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Hypnotherapy for Imposter Syndrome, by Video Anywhere in Australia
The promotion came through, and your first thought was that they’d made a mistake. Imposter syndrome isn’t a shortage of achievements. It’s where you file them. We work on the filing, from wherever you are.
At a glance: 4 sessions by video. $1,000 in total paid upfront, or $1,200 paid session by session.
Or call 0427 218 092
15-minute phone call, no obligation. I’ll call you within 24 hours. See what it costs
- 14 yearsin clinical practice
- FellowAustralian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists
- AHA approvedCPD courses I teach other hypnotherapists
- 1 to 1with Ernest, by video from home
Ernest McLeod, clinical hypnotherapistAn Adelaide practice, seeing clients across Australia by video. Fourteen years in practice.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- You read the job offer three times, looking for the line that takes it back.
- Someone introduces you as “the expert” and your stomach drops.
- Every success gets put down to luck, timing or a kind boss. Every mistake feels like proof.
- You overprepare for everything, because the margin has to be there.
- You’ve turned down, or never applied for, a role you were qualified for.
- You’re waiting for the day someone finally works you out.
If a few of those landed, read on. You’re in good company, including plenty of people you’d assume feel none of it.
Why imposter syndrome ignores the evidence
Pointing to your track record rarely helps, and there’s a reason. The achievements were never in dispute. What’s in dispute is who they belong to. A success gets booked outside you, to luck or other people. A mistake gets booked to you, as evidence of what you really are. Run that ledger for twenty years and a long list of wins can pass straight through without changing a thing.
Praise from a boss or reassurance from friends tends to bounce off for the same reason: it gets filed under luck too. And if you’re the only person like you in the room, part of that feeling may be a fair reading of the room. I won’t pretend a session changes who gets promoted. What hypnotherapy is aimed at is the automatic filing, and the jolt of alarm that comes with it, so the feeling has less say in your decisions.
How hypnosis helps with imposter syndrome
Hypnosis is focused, relaxed attention. You’re calm, fully aware and in charge for the whole session. It isn’t sleep, and you can’t be made to do anything you don’t want to do. We rehearse the moments that set it off, like being introduced, presenting or asking for a pay rise, and practise owning a success without explaining it away on the spot. The goal isn’t to feel like a genius. It’s to let your record count.
Between sessions you take home an audio recording and simple self-hypnosis. Use them before a meeting, a presentation or a performance review, so the practice happens at work and not only on our calls.
How hypnotherapy for imposter syndrome works online
- A free 15-minute call
You tell me what’s going on. I tell you honestly whether I think I can help. No obligation, and no hard sell. Ask me anything you like about hypnosis too, such as how it feels or whether you stay in charge.
- Your first session
The program starts here. We look at where the feeling shows up and what it’s costing you, pick the situations that matter most, and do the first hypnosis work.
- Sessions by video and an audio to take home
The program is four sessions. You join from wherever suits you. All you need is a quiet room, a reliable connection and a pair of headphones. After your sessions you receive an audio recording to listen to between appointments, and you’ll learn simple self-hypnosis too. Progress doesn’t have to wait for the next session.
Hypnosis needs your attention, not my physical presence. That’s why video works: you’re in your own space, with no drive home afterwards.
Not sure yet whether this is for you?That’s what the free call is for. Fifteen minutes, by phone, at a time that suits you.
What the research actually says
Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes described it in 1978, and they called it the imposter phenomenon, not a syndrome. A 2019 review by Mak and colleagues in Frontiers in Psychology puts it plainly: it is not a diagnosable condition.
It is common, though nobody can say exactly how common. A 2020 systematic review in the Journal of General Internal Medicine pulled together 62 studies covering 14,161 people and found reported rates anywhere from 9% to 82%, depending mostly on the questionnaire used. The same review found no published studies testing any treatment for it. Not hypnosis, not coaching, not anything.
So I can’t point you to a trial. What I can offer is an approach built on what we know about how the feeling works, and an honest review of whether it’s helping as we go.
Is hypnosis for imposter syndrome safe?
For most adults, yes. Hypnosis doesn’t involve medicine, and side effects are mild and short: you might feel a little drowsy or emotional afterwards. It isn’t the right place to start if you live with psychosis or a severe mental health condition that isn’t being treated. If that’s you, talk to your GP or treating clinician first, and I’ll tell you honestly in the free call if someone else should help. Self-doubt that sits with you most days for weeks, along with low mood, poor sleep or loss of interest, can be depression. That deserves a GP visit too.
