IJSP Number 7, 2025

International Journal of Supervision in Psychotherapy, Number 7, 2025 Page | 56 in a much better light than one really is. Nevertheless, playing such an artificial role or constantly wearing a false mask over years will inevitably consume the energy reserves of the individual. The connection with the natural flow of ‘the great circle of life’ is left behind and forgotten by the continuous effort to maintain, sustain, and nourish the whims of the artificial entity called pseudo-self . Although great efforts are continuously made in investing and reinvesting the mask of the pseudo-self with sustenance, the results are artificial and more or less superficial; eventually, the real, weak and very thin self will collapse (at least psychologically) under the heaviness of the mask and the efforts to wear it. Only then such a person will come into therapy. Only then will he or she be ready to discuss his or her own inadequacy to life. Only then will there be some hope for change. The pseudo-self and persona Bowen’s notion of pseudo-self can be discussed, analysed, and corroborated with another important and impactful psychological concept, the persona , as it is presented in the psychology of C. G. Jung. Both concepts are conceived as general tendencies of a psyche exposed to psychological pressures and anthropological causations coming from our contemporary civilization and its stereotypical modes of socialisation. It seems that everything that surrounds us is like an open invitation towards the growth of a pseudo-self as a showroom for somebody situated on the margins of what could be, but probably never will be, a total, integrated personality. Today’s pseudo-self could be compared with a hallway self , one that has nothing more to show but window dressing. Actually, there is not very much left for an Ego because it seems that every bit of psychic energy has to be invested and reinvested in what C. G. Jung called the person a 1 a nd this is what we want to explore next. The psychic ‘entity’ of ‘ persona ’ is conceived as a ‘social face’ so to speak, a pseudo-personality with which we can stand in front of the world and present ourselves to others. Our persona is ‘constructed’ by our titles (academic or not), our social status and our various roles we play in our family, neighbourhood, place of work and so on. The persona represents our very precious social and symbolic capital that can be enhanced as an active instrument in promoting, maintaining, or using symbolic power. As such, all my titles, my status, my merits (acquired in my particular field, or branch of activity, or specialisation), or even my money, or my clothes, my car, my house, my swimming pool, or my dog (after all, why not?) define me. All those properties or possessions will make up for my image that I will present to the world in order to be acknowledged as somebody. It is important to remark here that usually we are not satisfied if we are recognized as being ‘ just somebody’; we want to be important as well (which rapidly transforms itself in my importance or me being important). In such a context, it is not surprising that the most used word in the English language (and probably in every other language as well), is the shortest expression possible: ‘I’. After all, everybody wants to be ‘ a somebody’, the weakness and superficiality of the pseudo-self cannot live without admiration, appreciation, even envy, hatred, or just 1 “The persona is therefore a functional complex consisting of reasons of adaptation or necessary convenience, but which does not identify with individuality. This functional complex refers exclusively to the relationship with objects.” [13]