Ep 15: Finally! The Secret to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome for Good | Ally McLean

Imposter syndrome doesn’t always show up as "I'm a fraud!" — sometimes it’s the quiet voice that wonders, “Do I actually know what I’m doing?”

In this episode, we’re unpacking the hidden ways imposter syndrome lingers, even in people with years of experience and real results behind them. 

Whether you’re starting something new, stepping into leadership, or simply trying to trust yourself more deeply, this is the episode that will help you breathe easier, speak up, and move forward with confidence.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What imposter syndrome really sounds like (it’s sneakier than you think)
• Why smart, capable people still question their worth
• The mindset shift that breaks the cycle of self-doubt
• How to overcome imposter syndrome and own your expertise
• A real story that will help you feel seen, validated, and empowered

🧠 Favorite Quote:

“I don’t know everything. But I do know what I know.”

💬 If this episode spoke to you, do me a favor:
✔ Share it with a friend who struggles with self-doubt

TRANSCRIPT: Finally! The Secret to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome for Good | Ally McLean

Annie Campanile: [00:00:00] Have you ever started a new job or felt excited to launch a new service you've worked on for years and then suddenly a thought creeps in that worries, "What if I'm wrong? What if I don't actually know what I'm doing?" Even with decades of experience, imposter syndrome can show up and shake your confidence, but it doesn't have to sabotage your dreams.

I'm Dr. Annie Campanile, and in this episode of Heal Your Trauma Find Your Voice, we're talking about what's really going on when self-doubt creeps in. 

I'll share a simple, powerful way to overcome imposter syndrome, so you can finally trust yourself, speak up with confidence, and stop second-guessing whether you deserve your seat at the table. [00:01:00] 

Welcome back to episode 15. Today we're getting honest about a persistent form of self-doubt that many smart, driven, caring people experience, but rarely talk about. It's not that loud, dramatic, "I'm a fraud!" voice that you might normally associate with imposter syndrome. 

It's sneakier than that. It's the voice that says, "Maybe I don't know enough." "Who am I to lead this team?" "Other people seem to have it all together, but I'm a mess." 

I recently talked about imposter syndrome with Ally, my coaching client who you met in episode 13.

In a moment you'll join Ally and me as we explore what imposter syndrome sounds like, how it can show up even after we've gained decades of experience, and how you can overcome that voice that says, "Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about," with something much more powerful.

Ally McLean: [00:02:00] I definitely think we talked a lot about imposter syndrome, and I still struggle with that. I still think, "Do I really know what I'm talking about?" Yeah. "What if I, what if I'm wrong? What if I'm telling you this as your healthcare provider, and I'm actually completely wrong."

And I've been in healthcare for 24 years. I've been a nurse practitioner for 11 years, and I still have those moments of like, "Do I actually know what I'm talking about?" 

Annie Campanile: That is so interesting. Yeah. Imposter syndrome. I'll be 55 in August. I will say it's only been within the last maybe six months where I no longer struggle with imposter syndrome. 

So it's really common. That might not be encouraging, but, but it started to shift right before I moved to Colorado, so I guess I was 47 or 48, but I was interviewing for a job and I [00:03:00] was feeling all nervous, and I had a session with my own counselor and she was like, "Annie, you know what you know, like you actually know it." 

And somehow that was so enlightening for me. I was like, Oh, that's true. Like I don't know everything, but I actually do know what I know. And I remember walking around in my living room talking to myself after that session like "I am Annie Campanile. I am 47 years old, and I know what I know."

It actually helped me. And then I aced the interview and got the job, but it also stuck with me. So whenever I have found myself questioning or feeling that imposter syndrome, I will do that in my own mind. I know what I know. You know what you know.  

Ally McLean: I used to prepare every sort of response and I now prepare myself with any sort of conversation with my [00:04:00] patients, that I have no idea what is going to be said, and I have no idea how that person's feeling, and I'm not gonna make any assumptions. I'm gonna go in and fully listen, and if I don't have the answer right then it's okay for me to say, "I need time to think about this." 

Annie Campanile: Awesome. You know yourself well. You know that you'll be able to handle it if something doesn't go well or if there is critical feedback, you know that you're capable of responding and you don't have to prepare your defenses in advance. 

Ally McLean: You taught me that. 

Annie Campanile: Oh, I love that. I love that. I call that the Power Pause now. I taught that in episode five. So for those of you listening, if you wanna know how to do that, listen to episode five. It's called Pause Before You Please.   

Ally McLean: I always think it's interesting to hear from anybody that I think really knows what they know to say that they still feel that way. Like it's hard to imagine you feeling that way. There's never a doubt in my mind [00:05:00] that you know what you know, which is amazing.

Annie Campanile: Thank you. It is really wild, isn't it? It's great that we can see one another and you know, I think that's actually worth remembering. Whatever doubts we have about ourselves or worries we have about our enoughness, there's bound to be somebody looking at us thinking, "Wow, she really has it all together." 

Here's what I want you to remember - that feeling that you get, the one that says "You need to work harder or learn more, or prove yourself," it's not a sign that something's wrong with you or that you need to change who you are. It's just a sign that your survival brain is trying to protect you, and you can shift out of survival mode into your personal power.

It's actually pretty simple. When you've spent years learning to stay safe by being the one who gets it right, your brain starts to associate certainty with safety. 

So when something feels new or high stakes [00:06:00] or emotionally risky, your survival brain will pipe up with, "Are you sure you're ready for this?" "Shouldn't you know more by now?" or "What if you mess this up?" 

And because you're smart, you'll start looking for logical answers, like, "Maybe I need another certification," or "Maybe I should wait to speak up until I'm more prepared." 

But these thoughts are not rooted in logic. They're rooted in fear. They feel true because you've practiced them a lot, but you can overcome the fear and ground yourself in the truth simply by reminding yourself of what is actually true.

So the next time the voice of doubt pops up for you, pause, take a breath and say out loud, "I know what I know. I don't know everything, but I do know what I know." 

The more you practice saying that out loud, the more your survival brain will start to catch up and realize, "Oh yeah, that's true. I know what I know. I'm all good. I can handle this. If something unexpected [00:07:00] comes up, no big deal. I'll be able to meet that challenge." 

No matter how much we've healed from past trauma, the voice of imposter syndrome might occasionally show up. It still does for me now and then, but the more you remind yourself, "I know what I know," the easier it will be to free yourself from the fear and move forward with confidence as your full, fantastic self.

Thank you so much for joining me for another episode of Heal Your Trauma Find Your Voice. 

If you loved this episode, please scroll down, click those five stars and share it with a friend. 

Next week, I'm exposing a burden so many high achievers quietly carry, especially if you've lived through trauma. We are talking about what happens when you start to suspect your boss is taking advantage of your work ethic. If you've ever told yourself, maybe I'm overreacting or felt guilty for even thinking about speaking up, be sure to tune in because you deserve to be respected at work. 

Until then, I'm Dr. Annie [00:08:00] Campanile reminding you that healing is possible and you don't have to do it alone.

See you next time.