How to Trust Yourself: Overcome Imposter Syndrome, Feel Confident, and Let Yourself Be Seen

How to Trust Yourself: Overcome Imposter Syndrome, Feel Confident, and Let Yourself Be Seen

Are you a sensitive creative, coach, or entrepreneur who wants to share your work—but feels held back by imposter syndrome, self-doubt, or fear of being seen? How to Trust Yourself helps you build confidence, overcome creative resistance, and show up without burning out. I'm Anna Holtzman, a therapist turned coach who spent years as a creative-for-hire in publishing and TV before launching my own business. Now I help others use nervous system tools to move past fear, own their voice, and step into lasting visibility. 🌎 Work with me → www.annaholtzman.com

Episodes

October 10, 2025 32 mins

Episode Description / Show Notes:
I’ve been getting this question a lot lately: what’s the difference between coaching and traditional talk therapy? In this episode, I break it down using a client story (pseudonym: “Kathy”) that illustrates common patterns of hesitation, fear, and overthinking.

You’ll hear how coaching is different: we don’t just talk—we take action. I share how taking the first step, even when you don’t feel rea...

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In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Anna talks with Lauren Smallcomb—a certified mind-body practitioner, trauma-informed healer, and author of the forthcoming memoir Golden Child: My Descent to Scapegoat and Rise to Freedom (coming September 2025).

Lauren shares her story of growing up as the golden child in a conservative Christian family system—and the painful unraveling that led her to reclaim her autonomy, identity, and voic...

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Have you ever had a moment where being visible suddenly felt… dangerous?

In this episode, I share a story I’ve never forgotten—from second grade, when I was the eager kid raising her hand… until my teacher said something that made me shrink. It was one sentence that planted a seed of shame and taught me that being seen might not be safe.

That moment became what I now call a visibility wound—an early experience where being visible led...

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In this heartfelt and revealing episode, Anna sits down with New York City-based psychotherapist Sean Hershey, LCSW, to explore what it really means to heal—from chronic pain, from emotional repression, and from the lifelong habit of hiding parts of yourself to survive.

Sean is the host of the podcast Mind-Body Medicine for Chronic Pain, where he brings raw honesty, depth, and humor to the complex world of chronic symptom recovery. ...

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Episode Description / Show Notes:
Ever feel like your story is messy, scattered, or unclear—and that’s holding you back from stepping fully into your purpose? In this episode, I share a metaphor from my 10 years working in reality TV—soft scripting—and how it taught me to find the through threads in the chaos.

I’ll break down how this concept applies to your life and work:

  • How to sift through the raw material of your experiences t...
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In this episode, I’m joined by Megan Febuary—trauma-informed writing coach, embodiment teacher, founder of For Women Who Roar, and author of Brave the Page: How Writing Our Hard Stories Brings Healing and Wholeness. Megan shares her journey into storytelling as a healing practice and how writing from a trauma-informed lens can transform not only the stories we tell but who we become in the process.

We dive into concepts like “creati...

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In this episode, I get real about what it’s like to have a sensitive nervous system—and how that sensitivity, while it can sometimes derail your day, is actually a source of creativity, intuition, and connection. I share a recent experience with our cat, Billie, whose vet visit turned into a spiral of worry about her dental health. Through journaling, self-compassion, and nervous system regulation, I navigated the overwhelm and fou...

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If you've ever looked around at your life and thought, "Is this it?"—this episode is your wake-up call. Speaker, author, and "aliveness evangelist" Jodi Wellman joins me for a bold, funny, and deeply honest conversation about what it means to really live before we die.

We talk about what snapped her out of autopilot, how grief cracked her open to a more vibrant life, and why facing our mortality can actually ...

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Ever had a moment where everything felt fine… until it wasn’t?

In this episode, I share a deeply personal story about an emotional blow-up with my husband—how it unfolded, what it triggered, and what it taught me about fear, shame, and self-protection.

This isn't just a story about relationships. It’s a mirror for what so many of us experience in business, creativity, and visibility:
That moment when a hidden landmine gets tri...

