Imposter Syndrome In SLP Grad School: You're Not Alone

If you're a student, chances are you've experienced imposter syndrome at some point. It's that feeling of not belonging, of being inadequate and fearing that others will just grasp things better than you. It's hard not to feel like an imposter when you're new at something and expected to be an expert. But imposter syndrome can be tackled with a boost of self-confidence. Here's how.


What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which people doubt their accomplishments and fear that they will be exposed as frauds. The term was first coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. They described it as "a feeling of phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement."

Imposter syndrome is extremely common among students. In fact, it's thought to affect up to 70% of all students at some point during their academic careers. So, if you're feeling like an imposter, know that you're not alone.

How to Tackle Imposter Syndrome
There are a few things you can do to boost your self-confidence and overcome imposter syndrome:

Celebrate Your Victories: It's important to take time to celebrate your successes, no matter how big or small. This will help you build a foundation of confidence on which to build further achievements.
Learn From Your Mistakes: Mistakes are inevitable but they can also be valuable learning opportunities. Don't dwell on your mistakes but instead use them as a chance to grow and improve.
Focus on YOUR Best: Comparison is the thief of joy so don't compare yourself to others. Instead, focus on doing YOUR best and trust that it's good enough.
Keep Moving Forward: Life is a wild roller coaster ride full of ups and downs. But the most important thing is to keep moving forward even when you're doubting yourself.

If you're feeling like an imposter, know that you're not alone. Imposter syndrome is extremely common among students but there are things you can do to boost your self-confidence and overcome it. Celebrate your victories, learn from your mistakes, focus on doing YOUR best and keep moving forward even when you're doubting yourself. You got this!