Research-Based Strategies for Combating “Impostor Syndrome”

Have you ever succeeded at an academic task even though you were convinced that you wouldn’t do well? Do you dread others evaluating your work or avoid opportunities for critical feedback? Do you have trouble accepting praise or acknowledging your accomplishments? Do you worry about being exposed as an academic fraud? Have you ever questioned whether you belong at the University of Michigan? Thoughts such as these are hallmarks of impostor thinking and are more common among graduate students than you realize. However, they don’t have to overshadow your academic and professional journey.

Join us for this interactive, 90-minute workshop, during which we will share insights from the impostorism scholarship and provide research-based strategies for combating your impostor thoughts and feelings.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Define impostorism and highlight the variety of ways individuals and groups are most impacted.
• Discuss individual and system/institutional-level factors that contribute to impostorism.
• Recognize maladaptive thought patterns and coping strategies that exacerbate impostor experiences.
• Access tools and strategies to help interrupt your impostor cycle (all participants will receive a digital strategies workbook).

This workshop is designed for University of Michigan master’s students, doctoral students, and postdoctoral fellows. For faculty and staff, please contact [email protected] to see if we can accommodate your attendance.

Registration is required at https://myumi.ch/XV63d.

We want to ensure full and equitable participation in our events. If an accommodation would promote your full participation in this event, please follow the registration link to indicate your accommodation requirements. Please let us know as soon as possible in order to have adequate time, preferably one week, to arrange for your requested accommodations or an effective alternative.