A 38-year-old man with avoidant personality traits and chronic interpersonal difficulties has been in weekly therapy for three months. During a session, he begins to express frustration with the therapist for being late to start the session, then immediately apologizes and withdraws emotionally. The therapist recognizes this as a clinically relevant behavior that mirrors the patient's pattern of suppressing assertiveness in all relationships. Rather than simply discussing this pattern, the therapist warmly reinforces the patient's initial expression of frustration and gently explores what it felt like to assert himself in the moment.