Defence Mechanisms at Work: The Hidden Barriers to Growth and Innovation

We like to think of ourselves as rational, objective professionals. Yet beneath the surface, our minds are busy protecting us from discomfort in ways we rarely notice. These unconscious strategies - known as defence mechanisms - shape how we react to feedback, handle conflict, and navigate change.

In this talk, I’ll introduce some of the most common defence mechanisms we encounter in everyday life: rationalisation, avoidance, projection, and more. We’ll explore how they quietly undermine our effectiveness - turning collaboration into competition, silencing innovative ideas, and keeping us repeating old patterns instead of moving forward.

The good news? Defence mechanisms aren’t bad; they’re just outdated tools trying to keep us safe. By recognising them in ourselves and others, we gain the freedom to choose differently: to face challenge without defensiveness, to listen more openly, and to work with greater creativity and resilience. Expect to leave with fresh insight into your own patterns, practical strategies for breaking through them, and a deeper understanding of the human dynamics that shape success in STEM and beyond.

This talk draws on the material I teach in my flagship training programmes: Essential Psychodynamics for Coaches and Advanced & Applied Psychodynamics. These courses equip professionals and coaches to understand unconscious processes and use that knowledge to work more effectively with people. You’ll get a flavour of the kinds of tools and insights I share with coaches and leaders worldwide, applied directly to your context in STEM.

About the speaker

Julia Rogers is a Master Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and a Senior Practitioner with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC). She holds an MA in Psychodynamic Studies and is a qualified coaching supervisor.

With over 20 years of experience, Julia specialises in making psychodynamic theory practical, accessible, and immediately useful for professionals. She trains coaches internationally through her courses Essential Psychodynamics for Coaches and Advanced & Applied Psychodynamics for Coaches, coaches senior leaders, and hosts the popular podcast The Dynamics of Everyday Life.

Her expertise lies in helping people uncover the hidden forces that influence their behaviour - particularly defence mechanisms, transference, and the unconscious patterns that shape workplace culture. Julia’s blend of academic rigour, real-world coaching practice, and engaging storytelling makes her an ideal guide to understanding why we get in our own way - and how to move beyond it.

Connect with Julia Rogers here:

• Website: www.dynamicsofeveryday.life
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-rogers-cpc-mcc-ma-a2238bb8/
• Podcast: The Dynamics of Everyday Life (available on Apple, Spotify & all major platforms)
• Training: Essential Psychodynamics for Coaches and Advanced & Applied Psychodynamics for Coaches — Training Overview

This event was organized by Mums In Science. Supported By Cancer Care Parcel