Imposter Syndrome

by Cheryl Hall on October 1st, 2019

Hello,

I feel a little sad when I see an occupational therapists blog or post about “imposter syndrome”.

I get it, you are a new hire, a new grad or in a new setting with a new population. But, what you are not is an imposter!

If you have graduated from an accredited occupational therapy program, then you are educated, well-read, trained with hands-on experience, smart, compassionate, creative and caring.

And chances are really, really good that you know way more about how occupational therapy can help your patient than the patient sitting across from you.

So, stop thinking you are an imposter or deceiver, hoaxer, sham, fraud, fake or pretender. Stop using this negative word to describe your role and potential!

You may be a little green or a newbie or novice, but that just describes where you are on your career journey, not that you intend to deceive or hurt anyone.

So, ban the word “imposter” from your vocabulary and embrace the freedom that being a new occupational therapist gives you. The freedom to ask questions, to try a new technique, to find your strengths and to find out how you can contribute!

Best
Cheryl Hall, OT
Author and Illustrator, Occupational Therapy Toolkit

  • About Me

    Cheryl Hall
    Occupational Therapist
    Maryland, United States

    Welcome to a site devoted to sharing experience, knowledge and resources to make your job of being a great therapist a lot easier.

    I have been an occupational therapist for more than 30 years. I graduated from San Jose State University with degrees in Occupational Therapy, Gerontology, and Early Child Development. My passion is working with adults and children in home health but I have also worked in rehab, sub-acute rehab, hand therapy, transitional living for TBI, and hospital-based outpatient settings.

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