The Impostor Syndrome is a myth... it's really a PHENOMENON
Uncover the truth behind impostor phenomenon and thrive

Uncover the truth behind impostor phenomenon and thrive


At Not A Syndrome, we are dedicated to raising awareness about the impostor phenomenon, why it is not a syndrome AND what you can do if you feel like an impostor.

Dr Theresa (Terri) Simpkin is a forward-thinking, industry-focused academic, consultant, public speaker and educator. She has been researching the impostor phenomenon for over a decade and supervising others in their higher research degrees. Her keynotes and workshops have been presented around the world.
Driven by an almost insatiable u
Dr Theresa (Terri) Simpkin is a forward-thinking, industry-focused academic, consultant, public speaker and educator. She has been researching the impostor phenomenon for over a decade and supervising others in their higher research degrees. Her keynotes and workshops have been presented around the world.
Driven by an almost insatiable urge to see people and organisations harness their potential, Terri finds professional and personal satisfaction in working with people who know they and their organisations can be better.

Dr Kate Atkin is an inspirational speaker, training consultant and author of The Imposter Phenomenon, providing researched strategies on how to cope if you feel like a fraud. With over 30 years of experience as a facilitator, Kate has worked with many clients on business, management and communication issues. A highly skilled listener, h
Dr Kate Atkin is an inspirational speaker, training consultant and author of The Imposter Phenomenon, providing researched strategies on how to cope if you feel like a fraud. With over 30 years of experience as a facilitator, Kate has worked with many clients on business, management and communication issues. A highly skilled listener, her style is both supportive and challenging to enable individuals and organisations to make positive changes.
Meet #notasyndrome. Started in February 2026, it’s a community on a mission to change the language (and the logic) around “imposter syndrome” by calling it what the evidence actually supports: the impostor phenomenon.
This isn’t about fixing broken people; it’s about naming a well-researched pattern shaped by social learning, context, culture, and power and then doing something smarter about it.
Founded and guided by researchers and practitioners Dr Kate Atkin and Dr Terri Simpkin, #notasyndrome brings together rigorous research, lived experience, and practical action to help individuals, leaders, and organisations shift from cyclical self-doubt to systems and behavioural change. If you’re ready to stop pathologising the experience of feeling like a fraud and start redesigning the environments that creates it, you’re in the right place.
Learn more about our upcoming events, fundraisers, and more!