Most people who are starting a private practice are passionate about their work. However, it’s common to sometimes feel imposter syndrome. This experience can be very overwhelming and lead you to doubt your abilities as a therapist, even if you’re truly well-qualified and experienced. If this is happening to you, don’t despair. There are ways you can overcome this feeling by gaining confidence and getting back on track toward growing your practice.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is a feeling of self-doubt that you’re not good enough. It can make you feel like you don’t deserve the job or position that you have, or that you’re not worthy of working with the clients you’re helping.
Imposter syndrome is caused by negative thinking patterns like perfectionism and catastrophizing. These distortions make you think that you’re not good enough when you actually are (or at least have the potential), so it can negatively affect your business and interactions with customers.
It’s important to become aware of when you’re feeling imposter syndrome and do your best to change your mindset. The best solution to experiencing imposter syndrome is to replace it with confidence.
How to Gain Confidence
Throughout this article, we’ll go over the best ways to gain confidence, which can help your business reach greater success. Our first solution is to find a mentor who will help you feel confident in your own ability to do the job, which will ultimately give you confidence in your own professional identity.
It’s also crucial to know your worth and live by it. This can help you better price your services and know where you stand in regard to competition. Knowing your worth as a professional will give you the awareness and confidence to eradicate imposter syndrome and get back on your feet.
It’s important to understand what you can offer clients as a therapist, but it’s also important to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Keeping this mindset and awareness is one of the best ways to gain confidence and stop feeling like an imposter.
Get Feedback from Clients
If you’re not getting feedback from your clients, it’s time to start asking them. It can be intimidating to receive feedback, whether it’s critical or not, but feedback can be used to pinpoint areas of your business that can be improved. Positive feedback also helps you gain confidence and feel worthy as a professional. Overall, customer input can help you become more aware of your position and business in general.
When it comes to feedback though, it’s important to be open about what you don’t know and how you can improve. If someone offers constructive criticism, take their advice, and if a customer is being overly critical, learn to brush it off and move forward. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help, which can save time in the long run and assist you in feeling more confident about your skills.
Find Business Friends and Mentors
One of the best ways to overcome imposter syndrome is to surround yourself with trusted friends and mentors who can provide support and guidance. If you’re a new therapist, there’s no better person to have in your life than someone who has experience and knowledge in the field. A mentor should be someone whom you can trust, relate to, and depend upon as they guide your journey into private practice.
Take Courses to Learn New Skills
One of the best ways to combat imposter syndrome and gain confidence in private practice is to stay up-to-date with current industry trends. You can do this by taking continuing education courses through your professional organization or local college. Continuing education classes will help you learn new skills, keep your existing ones current, and refresh old knowledge.
Often these courses are available online, so it’s easy for anyone working from home or remotely to participate. This can be especially helpful if you’re working full-time and have limited time during traditional business hours for training opportunities.
Conclusion
Private practice can be a rewarding and fulfilling career, but it’s not without its challenges. If you are struggling with imposter syndrome or lack of confidence, these tips will help you build the skills needed to overcome these obstacles in private practice. Let us know if you have further questions. We’d be happy to assist you in your private practice journey.