Name
From Imposter Syndrome to Impact: Owning Our Impact
Description

Women remain underrepresented in leadership positions, a disparity influenced by multiple factors including the prevalence of Imposter Syndrome. This phenomenon can lead women to underestimate their capabilities, resulting in hesitancy to pursue or accept career opportunities. Studies show that employing both individual approaches and organizational frameworks, such as mentorship programs, can effectively reduce the effects of Imposter Syndrome. A panel of five members from the CFHA Women in Leadership workgroup will present research-based evidence on this subject, followed by personal accounts detailing their strategies for addressing Imposter Syndrome throughout their professional journeys.

Speakers
Maggie Johnson, LCSW
Liz Nikol, DBH, LCSW, A-CBT
Sara Green-Otero, LCSW-S, CSWM
Sharon Black, PhD, LISW-CP/S
Kirsten Infinger, LICSW
Laura Shultz, PsyD, ABPP
Content Level
All Audience
Tags
Mentorship, Self-care/Self-management, Workforce development
Session Type
Concurrent
Objective 1
IDENTIFY common barriers women in healthcare leadership experience, including gender biases, caregiving responsibilities and stereotyped expectations that create barriers to advancement.
Objective 2
EXPLAIN how Imposter Syndrome affects individuals on both a personal and professional level by drawing on the experiences of five women in leadership roles.
Objective 3
DISCUSS strategies for mitigating the impact of Imposter Syndrome in female leaders and empowering female leaders
Content Reference 1

Heslop, G., Bonilla-Velez, J., Faucett, E.A. et al. Understanding and Overcoming the Psychological Barriers to Diversity: Imposter Syndrome and Stereotype Threat. (2023). Current Otorhinolaryngology Reports. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40136-023-00456-3

Content Reference 2

Martin, S., Foster, L. (2025) ‘Impostor Syndrome’ isn’t What You Think. And That’s a Good Thing. UVA Darden Ideas to Action. https://ideas.darden.virginia.edu/workplace-impostor-thoughts

Content Reference 3

Clark, P., Holden, C., Russell, M., & Downs, H. (2022). The Impostor Phenomenon in Mental Health Professionals: Relationships Among Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction. Contemporary Family Therapy. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8085648/

Content Reference 4

Tulshyan, J., Burey, A. (2021) Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/02/stop-telling-women-they-have-imposter-syndrome

Content Reference 5

Tewfik, B. (2022) The Impostor Phenomenon Revisited: Examining the Relationship Between Workplace Impostor Thoughts and Interpersonal Effectiveness at Work. Academy of Management Journal. https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amj.2020.1627?journalCode=amj