Steve Is 21 Years Old and Has Never Gone on a Date

Steve is 21 years old and has never gone on a date. His parents are concerned and take him to see a therapist. The therapist tells Steve to lie down on the couch and relax. The therapist sits behind Steve and asks him to say whatever comes into his head. Steve eventually talks about his fear of women, which leads him to think about his early experiences with women: his mother, her friends, his teachers, and so on. Steve is using __________

A) counterconditioning.
B) pole-shifting.
C) free association.
D) the empty chair technique.