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Alex Casey, Michele A’Court and Leonie Hayden grapple with the phenomenon that is imposter syndrome. (Photo: On the Rag)
Alex Casey, Michele A’Court and Leonie Hayden grapple with the phenomenon that is imposter syndrome. (Photo: On the Rag)

SocietyJanuary 22, 2021

On the Rag: What is imposter syndrome and how do we destroy it?

Alex Casey, Michele A’Court and Leonie Hayden grapple with the phenomenon that is imposter syndrome. (Photo: On the Rag)
Alex Casey, Michele A’Court and Leonie Hayden grapple with the phenomenon that is imposter syndrome. (Photo: On the Rag)

Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden and a lineup of incredibly successful New Zealand women as they confront their imposter syndrome once and for all. 

First published 20 October, 2020. 

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For some it appears as a constant whisper, for others it’s a screeching megaphone in the face at the most inopportune of moments. Many of you will be familiar with the awful feeling of imposter syndrome – the voice telling you that you aren’t good enough, that everyone is going to find out you are a fraud. 

So how do we tell it to shut the hell up? 

In this episode of On the Rag, Michele A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden grapple with the phenomenon that is imposter syndrome. First of all, is it a real medical syndrome? Where did it originate from? And how does it affect us? In an attempt to fight it, we devise a game you can play with your friends at home to keep the demons at bay. 

Finally, we hear from some extremely highly accomplished New Zealand women about whether or not they’ve ever felt like a fraud. We’re talking governor general Dame Patsy Reddy, New Zealander of the Year Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Dr Siouxsie Wiles, Oscar-nominated producer Chelsea Winstanley and Billy T Award winner Angella Dravid. 

And guess what? They all feel like imposters too!

On the Rag is made with the support of NZ On Air.

Watch more of On the Rag here.

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