Imposter Syndrome Therapy
Virtual therapy for imposter syndrome and perfectionism across Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Virginia
You earned your seat at the table. So why do you feel like a fraud sitting in it?
You’ve got the degrees, the title, the track record. People come to you for answers.
But inside, you’re waiting for the moment someone realizes you don’t really know what you’re doing. Every win feels like luck. Every mistake feels like proof.
So you over-prepare, over-deliver, and never quite let yourself believe the praise.
What would change if you could finally trust that you belong where you are?
You know you’re qualified. So why don’t you feel like it?
Imposter syndrome isn’t a confidence problem.
You’ve probably tried to logic your way out of this. You’ve reread your performance reviews, made a list of your accomplishments, maybe even told yourself everyone feels this way. It helps for a moment. Then the doubt creeps back in.
That’s because imposter feelings don’t live in the facts. They live in:
The tightness in your chest before you speak up in a meeting
The rush of relief when you don’t get caught, instead of pride when you succeed
The habit of crediting timing, luck, or other people for your wins
The story you learned early that your worth depends on being exceptional
In my practice, we work with that story directly. I draw on narrative therapy, ACT, IFS, CBT, and somatic work to help you change how you see yourself, not just what you know about yourself.
The goal is to own your success, without needing to earn it again every single day.
Imposter syndrome doesn’t always look like self-doubt.
Researchers estimate that around 70% of people experience imposter feelings at some point in their lives. Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes first described the pattern in 1978 in high-achieving women. But most of the people I work with didn’t come to therapy saying, “I have imposter syndrome.” They came because they were exhausted from proving themselves, anxious about every review, or unable to enjoy anything they’d achieved.
That’s because imposter feelings rarely look like insecurity from the outside. They look like perfectionism, overwork, and a calendar with no room to breathe.
It might look like:
Spending three hours on an email that should take ten minutes
Turning down opportunities because you don’t feel ready yet
Brushing off compliments, or assuming people are just being nice
Feeling like you have to know everything before you can say anything
Comparing your behind-the-scenes to everyone else’s highlight reel
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not a fraud. You’re someone who learned that being good enough was never quite enough.
Why Imposter Syndrome Is So Hard to Shake on Your Own
For the high-achievers I work with, imposter feelings often get louder with success, not quieter. You might find yourself:
Moving the goalpost every time you reach it
Working harder than everyone else so no one notices your doubts
Avoiding feedback because it feels like a verdict
Feeling like the next promotion is the one that will finally expose you
If you’re wired to achieve, it’s natural to try to cure imposter feelings with more achievement. But success doesn’t quiet the voice. The more you accomplish, the more you feel you have to protect, and the more you have to protect, the harder you work to stay ahead of being found out.
You can’t achieve your way out of feeling like a fraud.
Real confidence comes from changing the story underneath, not adding another line to your resume.
You May Benefit From Imposter Syndrome Therapy If…
You got the promotion and spent the first month waiting for someone to take it back.
You prepare for every meeting like it’s a final exam.
You attribute your success to luck, timing, or working harder than everyone else.
You hold back ideas until you’re sure they’re perfect, and sometimes they never see the light of day.
Constructive feedback sends you into a spiral that lasts for days.
You’re afraid of being seen as anything less than exceptional.
You’ve accomplished more than you ever imagined, and you still don’t feel like you belong.
Does this sound familiar?
You downplay your achievements when people ask about your work
You feel like everyone else got a manual you never received
You’re terrified of asking a question that reveals what you don’t know
You work late to make sure no one finds a mistake
You feel more relief than joy when things go well
You’re waiting to feel like a real expert
Imposter Syndrome Therapy Can Help You:
Own your accomplishments without minimizing them
Speak up without rehearsing every word
Take on new challenges before you feel 100% ready
Hear feedback without it shaking your sense of self
Let go of perfectionism without lowering your standards
Feel like you belong in the rooms you’ve earned your way into
Meet Your Imposter Syndrome Therapist
Katie Schloss, AM, LCSW
Hi, I’m Katie, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist in New York City. I work with high-achievers, executives, and entrepreneurs who look confident from the outside and feel like they’re bluffing on the inside. If you’re tired of waiting to be found out, you’re in the right place.
