![A lavender armchair set just outside a garden show marquee, a prize rosette resting on its arm](https://viacara.com/img/content/imposter-syndrome-feature-light.webp) # Imposter Syndrome Feeling like a fraud however well you do is common, and the research does not call it an illness. Where it comes from, and who can help. Imposter syndrome is the feeling that you are a fraud, and that someone will soon find you out. It tends to arrive with success, such as a new job, a promotion or a place on a course. The research does not call it an illness. A 2020 review of the research says: > Impostor syndrome is not a recognized psychiatric disorder. The psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes described it in 1978, in women who had achieved a great deal. They called it the imposter phenomenon. We use the everyday name on this page, but we mean what they meant: an experience, not an illness. Sources: [Bravata et al. 2020](https://viacara.com/support/imposter-syndrome/#ref-1), [Clance & Imes 1978](https://viacara.com/support/imposter-syndrome/#ref-2) ## How it *sounds* You may recognise some of these: - You put your successes down to luck, timing or other people - You expect to be found out after every new role or piece of praise - You prepare far more than you need to, in case you are caught short - Praise makes you uneasy, and you wait for the catch - You think everyone else knows what they are doing Many people who feel this way believe they are the only one, and that everyone else is fine. Low self-esteem is a harsh opinion of yourself across your whole life. Imposter feelings gather around achievement, and the fear of being found out. Our page on [low self-esteem](https://viacara.com/support/self-esteem/) covers the wider pattern. Source: [HEE: imposter phenomenon](https://viacara.com/support/imposter-syndrome/#ref-4) ## How *common* it is A 2020 review gathered 62 studies of imposter feelings. Reported rates varied widely, because each study measured it in its own way. The lowest rate was 9%. The highest was 82%. The feeling is common, even if nobody has one reliable figure. The same review found it often goes along with depression and [anxiety](https://viacara.com/support/anxiety/). It was also linked with burnout at work. If you work longer and longer to stay ahead of being found out, read about [burnout at work](https://viacara.com/support/burnout/burnout-at-work/). Source: [Bravata et al. 2020](https://viacara.com/support/imposter-syndrome/#ref-1) ## It is not only in your *head* Sometimes the room is the problem. You might be the first in your family at university, or one of few people like you at work. Being made to feel you do not belong is not the same as lacking ability. A 2026 review of the research found that women and people from under-represented groups report stronger imposter feelings. Its authors put it this way: > Impostorism may be less about "feeling fraudulent" and more about being made to feel illegitimate by systemic exclusion. Every approach that review found acted on the person alone, not on their setting. It warned that this frames a fair response to your setting as a fault in you. A good professional looks at both. Source: [Gisselbaek et al. 2026](https://viacara.com/support/imposter-syndrome/#ref-3) ![The same armchair pulled up to the long show table, the rosette pinned beside a jar of sweet peas](https://viacara.com/img/content/imposter-syndrome-mid-light.webp) A place at the table, already earned ## What the *research* shows In 2020, a review found no published study of anything meant to help with imposter feelings. By 2026, a review of reviews found some. Coaching, online self-study and mindfulness "showed potential", but there were "few high-quality studies". So we will not promise that the feeling will go. A professional can give you time and room to look at it closely, and to decide what to do. Sources: [Bravata et al. 2020](https://viacara.com/support/imposter-syndrome/#ref-1), [Gisselbaek et al. 2026](https://viacara.com/support/imposter-syndrome/#ref-3) ## Coaching or *counselling* Coaching is not therapy Coaching has a developmental focus. It works on goals, change and action, not on understanding the past or recovering from trauma. A coach does not treat, diagnose or cure a mental health condition. If your mental health is the problem, a therapist or counsellor is the right place to start. [How to find the right professional](https://viacara.com/guides/finding-a-practitioner/). Health Education England's professional support unit in London gives this advice: > Seek help through coaching and / or counselling. Which fits depends on where the feeling lives. | A coach may fit better when | A therapist or counsellor may fit better when | | --- | --- | | The doubt shows up at work or study | The doubt spreads across your whole life | | It holds you back from a goal, such as a new role | It started long ago, perhaps in childhood | | You want to act on it between sessions | It comes with anxiety or low mood | If you are weighing the two, our guide to [therapy, coaching or hypnotherapy](https://viacara.com/guides/therapy-coaching-or-hypnotherapy/) sets them side by side. If the doubt came with a new job or a first team, read about [work and career](https://viacara.com/support/work-and-career/). That page also explains how we check a coach's accreditation. Source: [HEE: imposter phenomenon](https://viacara.com/support/imposter-syndrome/#ref-4) ## Who to *look* for Ask a professional whether they have worked with imposter feelings before. Ask too whether they will look at your setting, not only at you. You can also tell us if you would prefer a professional who shares part of your background. Tell us when the feeling shows up and what it stops you doing. We will find a professional who can help you look at it. Thanks for your interest. We're not taking on new clients at the moment. ## Where does the *doubt* show up for you? We ask what matters to you, then find professionals who fit. Leave your email and we'll let you know as soon as we're ready for you. This conversation helps us find you the right support. What you share helps us understand what you're looking for and find someone who fits. Your email keeps you updated on what's happening next and isn't shared with anyone we introduce you to. [Privacy policy](https://viacara.com/privacy) [Terms of service](https://viacara.com/terms) ## References 1. Bravata, D. M. et al. (2020). *Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: a systematic review*. Journal of General Internal Medicine. [doi:10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1](https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1) 2. Clance, P. R. & Imes, S. A. (1978). *The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: dynamics and therapeutic intervention*. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice. [doi:10.1037/h0086006](https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006) 3. Gisselbaek, M. et al. (2026). *Rethinking the impostor phenomenon: an umbrella review of concept, context and interventions*. Medical Education. [doi:10.1111/medu.70076](https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.70076) 4. Health Education England, Professional Support Unit London (2026). *Imposter phenomenon*. [Link](https://london.hee.nhs.uk/professional-development/psu-coaching-service/imposter-phenomenon) ## Related ### [Low Self-Esteem](https://viacara.com/support/self-esteem/) Low self-esteem is a learned opinion of yourself, and it can change. Find a professional who helps you see yourself more fairly. ### [Work and Career](https://viacara.com/support/work-and-career/) Changing career, stepping up, speaking, running a business or competing. How a coach can help you move forward, and when a therapist fits better. ### [Understanding Anxiety](https://viacara.com/support/anxiety/) Learn about anxiety, its symptoms and how therapy can help. Find the right practitioner for anxiety support. ### [Burnout at Work](https://viacara.com/support/burnout/burnout-at-work/) Burnout has one official definition and it stops at the job. The three dimensions, the UK numbers and what a professional can change. ### [Therapy, Coaching or Hypnotherapy?](https://viacara.com/guides/therapy-coaching-or-hypnotherapy/) A plain guide to the difference between a therapist, a coach and a hypnotherapist, what each is for and how to tell which one you need.