Squiggle, I have those times too. I usually start by saying that I feel like I have nothing to talk about.
Her: What's that about, do you think?
Me:
Well, actually sometimes that does work and I can spontaneously reply and we are off, but not always. But she is patient and open to anything and everything, of course. Sometimes it does feel more like sharing with a friend when I begin, but we go in a different direction than I would with a friend. We explore. Which is usually really interesting but sometimes intimidating and can make me hesitate to begin talking about something. About that boundary, I let her establish it: it is my work to talk about anything and everything, and it is her work to make that useful and respond in a therapeutic way.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that it is similar to a friendship in that sometimes we connect really solidly and other times not so much. Sometime I leave there walking on air and wishing I could have therapy every day, and other times I leave wondering what's the big deal about therapy anyway.

Sometimes my not having anything to talk about leads to talking about - again - what that IS about: the fears of sounding stupid, of her being bored with me, of me talking about things that are unimportant or trivial, of introspection, of being vulnerable, etc.

When I go in convinced that I have nothing to talk about, and I don't fight that idea, it is interesting what comes to mind and where the session goes.

But when I judge myself for having nothing to talk about, when I criticize and demean myself, then it makes it that much harder. It's hard to begin when I am busy punishing myself So when we talk about what it's like to have nothing to talk about, I can move away from the self-criticisms, and I feel my mind relaxing and opening up.

If you haven't already, you might talk about what it is like to look at old pictures and the feelings that come up when you do. Maybe take that grade school picture with you and talk about what it was like to look at that and that you were surprised at what you felt when you did. Your observations about what you felt are really interesting and it sounds like it would make for an interesting session too.