Imposter Syndrome: Creating a Community of Care for Full Flourishing

A Deeper Dive into Imposter Syndrome

This session with special guest Yvette Perry will expand on the themes presented in Imposter Syndrome: Embracing Excellence in a Sea of Anxiety (free session on February 22). As a participant in this follow-up session, you’ll have the opportunity to actively practice mitigation techniques for your experiences of imposter syndrome using the “Recognize-Name-Engage-Reframe” model.

Equally as important as these individual-level mitigation techniques is engaging with others in our work and learning contexts to change the environments that make imposter syndrome so prevalent — and potentially so disabling. As such, during this workshop, you and your peers in the field will create a “community of care,” enabling the authenticity and vulnerability necessary to conduct the work of the session as well as modeling the kinds of environments we must create to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential without feeling like an imposter.

We’ll explore community-building strategies to help you combat imposter syndrome in your personal and professional life as well as help you be an upstander and change agent to help others mitigate feelings of imposterism.

Our session activities will borrow from several traditions to explore imposter syndrome mitigation at both individual and community levels, including improvisational theater and creative writing. Join us!

 
Who should attend this course?
This event is ideal for anyone interested in learning more about the effects of imposter syndrome on individuals and organizations. All are welcome!

Please Note: This workshop will NOT be recorded or made available to registrants after the live session.

Questions about this event or about your registration?
Call 616-331-7585 or email jcp@gvsu.edu.

Yvette V. Perry, Ph.D., has 12 years of experience in undergraduate student development and medical education. She served as director of the Diversity Scholars Research Program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), where she was also involved in the Ronald McNair Scholars Program as well as other initiatives aimed at connecting undergraduate students with mentored research experiences. She moved to Toledo with her husband and twin daughters in 2011 to work at The University of Toledo. Dr. Perry first served as director of student affairs, career advising, and professional development in the Office of Student Affairs in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences (COMLS). Since 2016, she has served in the Office of Admissions overseeing student recruitment, evaluation, and matriculation in the M.D. program. During her tenure as the admissions dean, she also served as interim associate dean for diversity and inclusion in COMLS. Learn more about Dr. Perry.

A Note from Dr. Perry

I first learned about imposter phenomenon when I was working with my undergraduate research assistants while in my doctoral program at the University of Minnesota. I had been frustrated by the self-sabotaging behavior of some of my highly competent, mostly female mentees and struggled with providing them feedback that would alleviate their self-doubt. Upon learning about the phenomenon, I recognized some of these thinking patterns and behaviors in myself during my own academic and professional journey. Years later when working in the medical education context, I continued to see what I now recognized as imposter syndrome in many of the high-achieving medical students.

Largely because of my own experiences with imposter syndrome, I have become passionate about helping others understand this phenomenon and learn how to manage it. I’ve delivered presentations on imposter syndrome to undergraduate pre-health students at Spelman College and The University of Toledo. I’ve also presented on the topic at the 2022 Student National Medical Association Annual Medical Education Conference in Orlando, Florida.