In the unreal world that is psychotherapy, this is considered a good thing. Good, in the sense that once a patient/client starts projecting his beliefs and fears onto the therapist a clearer picture of what really is bothering the person comes to light. When the discussion moves to why the client feels the therapist is acting a certain way it is an opening to why the client is acting that way (or afraid to act a certain way).

The act or process of projection, although a defense mechanism, is fuel for the theraputic process. A standard way to tell when this process is occuring is when a client begins to comment on how the therapist is not "sharing of himself" and is closed off from the client (similar to transference).