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October Newsletter
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Imposter Syndrome
By Christianne MacNeil
Perhaps you’ve just started university or a new job, been recently promoted, or taken on a new role. It’s normal to experience self-doubt and jitters in these situations. A certain amount of fear, self-doubt, and anxiety are a part of everyone’s journey toward achievement. However, these feelings can sometimes be amplified and become problems.
What is imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome, also known as imposter phenomenon or imposterism is not diagnosable, it is a common human experience. It is described as the nagging feeling that your successes are a fluke, as if you got lucky or were in the right place at the right time, even if you deserved them. Deep down, you might feel like you’ve tricked everyone into thinking you’re smarter, more competent or more talented than you really are, and you’re constantly worried about being “found out.” These feelings can pop up at work, in school, and even in your personal life. When you’re dealing with it, it’s hard to own your accomplishments. You might not give yourself credit for your skills or hard work, and you might even dread new challenges, convinced you won’t be able to pull them off again.
People with imposter syndrome often get stuck in what’s called the “imposter cycle.” This could mean you over-prepare for everything because you’re terrified of failing, or, the opposite, you might procrastinate because you’re scared to even start! You might also turn into a “superhero,” taking on way too much to prove your worth, or become a perfectionist, where nothing less than flawless is good enough. A big part of this cycle is always downplaying your skills and being terrified of failing. And when things go wrong, you take it personally, but when you succeed, you just brush it off as luck.
When impostor feelings take over, they can subtly change your behaviour. You might miss out on opportunities, sabotage future success, or undervalue your own accomplishments. Feeling like an imposter can stop you from sharing great ideas or applying for jobs and programs where you’d shine. Imposter syndrome makes it impossible to consistently meet the high standards you set for yourself, regardless of how smart, talented, or skilled you are.
While anyone can experience imposter syndrome, it’s especially common among high-achievers. Even those who seem confident, like CEOs or award winners, can be secretly battling these feelings of inadequacy. And while it affects everyone, research shows it impacts women and other marginalized groups harder, due to societal pressures and biases.
What can you do about it?
One of the first steps to growing past imposter syndrome is to understand it and acknowledge it. From there, you can start building strategies to cope and develop a more realistic and kind view of yourself. Reducing feelings of imposterism can lead to an increase and improvement in career, social and school engagement.
An option for combating imposter syndrome is self-compassion. Self-compassion is about fostering mindfulness and self-kindness to counter the tendency to be overly critical of oneself. Developing self-compassion can offset the emotions associated with imposterism, like self-doubt, poor self-worth, guilt, and shame, reducing self-imposed pressures. What self-compassion tells us is when automatic, self-destructive thoughts or behaviours emerge, try to approach them with understanding and replace them with compassionate and forgiving ones. Remind yourself that making mistakes is part of life and your personal growth. A nurturing and less critical mentality can bring about self-acceptance and encourage you to appreciate the person you are right now.
If your inner critic is overwhelming you, therapy can provide insight into the roots of these thoughts and offer management strategies. Contact One Tree at contact@onetreepsyhological.ca or 780-886-5471 to match you with a therapist experienced in this area. They can guide you in choosing the best approach tailored to your unique needs and strengths.
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University Student Self Care
Written by Emma Johnston
As summer comes to an end, back to school becomes the reality for a lot of individuals. Figuring out bus routes, waking up early for classes, long days spent on campus, assignments season starting up– it can be easy to get wrapped up in all of the back to school chaos. That is why it is important to focus on self-care during these transition periods. For university students, it is especially important to prioritize self-care. Studies have shown that university students are more prone to anxiety, depression, burnout, and an overall decreased well-being compared to those who do not attend university (Cage et al., 2021; Loi and Price, 2022; Rahmatpour et al., 2019). Therefore, implementing self-care practices is a great step towards alleviating that back-to-school stress.
Self care and stress management can start with:
- Taking Care of Your Body:
Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, fuel your body with nutritious foods to maintain energy levels and support cognitive function, exercise regularly, and stay hydrated - Managing Your Time:
Create a realistic schedule that balances academics, social life, and self-care.
Helpful Tip: AI tools can be used to help create schedules
- Practicing Self-Compassion:
Be kind to yourself and acknowledge your efforts, especially during challenging times.- Acknowledge the challenge and offer yourself encouragement, like, “This is tough, but I’m capable of figuring it out”.
- When you’re feeling down, remind yourself of your strengths, past accomplishments, and that it’s okay to have bad days”.
- When you’ve made a mistake, instead of berating yourself, say something like, “It’s okay, everyone makes mistakes. I’ll learn from this”.
