings, just keeping that in mind, especially even yoga. I've had some clients that are like, Oh, I don't like how this feels or teenagers that are just, you know, Not enthusiastic about doing movement in sessions, and that's okay.

That's helps us grow a little bit. Things don't always go as planned. You know, how can I find a rope of security with that to know that that's okay? And maybe this is leading towards personal professional growth by having these difficulties with integrating some of these and just know that's normal.

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Check it out at hcpodcast. org forward slash workbook. That's hcpodcast. org forward slash workbook today. I think setting goals can be helpful too. Where do you want to be? What are your professional goals with, as a holistic counselor? Are there some things you need to add in as goals for more training?

Or is there some things that maybe you're not resonating with that you thought you were? Maybe you tried some trainings like IFS and that just doesn't settle with you. It just has not gone well. So it does again, go back to that first step of reflection, well, triggers and then reflection, maybe this isn't for me and that's okay.

And that can be painful if you've spent a lot of money. I get that. I've had that happen to me too, that you're like, this is not, this was not worth my time and energy. We can only move forward, right? And find those things you're passionate about. Because I think once you find that passion, you're going to find a way.

to integrate it and be able to feel more confident. I know I've done that with yoga, breath work, meditation, all of those wonderful modalities I integrate. And then once you get the ball rolling and you see the positive experiences, it helps you to keep going. And self doubt comes up, be like, whoa, let's step back a second and challenge that back to traditional therapy kind of behavior.

We can still do that. Once we can calm our bodies down with some of the same things we teach clients, breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, grounding, and just really challenge it. Am I really a fraud? Let me look at my training. What are the facts? Is this really true? Where's the evidence? And how can you reframe that?

That even though this is challenging right now, I know what I'm doing. I have the experience. I have the training. And if I'm not sure what to do with a client, ask. Research. Figure out the best way to help them. You have the inner and outer resources available to you, so it's all about utilizing them. And I think now that we have the internet and Facebook groups for therapists, it really helps.

I know where I live, we actually have an old fashioned list serve on Google, which is unheard of, but that's an amazing place to get support and resources and networking wherever you live. Utilize those as much as you can, but self compassion I think ties in with this as well. Just taking that self compassion break when you notice the trigger, even putting a hand on the heart, you put a hand on your belly too if you'd like, and just say to yourself, this is difficult for me right now.

I'm noticing the heaviness in my chest or shoulders. My breathing's more shallow. I'm in that fight or flight response. My anxiety's tripped up. But we all feel that way sometimes, so bring in the humanity into it. Every therapist experiences this. And reframe. This could be a sign of growth. Is there something else I need to look at?

Do I really want to move forward with these interventions for clients? Am I being honest with myself? And maybe that's part of the anxiety that I'm feeling. I don't want to do this. I don't want to do energy healing. I don't want to do whatever the modality is that you thought you wanted to do. But can I regroup using self compassion?

So I went into this thinking that this could be beneficial, but turns out it's not where I want to go. And that's okay. Giving that reassurance, affirmation, and taking a couple breaths, inhaling, and exhale, releasing, letting the stress go. And see how you feel after that break. So it is just connecting, being kinder to yourself in those moments of difficulty when triggered with the imposter syndrome.

So we can challenge, but then use self compassion. So it's kind of combining both together and moving forward. Is there some affirmations daily? I know one thing I tell myself, I know what I'm doing. I've seen the results. I've gotten the positive feedback. Sometimes we have to reassure ourselves more often than other times.

So just know that that. May not sink in right at first, so look for the exceptions when things have gone well. And I mentioned energy healing because I love energy healing. I love getting Reiki done. I did it for a little while in my practice, but you know what I realized is I wasn't as connected with it as somatic work or yoga.

And you know, unfortunately I did spend some training money and time, energy learning, but it didn't work out for me. So I let it go, and I use it, sometimes I'll, I'll send it to family or friends or myself, but that's okay. I've learned how to use it in a different way, and maybe using it professionally is not, not my path.

And just giving yourself that encouragement, reassurance, that's okay. And go, moving on to new goals, which I know can be helpful. Where are you with your self care is another question if imposter syndrome is coming up. Maybe there's something that you're not doing to take care of yourself. Are you getting enough sleep?

Are you eating enough? Drinking enough water? All the basic self care things. Are you getting some fun in your life? I know for me, I make Saturdays my total self care day as far as disconnecting from work, not looking at email, not doing any of those things, taking that moment. Just to focus on personal life, even if it is some things that are like chores or not so pleasant, but also having fun, finding a way to structure fun and connection with other people.

