joining technique (noun) : the idea that one "joins" the experience of another's misguided/misplaced emotions (ie, not an expression of their true feelings) rather than respond with a reaction to those misguided/misplaced emotions
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Apparently this technique of modern analysis (developed by Dr Hyman Spotnitz), assists the analyst in helping analysands previously thought to be beyond help. Meaning that the analyst agrees with the analysand when the individual expresses his/her feelings, even when the analysand actually is resisting his/her true feelings.
http://modernpsychoanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/06/clinical-techniques-4-joining.html
So when a female patient says she keeps falling for the unavailable guys and getting hurt and expresses a feeling of anger towards the guys (who don't necessarily say that they are unavailable), or even anger towards the therapist for not helping her choose better men, the therapist "joins" her feelings and agrees with her by saying things like, "I understand that you would feel that way, and I'm sorry that happened for you" instead of reacting defensively to the misguided feelings that the patient is having.
Because most likely deep down in some repressed place, the woman feels unworthy of a good guy. And there's no way that the therapist (or any friend for that matter) is going to get that woman to stop repressing simply by pointing it out or reacting to the misguided/misplace feelings that replace the repressed feeling.
Head spinning a bit? It gets worse in part 2.
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