Short case example
A patient who feels angry after a rupture insists the clinician is angry and punitive, despite no clear evidence.
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Formulation mechanism
A defence in which unacceptable feelings, impulses, or self-states are attributed to another person.
What matters now
Fit, function, and alternatives
Use sequence, function, patient language, and disconfirming evidence to decide whether this hypothesis adds explanatory value.
Across the formulation
Short case example
A patient who feels angry after a rupture insists the clinician is angry and punitive, despite no clear evidence.
Formulation language
Projection may protect against owning painful feelings, but it can make relationships feel more hostile and confirming.
Treatment implications
Validate the affect first, then gently compare evidence and invite curiosity about the internal feeling state.