The Masks We Wear

The masks we wear, masking, authenticity, people-pleasing, identity and the different versions of ourselves we become in different relationships and environments. In this episode of In Conversation With Myself, Kane explores what happens when we hide parts of ourselves to feel safe, accepted or connected.

Drawing on his experiences as a queer man, someone living with ADHD, and a relational, integrative psychotherapist, Kane explores how masking can develop through childhood, relationships and our experiences of the world around us.

Why do we become different versions of ourselves at work, with family, with friends, or around strangers? Where do people-pleasing, self-doubt and the fear of judgement come from? And what happens when the mask we’ve learned to wear no longer serves us in the same way?

This episode explores emotional safety, identity, authenticity, belonging, vulnerability and the protective parts of ourselves that can sit underneath the person we present to the world.

Rather than asking, “How do I take the mask off?”, Kane asks a different question:

“What was this mask trying to protect?”

This week, notice one situation where you feel yourself becoming a different version of you. What part of yourself feels safest there? What part stays hidden? And what might that mask be protecting you from?

In Conversation With Myself is a reflective podcast exploring psychology, mental health, identity, relationships, ADHD, queerness and the different parts of ourselves that make us who we are.