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For many newly qualified counsellors, graduation is a long-awaited milestone. Years of study, placements, personal therapy and supervision culminate in that moment when the ‘trainee’ title drops away. Yet for a surprising number, this achievement is followed not by confidence but by an unsettling sense of fraud. ‘Am I good enough?’ ‘Do I deserve to be here?’

This phenomenon, widely known as ‘imposter syndrome’, describes persistent self-doubt despite evidence of competence. While it is not exclusive to counselling, its impact can be particularly acute in our profession, where the work is relational, emotionally charged and deeply personal.

Several factors appear to converge, making new graduates vulnerable. Counselling training emphasises self-reflection and critical self-examination. These are valuable tools, but ones that can easily tip into self-criticism. In placement, students work under the protective scaffolding of supervision and academic input. On qualification that scaffolding shifts - frequently before a new professional identity has taken shape.

Additionally, the nature of our work defies neat metrics. Success is rarely measured in numbers. Instead, it’s felt in subtler, relational moments. Without clear external markers, self-evaluation can easily default to our own internal critic. Unchecked, imposter syndrome can erode confidence, increase anxiety and lead to overwork in an attempt to prove ourselves. It may discourage new counsellors from taking on opportunities, taking on more challenging clients, or setting appropriate fees. In extreme cases, it can contribute to withdrawal from the profession altogether.

Repercussions that graduates might recognise in their thoughts or behaviours include a variety of things. They may find themselves attributing their clients’ progress to luck or chance rather than their skills or develop a fear of being found out by their clients, supervisors and peers. While imposter syndrome can feel isolating, it is both common and workable. Recognising that self-doubt is a natural part of professional growth helps shift our view from perceiving it as a personal flaw to a developmental stage. This recognition, combined with holding the balance between humility and acknowledging our progress and skill can bring relief from the destabilising feelings of self-doubt.

Paradoxically, imposter feelings may reflect a deep respect for the counselling process and a genuine wish to ‘do no harm’. When held with curiosity rather than shame, these feelings can be reframed as an indicator of professional integrity. For new graduates navigating this territory, the task is not to eliminate doubt entirely but to integrate it alongside growing confidence. In time, the voice that once whispered, ‘You’re not ready’ may evolve into one that says, You care deeply and you are learning - as we all are.