My approach draws on ACT, EMDR, IFS, narrative therapy, and somatic work. Most of the people I see already understand their patterns, often in detail. What they need is for something to actually shift. Together, we work with the body and the stories you tell about yourself, not just the thoughts, to get underneath what you’ve already tried to think your way out of.
I also bring a personal lens to this work. Before I became a therapist, I built a career in New York publishing. Then, at 30, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to rebuild my life from the ground up. That taught me what it costs to keep pushing past your limits, and what becomes possible when you stop measuring your worth by what you produce. Since then, I’ve built my own practice, and I know firsthand the pressure of carrying a business, a reputation, and everyone’s expectations.
That experience shapes how I show up for every client.
This is a space where you don’t have to be impressive, have the answers, or keep it all together. You can just show up as you are.
How Does Imposter Syndrome Therapy Work?
Step 1:
We Bring Your Nervous System Back to Baseline
Imposter feelings often show up as a fight-or-flight response before high-stakes moments. We start with mindfulness and nervous system regulation so you can walk into the room grounded instead of braced for judgment.
Step 2:
We map your trap doors
Trap doors are the moments that drop you into self-doubt, over-preparing, or shrinking yourself. Together, we trace where they came from, whether that’s family expectations, being the first or only one in the room, or years of being praised for performance. Then you learn to spot them before you fall through.
Step 3:
We build confidence that lasts
We set goals for what you want to be different, like speaking up sooner, taking on a stretch role, or responding to feedback with less fear. Then we work toward them. When something feels sticky, we treat it as information, not failure, and adjust until the confidence feels like yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Most people I work with are high-achievers who feel like their success could be taken away at any moment. In our work, we start by calming your nervous system before high-pressure moments. Then we map your “trap doors,” the triggers that drop you into self-doubt or perfectionism, and rewrite the story underneath them. I draw on narrative therapy, ACT, IFS, CBT, and somatic work. Sessions are virtual for adults in New York, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, and Virginia. In NYC, you can also choose walking sessions: Wednesdays in Prospect Park and Thursdays in Central Park.
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Individual sessions are $230 for 53 minutes. Couples sessions are $275. I’m a private-pay provider, so I don’t bill insurance directly, but many clients get partial reimbursement through their out-of-network benefits. I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance. If you’re not sure what your plan covers, call your insurer and ask about out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits. I also offer a free 15-minute consultation so we can see if we’re a good fit before you commit.
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No. Imposter syndrome, also called the imposter phenomenon, isn’t a formal diagnosis. It describes a pattern of persistent self-doubt despite clear evidence of success. It often overlaps with anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout, and therapy can help with all of them.
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New roles bring new visibility, and new visibility can feel like new risk. Every promotion raises the stakes of being found out, so the feelings often intensify instead of fading. Therapy helps you separate your worth from your performance, so success can feel like something you own.
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Yes. Imposter feelings are often stronger for people who have had to prove they belong in spaces that weren’t built with them in mind. We’ll look at what’s internal and what’s real pressure from the environment, so you can respond to both with clarity.
Imposter Syndrome Therapy in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Virginia
I offer imposter syndrome therapy across New York City, with in-person walking sessions in Manhattan and Brooklyn: Thursdays in Central Park and Wednesdays in Prospect Park. Virtual sessions are available for clients in New York, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, and Virginia, from Fairfield County to Chicago to Miami.
Most of the people I work with are executives, founders, and high-performing professionals who are carrying more than anyone can see. They expect a lot of themselves; they deliver while wondering how much longer they can keep it up. As someone who has built businesses and rebuilt my own life after a brain tumor at 30, I understand what it’s like when the way you’ve always operated stops working.
You don’t have to keep running on adrenaline and obligation. The version of you who can slow down, trust yourself, and actually enjoy what you’ve built is still there. Let’s find them together.
Reach Out and Schedule a Consultation Call Today
