Ask a Tacoma Therapist: What Does Therapy for Imposter Syndrome Actually Look Like?
Imposter syndrome affects many high-achievers, especially women.
How Imposter Syndrome Shows Up in Real Life
Imposter syndrome isn’t just a passing thought of self-doubt. It tends to show up in patterns that can feel hard to break, even when things are going well on the outside.
You might notice things like:
Overworking to prove yourself
Brushing off compliments or minimizing your success
Feeling anxious before meetings, feedback, or new opportunities
A constant fear that someone is going to “figure out” you don’t belong
The clients I work with are thoughtful, capable, and self-aware. They know they’re doing well. But it doesn’t feel that way internally.
That gap—between what you know and what you feel—is often where therapy can help.
What Happens in the First Few Sessions
One of the biggest misconceptions about therapy is that you’re expected to show up and immediately explain everything clearly and perfectly.
That’s not how it works.
Working with a therapist in Tacoma (or anywhere, really) usually starts with something much simpler: getting to know you.
In the first couple of sessions, we might talk about:
What’s been weighing on you lately
Situations where imposter syndrome shows up
How you tend to respond when those feelings hit
What you’re hoping might feel different
You don’t need to have the “right words.” You don’t need to organize your story ahead of time. Part of the process is figuring it out together.
And just as important—you get a sense of whether the therapist feels like a good fit for you.
Talking vs. Processing: Different Ways Therapy Can Help
A lot of people picture therapy as just talking things through. And sometimes, that’s a meaningful part of the work.
Talk therapy alone isn’t often enough. Body-based therapies like brainspotting help create deeper, more lasting change.
Putting words to your experience can:
Help you notice patterns
Make sense of where things come from
Challenge some of the beliefs that keep imposter syndrome in place
But insight alone doesn’t always shift the feeling.
You can understand, logically, that you’re competent… and still feel like a fraud in the moment.
That’s where other approaches come in—especially ones that work with the nervous system, not just thoughts.
How Brainspotting Therapy Can Help with Imposter Syndrome
Brainspotting therapy is one of the approaches I use because it helps access the deeper layers of these patterns—the ones that don’t always respond to logic.
Without getting too technical, brainspotting works with the connection between where you look, what you feel in your body, and how your brain processes experience.
Imposter syndrome often isn’t just a thought like “I’m not good enough.”
It can show up as:
A tight feeling in your chest before speaking up
A wave of anxiety when you’re being evaluated
An urge to shut down, avoid, or overprepare
Brainspotting helps you stay with those internal experiences in a supported way so your brain can begin to process them differently.
Over time, that can lead to:
Less intensity in those moments
More ability to stay grounded under pressure
A shift in how you relate to yourself
Brainspotting therapy works deep within the brain to help you feel transformed beyond just knowing something cognitively. It helps you live out that change, both in how you feel in your body, and how you behave in your life.
What Progress Actually Looks Like (It’s Not Perfection)
A lot of people come into therapy hoping to get rid of imposter syndrome completely.
What usually happens instead is something more realistic—and more sustainable.
Progress might look like:
Not spiraling as quickly after a mistake
Being able to accept positive feedback without immediately dismissing it
Taking action even when self-doubt is still there
Feeling a little more settled in your own skin
The thoughts might not disappear overnight. But your relationship to them starts to change.
How to Know If You’re Ready for Therapy
There’s no perfect moment to start therapy.
But you might consider it if:
You’re tired of feeling stuck in the same patterns
Self-doubt is affecting your work or relationships
You’re constantly second-guessing yourself
You want things to feel different, but aren’t sure how to get there
You don’t have to wait until things feel unbearable. A lot of people start therapy simply because they don’t want to keep living this way.
If you’re exploring therapy in Tacoma, it’s okay to take your time, ask questions, and find someone who feels like a good fit.
You Don’t Have to Keep Carrying This Alone
Imposter syndrome can be surprisingly isolating. From the outside, it often looks like everything is going fine—which makes it even harder to talk about.
Therapy gives you a space where you don’t have to perform, prove, or hold it all together.
If you’re curious about working with a therapist in Tacoma, or want to learn more about approaches like brainspotting therapy, you’re welcome to reach out or explore more here:
→ Article: Is Imposter Syndrome a Confidence Problem?
→ What is brainspotting therapy and how can it help me?
You don’t have to have it all figured out before you start. Call today, and I’d love to tell you more about brainspotting therapy in Tacoma can help you and see if we’re a good fit.
about the author
Kate Hagborg, LMHC is a therapist in Tacoma, WA who helps people break free from imposter syndrome.
Kate Hagborg is a therapist in Tacoma who works with thoughtful, high-achieving adults navigating anxiety, imposter syndrome, and that constant feeling of not quite being enough. My approach is practical, compassionate, and grounded in real life. I offer therapy in Tacoma using a mix of talk therapy and brainspotting therapy to help you feel more steady, confident, and like yourself again.