Cause that, that could be part of the self reflection. Is there something in my personal life that could be impacting me causing imposter syndrome to sneak in more and get a little stronger? I don't know about you, but when it happens to me, it just seems like the ball starts rolling and I start.

believing it in some ways, the negative thoughts, and that makes more negative thoughts. And if I'm not challenging it or taking these self compassion moments, it seems like it gets worse, and I'm having a more difficult time and struggling to move forward. So that self awareness, Reflection piece, I can't emphasize enough.

So it's that balance, right, between personal and professional life. Really trying to figure out what that means for you. I know there's no perfect balance for anyone. But how can you find what works best for you? For your family, for you and your practice, it's going to be different for everyone. So what if the person down the road sees 30 clients a week, but you get stressed out.

If you have over 20, then do what's right for you. And they seem more confident. Well, act as if you're confident, right? Sometimes we got to do that. Act as if we are and suddenly we can change our minds sometimes just that acting as if you might have used that as a counseling strategy with clients to so important now from an IFS perspective, it can be a part of ourselves that want to protect us because really.

Looking at the origins, maybe this protected you in some way to really make sure you're making the right choices, that you keep a job, you keep a roof over your head. Think about that. That, that part of you wants to make sure that you're keeping the path and not stepping too far out so that you lose everything if you were to misstep.

But we can thank that part. We don't want to curse it out or tell it to go away. Thank that part of you that's trying to support you and protect you. I appreciate. Thank you for looking out for me, but now I'm going to let my adult part step inside now and be able to take care of me. And I've got this.

Moving forward, I have the inner and outer resources to handle this. Thank you for all you've done for me, but I've got this, telling that part to step down. This can be challenging to do, but it's worth considering if you're more IFS related in your treatment approach and understanding. And if you're not, that's okay too.

Something to think about trying, how we relate to our parts is so important. And knowing that if something is coming up a lot, it could be a part of yourself. Often it's a child part or adolescent part that wants to be heard. That's trying to look out for you in some way that maybe was beneficial before, but may not be.

beneficial now. I hope this all makes sense and has been helpful for you. I have a quick poem I was going to share and I can share the link to this about imposter syndrome. Face it till you make it. Get up. Work hard. Fail. Stand back up. Face it again. Do a little better, fail again, get back up, repeat. They started with don't fake it till you make it.

I think you can fake it to make it sometimes, but that's why I left that part out. I can put that in the show notes too. If you want to look more at that, you got some things out of this episode. I know it's a lot of information, a lot of things to consider, but just know that. You're not alone with this.

So even if it's coming up and you think other people got it all together, I don't know if anybody really does deep down inside. Maybe we do at certain parts of our lives, but I think it does kind of rotate back to this imposter syndrome at times. But if you're a listener that struggles with imposter syndrome and this episode resonated or you had other questions or we want to share your experience, I'd love to hear from you.

I love to hear from listeners by email. You can email me at Chris. That's C H R I S at HolisticCounselingPodcast. com. That's Chris at HolisticCounselingPodcast. com. And that brings us to the end of another episode. Thanks for being here. And just be sure to tune in next Wednesday when another episode drops.

But if you're a new listener, I want to say welcome. As a listener, you have access to my free nine part email course, How to Build Confidence as a Holistic Therapist. In this course, you'll explore different holistic modalities, how to boost your confidence as a holistic therapist, and how to manifest your holistic practice.

You also get bonuses, including a free script to teach a yoga asana, which is a and journaling prompts to guide you through how to enhance your holistic journey. Go to hcpodcast. org forward slash holistic therapist. That's hcpodcast. org forward slash holistic therapist. And once again, this is Chris McDonald sending each one of you much light and love till next time.

Take care. Thanks for listening. The information in this podcast is for general educational purposes only, and it is given with the understanding that neither the host, the publisher, or the guests are giving legal financial counsel.

Shrink Think: Hey there, I'm Aaron Potratz. And I'm Nathan Hawkins. If you don't know us yet, you're probably not. We're the hosts of the ShrinkThink Podcast, which bridges the gap between therapists and clients. The ShrinkThink Podcast is proudly part of the PsychCraft Podcast Network, focused on helping people live more meaningful and productive lives.

Join us every Wednesday in our engaging, informative conversations and light hearted humor to help you normalize and demystify therapy for those beginning or continuing their mental health journey. We discuss everything from understanding styles of therapy to addressing conflict with your counselor.

Learning about attachment styles and the fear triangle. We seek to run the gamut of topics to pull back the curtain and empower effective therapy. If you haven't listened yet, you can find us at shrinkthink. com forward slash podcast and discover other resources, including educational videos and fun swag at our swag shop.