Pollina Tonova: Identity, Psychological Masks & The Inner Work Of Modern Life

Bulgarian psychologist and psychotherapist Pollina Tonova joins The Life of Someone Extraordinary for a reflective conversation on identity, psychological masks, and the quiet pressures shaping modern life.With over 12 years of experience working with people across all stages of life, Pollina shares what she sees beneath anxiety, burnout, and emotional fatigue. Her work focuses on helping individuals understand who they are beneath external expectations, habitual roles, and internalised pressure.In this episode, we explore why people adopt psychological “masks” to cope with stress, comparison, and the digital world, and how these coping strategies often deepen disconnection rather than resolve it. Pollina explains the difference between psychology and psychotherapy, the limits of surface-level advice, and why meaningful change requires patience, responsibility, and self-awareness.Pollina reflects on recurring patterns she sees in modern clients, the growing desire for quick fixes in mental health, and the importance of slowing down to do foundational inner work. This is a conversation about identity, emotional honesty, and the long-term process of reconnecting with oneself beneath performance and expectation.