What hypnotherapy for imposter syndrome costs: $1,000
The 4-session program: $1,000 upfront
4-session program: $1,000 paid upfront (that’s $250 a session), or $300 per session as you go ($1,200 for all four).
- Four sessions by video, plus an audio to take home and simple self-hypnosis.
- Session length: your first session runs up to 90 minutes, and follow-up sessions up to 60 minutes.
- Prepaid sessions are valid for 12 months. Any you don’t need can be used for something else, or passed on to someone you know.
- Pay by card or bank transfer. Prices in AUD. No GST applies.
Or call 0427 218 092
Please see your GP as wellSelf-doubt before something hard is normal. Doubt that sits with you most days for weeks, alongside low mood, poor sleep or loss of interest, can be depression, and that deserves a GP visit. Your GP can refer you to a psychologist with a Medicare rebate through Better Access, and hypnotherapy sits well alongside that. If the dread follows you everywhere, not just at work, social anxiety may be part of it. And if you’re being bullied or underpaid, that’s a workplace problem, not a confidence one. Your union or a lawyer is the right call.
Who you’ll be working with
I’m Ernest McLeod. I’ve practised as a clinical hypnotherapist for fourteen years, with an Adelaide practice and clients right across Australia by video. Before that I spent twenty years as a software engineer and designer, which probably explains why I care more about what works than what sounds impressive.
- Time Line Therapy® Practitioner
- Fellow, ASCH
- Trainer: AHA-approved CPD courses
- Certified NLP Practitioner
What I’m not: hypnotherapy isn’t a registered profession in Australia, so I’m not AHPRA-registered and I’m not a psychologist. My ASCH Fellowship is voluntary. I also train other hypnotherapists. My courses on quitting smoking, vaping and gambling count as professional development (CPD), approved by the Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association. More about me
Questions people ask about hypnotherapy for imposter syndrome
Does hypnotherapy work for imposter syndrome?
Nobody knows yet, because it hasn’t been tested. A 2020 review of 62 studies found no published trials of any treatment for imposter syndrome: not hypnosis, not coaching, not anything. So hypnotherapy for imposter syndrome rests on what we know about how the feeling works, not on a trial. We review honestly, as we go, whether it’s helping you.
What is the success rate of hypnotherapy for imposter syndrome?
I don’t quote one. Advertised success rates usually come from small or unchecked studies, or from a practitioner’s own records, so they rarely tell you much. For imposter syndrome there’s no trial to take one from. The 9% to 82% figures in the research on this page describe how many people report the feeling, not how many get better.
Will I lose control?
No. You hear everything, you remember it, and you can open your eyes and stop at any point. Hypnosis is focused, relaxed attention, a bit like being absorbed in a good film. Nothing can be made to happen that you don’t want.
Does hypnotherapy work over video?
Yes. The work depends on your attention and on what we do together, and both travel perfectly well over a video call. It also fits around a working day more easily than a trip across town.
How many hypnotherapy sessions will I need for imposter syndrome?
The program is four sessions. That’s a typical plan, not a promise, and we review progress as we go.
Is imposter syndrome a real diagnosis?
No. It’s a common experience, not a medical condition. That’s partly good news: nothing is wrong with you. It’s a habit of thinking about your own success, and habits can shift.
Will this make me arrogant?
Very unlikely. The aim is an accurate view of what you’ve done, not an inflated one.
What if it isn’t helping?
Tell me. We review progress as we go and change the approach if something isn’t working. If hypnotherapy isn’t right for you, I’ll say so and point you towards what might be. Any prepaid sessions you haven’t used stay yours for 12 months. You can use them for something else, or pass them on to someone you know.
Is it covered by Medicare or my health fund?
Hypnotherapy isn’t covered by Medicare, and you don’t need a GP referral. Health fund extras cover varies, so check with your fund before you start.
Ready when you are
Tell me the best time to reach you and I’ll call within 24 hours. Fifteen minutes, no obligation.
Request a free consultationOr call 0427 218 092
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Where these numbers come from
Clance PR, Imes SA (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice 15: 241-247. doi.org/10.1037/h0086006.
Mak KKL, Kleitman S, Abbott MJ (2019). Impostor phenomenon measurement scales: a systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology 10: 671. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00671.
Bravata DM, Watts SA, Keefer AL, et al. (2020). Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: a systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine 35(4): 1252-1275. doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1. The 9% to 82% range reflects different questionnaires and cut-offs, not a single measurement. I’ll always show you where a number came from.
Hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy, not medical treatment, a diagnosis, or a substitute for care from your doctor or a psychologist. If your symptoms are severe or persistent, please speak to your GP. Last updated 9 October 2026.