Imposter Syndrome Session: "Pictures of My Self-Worth"

Many clients struggle with imposter syndrome, a pervasive feeling of self-doubt and inadequacy despite evident success and competence. This coaching method is designed to help clients gain a new perspective on their situation and understand the emotional impact of their feelings. By exploring their current struggles and identifying personal strengths, clients can create a powerful vision of their most resourceful selves. This process empowers them with a deeper understanding of their capabilities and provides a tangible anchor to remind them of their strengths in future challenging situations.

• Give the client a new perspective and deeper understanding on their situation and how it affects them emotionally.

• Enable the client to identify strengths and resources within them.

• Create a powerful "Vision Picture" combining a positive photo and their strengths into an anchor for life after the session.

• deep pictures set “World of Emotions”

• coaching card set “Stronger You”

• icebreaker.online for online sessions

• “Imposter Syndrome Session” Layout Chart (printable)

• Optional: deep pictures set “Design Your Life” to represent the positive vision; alternatively also the positive images from deep pictures set “World of Emotions” can be used here.

1. Explore the client’s current struggle

   • Ask, “Can you describe your situation?”

   • Invite the client to pick a card from the deep pictures “World of Emotions”, using the prompt “Pick a picture describing how you feel.”

   • Explore the image and situation with questions like:

     • Focus on the colors and shapes. What do you see?

     • Imagine zooming out of the picture. What might be happening around?

     • How does this relate to you?

2. Identify strengths to overcome the struggle

   • Do a “de-rolling”, i.e., get the client out of the struggle situation by asking them to get up, take a step back, stretch, and take a deep breath.

   • Invite the client to review the personal strengths from “Stronger You” cards: “Viewing yourself with a generous attitude, which strengths do you see? Pick generously.”

   • Explore further:

     • If the client struggles to pick: “What do you enjoy? Which activities are you good at?”

     • Once the client selects some strengths: “Which of these are the top strengths?”

3. Make the strengths accessible in the struggle situation

   • Connect the strengths to the situation. Which of the strengths seem most relevant?

   • Depending on the client’s insight, ask them to imagine their “resourceful self” put themselves to approach their topic:

     • Visualize the image: “Can you step outside the picture and walk through it?”

     • Imagine the version of you that does not need the struggle to show up.

   • Continue to anchor to the strengths: “How can you access the strengths?”

4. Build an anchor to make the strengths stick even in struggle situations

   • Once the client is on their way towards a resourceful state, ask them to pick a picture that represents a positive vision of themselves — in combination with the selected strengths — their strong “you.”

   • Explore the picture: “What do you see? Which colors, shapes, or aspects speak to you?”

   • As an optional close, the client can take a photo of the image and the strength cards that go along with it. They may also make collages from the pictures to show the resourceful version of themselves and print it as a reminder.