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Welcome back, dear listener. I am so thrilled to share today’s episode with someone who has had a really meaningful presence in my own journey—Liz Kimball.

Liz and I met about ten years ago in a coaching certification program, and I really looked up to her. She had already been coaching for years and brought this grounded, wise, creative energy to everything she did. After the course ended, I got to work with her as a client, and it...

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In today’s episode, I’m getting personal and sharing a story that I honestly find a little embarrassing. I’m not always graceful with transitions—especially when it comes to slowing down. Summer is usually a time when my energy and my business naturally slow down, but even though I know it’s good for me, I can resist it pretty intensely.

I know this isn’t just me. I see it in my clients and in myself: there’s this tension between wa...

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Welcome back, dear listener. Today’s guest is someone whose work radiates beauty, intention, and a deep reverence for the natural world—and whose journey as a creative and entrepreneur is a powerful testament to the role self-trust plays in bringing a vision to life.

Angela Monaco is a Philadelphia-based jewelry designer and the founder of Angela Monaco Jewelry, a fine jewelry brand and storefront that centers intuition, spiritualit...

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In this solo episode, Anna reflects on what it means to stay visible and grounded in your work—especially when the world feels chaotic, polarized, and uncertain.

If you’ve been wondering, “Who am I to say anything right now?” or feeling tempted to freeze, shrink, or disappear… this episode is a loving call back into your voice, your visibility, and your creative leadership.

Anna explores:

  • Why visibility matters more than ever in t...
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Today’s conversation is funny, real, and unapologetically human—with someone I’ve admired for a long time.

My guest is Laura Belgray: award-winning copywriter, founder of Talking Shrimp, co-creator of The Copy Cure with Marie Forleo, and author of the hilariously honest and wildly relatable memoir, Tough Titties: On Living Your Best Life When You're the F-ing Worst.

In this episode, we talk about:

✨ How Laura went from “profession...

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In this heartful and informative episode, I’m joined by Tanner Murtagh and Anne Hampson—therapists, educators, partners in both life and business, and the voices behind The Mind-Body Couple Podcast.

Together, they run Pain Psychotherapy Canada, a clinic dedicated to helping clients reduce or eliminate chronic pain through mind-body approaches, and MBody Community, an online space for chronic pain recovery education and support.

We ex...

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Welcome back, dear listener. Today, we’re diving into a conversation about the power of community, creativity, and connection—and how they can transform not just our work and creative endeavors, but our lives.

My guest is Michael Averill, an award-winning speaker, musician, and community builder who has spent over 20 years fostering deep connections across teams, organizations, and even entire countries—literally. He once walked 4,0...

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Episode Summary:

In this solo episode, Anna dives into four powerful and recurring questions that come up with her coaching clients — sensitive creatives, coaches, and entrepreneurs navigating the tender terrain of putting their work into the world. Whether you're launching a business, writing a book, or simply stepping into more visibility, this episode will resonate deeply if you've ever wondered:

  • How much of my perso...
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Welcome back, dear listener. Today, I have a guest who is all about helping ambitious women entrepreneurs step into their CEO Queen energy and build businesses with more ease, joy, and alignment.

Michal McCracken is a Transformational Coach and the host of the Space and Grace Podcast. She helps women simplify their path to success through a mix of mindset shifts, intuitive strategy, and practical tools—so they can boost their confid...

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Welcome back dear listeners, today we’re diving into a topic that so many of us wrestle with—visibility. The desire to be seen, to share our creative work with the world, and to make an impact… all while battling the fear of putting ourselves out there. If you’ve ever felt that tension, you are not alone.

My guest today, Shelby Leigh, knows this struggle intimately—not just as a bestselling author and mental health advocate, but as ...

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Welcome back, dear listener! Today, I’m joined by my friend Kate Bartley, founder of She Walks in Wellness and a powerhouse in the world of holistic health and transformation. Kate is a Master Holistic Health & Life Transformation Coach, a Physical Therapist, a cancer survivor, a surgical menopause warrior, and a self-described recovering over-giver. She works with exhausted caregivers and service-driven professionals who feel ...

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