ABSTRACT
Introduction
Self-doubt is a pervasive yet often unspoken experience among mental health clinicians, manifesting as moments of uncertainty in which they question their ability to make sound clinical judgements, support therapeutic progress, or meet professional expectations. This study aimed to deepen understanding of self-doubt as a complex, nuanced, and meaningful aspect of clinical practice, exploring how it shapes clinicians’ professional experience, decision-making, and personal growth.
Methods
Using descriptive phenomenology, the lived experiences of self-doubt among 12 Filipino licensed psychologists were examined. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis to capture the nuanced and contextualised experiences of participants.
Results
Analysis revealed five core themes: the Inner Critic, the Contextual Triggers, the Demanding Pressure, the Double-Edged Sword, and the Reflective Space. Findings indicate that self-doubt is not inherently detrimental; it can function as a regulatory mechanism that fosters humility, ethical sensitivity, and heightened self-awareness when approached with reflection, supervision, and self-compassion.
Conclusions
These findings suggest the potential value of creating supervisory, organisational, and peer contexts that acknowledge, normalise, and provide structured opportunities to reflect on experiences of professional self-doubt. While the present study draws on a small, context-specific sample, the phenomenologically grounded insights it offers may be relevant to considerations in clinical training, supervision, and organisational support systems.