- Getting Organized:
Declutter your study space and create a system for managing tasks to reduce stress. - Practicing Mindfulness:
Engage in activities like meditation or deep breathing exercises to manage stress and improve focus. - Setting Boundaries:
Learn to say no to commitments that overwhelm you and prioritize your well-being. - Making Time for What You Love:
Despite having “more important” tasks that need to be done, it is important to engage in activities you enjoy to help you relax and recharge. When we set aside some time for the things we love, we are better able to put productive time into the difficult things - Seeking Support:
Don’t hesitate to reach out to university counseling services or mental health resources if you’re struggling.
University of Alberta
Offers Counselling & Clinical Services, providing therapy, group therapy, workshops, and psychiatric services. They also have a Peer Support Centre for non-judgmental support and a Mental Health Consultant at the Health Centre. The University also provides a free online self-help program called WellTrack, for coping with stress, anxiety, and depression.
Location: SUB 2-600
Phone: 780-492-5205
NAIT
Offers counselling services and low-cost video counselling through NAITSA’s MyWellness, with access to a comprehensive list of local resources.
https://www.nait.ca/nait/student-life/health-well-being/mental-health-resources
NorQuest College
Provides free, private mental health services, including individual counselling and wellness workshops.
Email: wellness@norquest.ca
Phone: 780-644-6155
MacEwan
Offers Wellness and Psychological Services. If you are struggling with personal or academic stress and need someone to talk to, we can support you with free, professional, confidential counselling.
Phone: 780-497-5063
Email: wps@macewan.ca
Location: 7-103A, City Centre Campus
10700 – 104 Avenue, Edmonton, AB
References
Cage, E., Jones, E., Ryan, G., Hughes, G., & Spanner, L. (2021). Student mental health and transitions into, through and out of university: student and staff perspectives. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 45(8), 1076–1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.1875203
Loi NM & Pryce N. (2022) The Role of Mindful Self-Care in the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Burnout in University Students. J Psychol. 156(4):295-309. doi: 10.1080/00223980.2022.2045887
Rahmatpour, P., Chehrzad, M., Ghanbari, A., & Sadat-Ebrahimi, SR. (2019) Academic burnout as an educational complication and promotion barrier among undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study. J Educ Health Promot. 201 (8). doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_165_19.
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August Newsletter
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Adolescents and Time
A Group Therapy Approach
Time can be a tricky concept for anyone—but for children and youth with ADHD, it often becomes one of the most persistent daily challenges. Whether it’s difficulty starting a task, staying on track, or simply grasping how much time something will take, executive functioning hurdles related to time are common and can be incredibly frustrating.
We will be running a five week therapy group to support adolescents ages 11-13 with ADHD who are faced with the challenges of managing time. These sessions will focus on helping participants understand their unique relationship with time, build confidence in their abilities, and develop a toolbox of skills that make sense for their neurodivergent brains.
Why Focus on Time at this Age?
This age range is a powerful window for developing new skills. Adolescents are in a stage of growth where their brains are especially responsive to learning new habits—and where peer support can make a real difference in how they see themselves.
Time management is not only an important practical skill, but it connects to us emotionally. When time gets away from us it can be frustrating and can leave behind feelings of self-doubt and increased stress. For youth with ADHD, these feelings can be amplified by the very real neurological differences that influence how they perceive and manage time. We recognize that many kids in this age group may be feeling the impact and fatigue from being out of sync with the expectations around them. Connecting with peers who share similar experiences can offer comfort, insight, and validation that they are not alone—and that change is possible.
Our group therapy approach acknowledges that ADHD brains work differently—and that’s okay.
We meet participants where they are, using engaging, hands-on activities that are as supportive as they are informative. By exploring topics like task initiation, motivation, and planning in a therapeutic, peer-based setting, we help kids build tools they can carry with them into school, home, and beyond. Our experience working with adolescents has given a strong understanding of the nuances of ADHD and neurodivergent thinking. We use elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help participants challenge negative thought patterns and create new, helpful behaviours, all while maintaining a strengths-based, client-centered approach.
What to Expect
The heart of this group therapy experience is not just about learning strategies—it’s about building confidence, identifying strengths, and fostering independence.
Our goal is for participants to:
- Gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects their relationship with time
- Practice strategies to manage tasks more effectively
- Learn to initiate and plan with greater motivation
- Shift unhelpful self-talk patterns
- Develop emotional regulation skills around time-related stress
- Strengthen peer relationships through shared experiences
Learning to manage time with ADHD is not about “fixing” something that’s broken—it’s about recognizing how your brain works, honouring that uniqueness, and finding strategies that actually work for you.We aim to leave each participant feeling more capable, more aware of their strengths, and more empowered to navigate their daily lives.
Join us in our new group!
With the right support, community, and tools, adolescents with ADHD can build the skills they need not only to manage their time, but also to feel good about themselves as they do it.
When: Wednesdays, October 1st, 2025- October 29th from 5pm-6pm
Who: Youth, ages 11-13, struggling with managing time
Cost: $350 for the 5 week program
Megan Uchacz will be running this group.
For queries and registration, contact us at contact@onetreepsychological.ca