Ah, the dream of a perfect business funnel. I pictured myself sitting in a cozy, well-lit office, sipping tea like a wise, accomplished entrepreneur while my automated systems smoothly guided clients to sign up for my coaching. Everything was seamless, effortless, and — let’s be honest — probably accompanied by a soft orchestral soundtrack in the background.

And then reality slapped me in the face. Hard.

If you’re running a successful private practice but feel stuck when it comes to raising your rates or expanding your reach, you’re not alone. For many of us, imposter syndrome whispers lies that keep us playing small: You can’t charge that. Who do you think you are to grow beyond this?

But let me tell you—those lies aren’t helping you, your clients, or your practice. Let me share my story of breaking through those doubts and taking my practice to the next level. By the end of this, I hope you’ll be ready to take action toward your next step today.

For therapists like us, clarity might seem like second nature when it comes to client care. But the path can get foggy when we step outside our therapy rooms and into the business world — whether it’s launching a private practice or pivoting to coaching. And when clarity is missing, imposter syndrome has the perfect conditions to thrive.

Yesterday, I had an eye-opening conversation about clarity with a friend and her friend who helps create amazing websites (and believe me, he starts with serious clarity).

Meditation and mindfulness are often hailed as miracle tools for managing anxiety and stress. And while they can be transformative, the truth is they don’t always work for everyone—or at least not right away.

In fact, for some people, these practices can bring up unexpected challenges like bringing up intense emotions, trigger feelings of detachment, and be overstimulating.

If you’re like most people, your first instinct is to fight it, ignore it, or wish it away.

But what if I told you that anxiety isn’t your enemy? What if, instead of trying to silence it, you leaned in and listened?

Anxiety isn’t here to destroy you—it’s here to teach you. And when you redefine your relationship with it, you unlock the wisdom it holds.

I built two successful businesses, but when I started both of them, that voice of self-doubt told me I wasn’t good enough, not experienced enough, or not capable enough. But here’s the truth: I’ve learned to push through those feelings and thoughts, and you can too.

Those feelings, those fears, don’t have to hold us back — they can be the very things that propel us forward.

You’ve got the credentials, the experience, and maybe even a growing list of clients who rave about your work. By all accounts, you’re doing great. Yet, when you think about showing up online, pitching a big idea, or charging what you’re worth, something stops you dead in your tracks…

Let’s be real: therapists aren’t the first people who jump up and say, “I’m going to crush it as a business owner!” In fact, many of us (yes, I’m talking to you) spend our free time wondering if we’re even good enough at being therapists—never mind running a whole business. Imposter syndrome loves to show up uninvited, making you feel like you’re pretending to know what you’re doing.

Imposter syndrome can be a stealthy and persistent obstacle in business. It doesn’t always present itself in obvious ways, like self-doubt or negative self-talk. Often, it hides behind seemingly logical thoughts or habits that, in reality, keep you playing small. Let’s dive into some of the sneaky ways imposter syndrome might be affecting your business and, more importantly, how you can recognize and overcome it.

Anxiety can feel overwhelming, often leaving us trapped in a cycle of worry, doubt, and self-criticism. Whether it’s the pressure of deadlines, social situations, or the constant demand to perform, the weight of anxiety can feel heavy and unmanageable. But what if the tools to ease anxiety are already within you? Yoga philosophy offers two powerful principles — Ahimsa (non-harming) and Satya (truthfulness) — that can help you reduce anxiety and find inner peace.

Gratitude isn’t just about feeling warm and fuzzy—it’s a powerful tool for grounding yourself and shifting your perspective. When you practice gratitude, you’re actively training your brain to focus on what’s working instead of what’s not. This shift can help reduce anxiety and quiet that inner critic fueled by imposter syndrome.

But what if the key to breaking free isn’t pretending or proving yourself, but embracing the power of truth?

In yoga, the principle of Satya means truthfulness—not just avoiding lies, but living in alignment with your most authentic self.

While the fear didn’t magically disappear, I ended the practice with a new sense of curiosity. Instead of feeling weighed down by the fear, I felt a little lighter, intrigued by this part of myself I’ve been carrying. I realized that holding onto this fear as protection has been creating a barrier in my life, and in a way, it’s adding to my anxiety.

Anxiety often feeds on harsh self-criticism. When we’re stuck in a cycle of negative self-talk, it can feel like a storm we can’t escape. Ahimsa teaches us to challenge that narrative. Instead of berating ourselves for feeling anxious, we can approach our feelings with curiosity and compassion.

We all struggle with imposter syndrome as business owners from time to time. Our thoughts lead to our emotions which lead to our actions. Change the thoughts, emotions will change and actions will change. It starts with the mindset. It doesn’t end there, but mindset shifts are critical for overcoming anxiety and imposter syndrome

We all struggle with imposter syndrome as business owners from time to time. But it does not have to stop you from growing and being wildly successful in your business

Consistency is easier when you are staying in the moment. Staying in the moment is easier when you are consistent (it becomes habitual). But neither are easy at first. But both were vital to all the successes I have ever had.

Changing habits is hard. Motivation is there when you don’t have to take action yet, but not there when it’s time to take action. How do you figure out how to take action and stay consistent with new habits?

Overcoming anxiety is not easy. We have high expectations that the tools we are using will make us feel better quickly and we get frustrated when that doesn’t happen. Overcoming anxiety will take longer than you want. Let go of the expectations and let go of the outcome.

To be successful at building your private practice, you must go out of your comfort zone. You have to wake up every morning with determination that it will succeed. You need to look at just the step in front of you and not the entire staircase. Push aside the anxiety and fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection. Put in the hard work and go to bed with satisfaction.