The Psychology of Projection
Understanding the Mechanisms of Projection and the Process of Psychological Integration
by Lyna Tevenaz Jones, M.A.
A Two-Part Depth Psychological Exploration of Projection,
Psychological Integration, and the Recovery of the Self
Online Workshop
Part I: The Nature and Recognition of Projection
July 19, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PDT
Part II: The Withdrawal of Projection Process
August 16, 2026 | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM PDT
“The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate.”
— Aion, Chapter 5, paragraph 126
Why do certain people occupy such a disproportionate amount of psychic space in our lives?
Why do we find ourselves captivated, idealizing, resentful, or emotionally entangled with particular individuals?
Why do some relationships seem charged with a significance that exceeds the reality of who the other person is?
Depth psychology suggests that these experiences are often rooted in projection.
Projection is a natural and largely unconscious psychological process through which aspects of the inner world are experienced as belonging to someone or something outside ourselves.
The qualities we most admire, long for, fear, reject, or struggle to recognize within ourselves are often encountered first through others.
To protect us from the discomfort of our own unintegrated traits, the unconscious mind seeks out "hooks" in our environment, magnifying the flaws or the brilliance of others while keeping us blind to our own reflection.
The result is often a diminished relationship to one’s own inner authority and a repetition of unconscious relational patterns.
Although projection is a normal and necessary aspect of psychological development, remaining unconscious of it can leave us vulnerable to idealization, disappointment, repetitive relationship patterns, emotional reactivity, and a diminished sense of our own inner authority.
The withdrawal of projection is therefore not merely an intellectual exercise but a central task of psychological growth and individuation.
This two-part workshop series offers a depth psychological exploration of projection and the process of reclaiming what has been unconsciously attributed to others.
Drawing from Jungian psychology, psychoanalytic thought, and contemporary clinical understanding, participants will learn to recognize projection in everyday life, understand its underlying function, and begin the process of integrating projected aspects of the personality.
The exploration will include the work of Carl G. Jung, Marie-Louise von Franz, Marion Woodman, Robert A. Johnson, and Self Psychology.
The Series: Part I & Part II
Series Registration
Participants may register for individual workshops or for the complete two-part series.
Individual Workshop Registration — $55
Complete Two-Part Series — $90 Early Registration (through July 5). Regular price increases to $110 after July 5.
Registration includes live teaching, workshop recordings, PDF presentations, reflective exercises, and access to the private Q&A discussion space following each session.
The Psychology of Projection is a two-part online webinar series exploring projection as a central psychological mechanism through which unconscious aspects of the personality are experienced through others.
Drawing on Jungian psychology, psychoanalytic thought, object relations theory, and clinical understanding, this series examines how projection shapes attraction, idealization, emotional triggers, conflict, admiration, and relational dynamics. Participants will explore both the recognition of projection and the transformative process of withdrawing projection and reclaiming projected aspects of the self as part of psychological integration and individuation.
The series registration includes live teaching for both workshops, recordings, PDF presentations, reflective exercises, and access to the private Q&A discussion space following each session.
Part I: The Nature and Recognition of Projection
July 19, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PDT
This workshop examines the nature, function, and manifestations of projection. Participants will learn how projection operates in relationships, idealization, emotional triggers, admiration, attraction, conflict, and everyday interpersonal dynamics.
Particular attention will be given to recognizing the signs that a projection may be active and distinguishing projection from perception.
The Nature and Recognition of Projection is a 2-hour online workshop exploring projection as a central psychological mechanism through which unconscious aspects of the personality are experienced through others.
Drawing on Jungian psychology, psychoanalytic thought, and clinical understanding, this workshop examines how projection appears in attraction, idealization, emotional triggers, admiration, conflict, and relational dynamics. Participants will learn to recognize the signs that a projection may be active and develop a deeper understanding of the psyche’s tendency to externalize unrecognized inner contents.
The workshop registration includes live teaching, a recording, the PDF presentation, and reflective exercises to support ongoing psychological insight and integration.
Part II: Withdrawal of Projection and Reclaiming the Projected Self
August 16th, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PDT
Once a projection has been recognized, how do we begin to take it back?
This workshop explores the psychological process of withdrawing projection, tolerating disillusionment, and reclaiming projected qualities as part of one's own developing personality.
Participants will be introduced to practical and reflective approaches for supporting integration and cultivating a more conscious relationship to themselves and others.
Withdrawal of Projection and Reclaiming the Projected Self is a 2-hour online workshop exploring the psychological process of withdrawing projection and integrating disowned or externalized aspects of the personality.
Drawing on Jungian psychology, psychoanalytic thought, and clinical understanding, this workshop examines the often difficult but transformative movement from idealization and unconscious attachment toward greater psychological integration and self-recovery. Participants will explore the emotional reality of disillusionment, the reclaiming of projected qualities, and the development of a more conscious relationship to self and others.
The workshop registration includes live teaching, a recording, the PDF presentation, and reflective exercises to support ongoing psychological insight and integration.
What to expect…
Each workshop includes approximately 90 minutes of teaching, reflection, and depth psychological exploration, followed by a private 30-minute Q&A and discussion space for participants.
These workshops are designed to be intellectually rigorous while remaining accessible and grounded in lived psychological experience. Drawing from Jungian psychology, psychoanalytic thought, and clinical understanding, the material will explore both the theory and lived reality of projection as it appears in relationships, attraction, idealization, emotional triggers, conflict, and everyday life.
Participants can expect a combination of:
Lecture and teaching
Clinical and archetypal examples
Reflective questions and journaling prompts
Opportunities for personal insight and self-observation
Guided exploration of psychological patterns and relational dynamics
The emphasis of this series is not on pathologizing projection, but on understanding it as a natural psychological process that can become a powerful catalyst for greater consciousness, psychological integration, and more authentic relationships to self and others.
The final 30 minutes of each workshop will be reserved for private participant discussion and Q&A. This space is intended to allow for deeper reflection, questions, and integration of the material in a more personal and conversational format.
Please note that these workshops are educational in nature and are not a substitute for psychotherapy or mental health treatment.
About me
Lyna Tevenaz Jones is a psychodynamic and Jungian-informed therapist specializing in depth work with adults and adolescents. In my clinical work, integrate attachment theory, internal family systems, archetypal psychology, and affective neuroscience. My thesis research explored how symbolic imagery and active imagination can restore connection to the Self in the healing of childhood trauma and attachment wounds.
Taking good care of your psyche and your body.
This lecture is intended for educational and self-reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual therapy or professional mental health treatment.
By participating, you acknowledge that any emotional material that may arise is your responsibility to process, and it is strongly recommended that you engage in ongoing personal therapy for deeper integration. While care has been taken to create a safe and thoughtful experience, I am not liable for any psychological discomfort or triggering that may occur. Please honor your own boundaries and seek support from a licensed therapist if needed.
The unconscious is not neutral; it carries both light and shadow, and engaging with it requires reverence, humility, and a grounded internal container. For this reason, we will not be practicing active imagination together live.