From Self-Doubt to Connection: What Every Therapist Needs to Hear with Erika Hanna Part Two

What happens when you're a brand-new therapist sitting in sessions thinking, "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing"?

In Part 2 of our conversation with therapist Erika Hanna, we get real about the insecurities, negative beliefs, and growing pains that so many therapists experience but rarely talk about out loud. Erika shares what it was like stepping from graduate school into real-world clinical work, navigating imposter syndrome, learning not to take client departures personally, and discovering that being a mental health therapist isn't about having all the answers.

This episode is a powerful reminder that grit isn't confidence. Grit is staying in it when you're unsure. It's trusting the process when you feel overwhelmed. It's continuing to show up for clients while learning to extend compassion to yourself.

We also explore one of the biggest lessons therapists learn over time: you working harder, pushing harder and worrying more, won't make clients heal faster. Erika shares her journey of moving away from the urge to "fix" or convince clients and toward respecting client readiness, autonomy, and the therapeutic process.

As always, we bring the conversation back to what matters most: connection. While many therapists feel pressure to master every diagnosis, modality, and intervention, Erika reminds us that healing often begins with something much simpler. Being present. Being authentic. Creating a space where clients feel seen, heard, and accepted.

In this episode, we discuss:

•  Imposter syndrome and self-doubt as a new therapist 

•  Why grit matters more than perfection in clinical work 

•  Learning not to personalize client cancellations, no-shows, and termination 

•  The tension between wanting to help and respecting client readiness 

•  Self-care, therapist burnout prevention, and intentional nervous system regulation 

•  The pressure therapists feel to know everything 

•  Why therapeutic relationship and connection matter more than technique alone 

•  The role of authenticity in building trust with clients 

•  Erika's work with Access Period , a Nebraska nonprofit addressing period poverty and how taking meaningful action outside the therapy room can build hope and resilience 

Whether you're a practicum student, intern, provisional therapist, seasoned clinician, or somewhere in the messy middle of your career, this conversation offers a grounded reminder that therapy takes more than knowledge. It takes courage, humility, self-awareness, and grit.

Because at the end of the day, clients aren't looking for a perfect therapist. They're looking for someone willing to sit with their story and not look away.

Go get your gritty on.

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• Therapist AF: Grit School for the Real World, practical skills, nervous system grounding, and the reps grad school skipped

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• The Cord Where Science Meets Connection attachment/trauma-focused therapy. 

Follow along on Instagram @grittytherapist and go get your gritty on.

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