Online through Zoom

The persona can be regarded as the outward face we present to others and the social mask that helps us navigate and meet the requirements of the outer world. Nonetheless, this outward face can become problematic if one becomes too identified with the persona or does not seek to look beneath the surface of the mask in search of the real self. According to Jung, “The persona is a complicated system of relations between individual consciousness and society, fittingly enough a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and, on the other, to conceal the true nature of the individual”. 

Jungian Analyst Susan Negley will explore Jungian concepts in relation to the Persona. Through the use of a series of sketches created by artist Mark Smith, Susan will present ideas associated with this public face (persona) or role a person presents to others. This presentation will address both the necessity of the outward face, but also the problems that arise with identification with the persona.

The significance of the mask is particularly relevant in our current climate. While fear and anxiety strip us of our well-crafted personae this can also lead to a deeper relationship to the archetypal Self, the central archetype within the psyche which Jung conceived as our true individuality. Social and cultural implications of the Persona will also be discussed through the lens of short videos.

Susan Negley

Susan Clements Negley is a Jungian Analyst in private practice in San Antonio, Texas. Susan is a faculty member and training director for the Texas Seminar of the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts. A graduate of the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris, her first career was as professional chef. Her lectures explore the entire opus and alchemical kitchen of the personality.