Description
Friday Lecture: The ‘As-If’ Personality: Imposter Syndrome
When you look in the mirror who do you see?
The real, imposter, a role, or a true self? The ‘as-if’ person usually wears a mask presenting through the persona of facade, living in fantasy and illusionary worlds. The psychological issues affect intimacy with oneself and others through escaping the present. The results often include feelings of not belonging, sexual addiction, conflicts around aging, the cultural influence of social media, body image and the predominance of split selves. All these aspects are promoted by our culture of social media and narcissism where reality and illusion are often blurred. The purpose of exploring the ‘as-if’ and imposter personality is to nurture the process of individuation and self-reflection in a more complete mirror. This can replenish both the personality and the culture.
Susan E. Schwartz, Ph.D. trained in Zurich, Switzerland as a Jungian analyst is also a clinical psychologist. She appears on many podcasts and presents at numerous Jungian conferences and teaching programs in the USA and worldwide.
Susan has articles in journals and chapters on Jungian analytical psychology. Her books are: The Absent Father Effect on Daughters, Father Desire, Father Wounds translated into several languages; Imposter Syndrome and the ‘As-If’ Personality: The Fragility of Self (2023); A Jungian Exploration of the Puella Archetype: Girl Unfolding (2024) and An Analytical Exploration of Love and Narcissism (2025), all published by Routledge. Her Jungian analytical practice is in Paradise Valley, Arizona and website is www.susanschwartzphd.com.
