shut downs

This may be a foolish question, without a real answer, but I'm curious if anyone can explain shut-downs. At times during therapy,my tlwill ask a question, or say something that just seems to shut me down. I can't seem to formulate a thought. I just sit there, stuck. Lately it happens whenever he uses a particular voice that just seems too relaxed and friendly. It's like my brain just freezes. There's not a particular emotion related to it, I don't feel scared or embarrassed or anything like that. It just feels blank. Then, after a bit, I find myself trying to come up with some sort of response or reply, but still feel unable. Are other people familiar with this? Anyone have any theories? thanks for any input
Quay

I have shut downs quite frequently. I can't think of anything to say, so I just stop. My therapist has asked me whether I was avoiding or shut down, and we talked about what the difference is. Avoiding is won't or don't want to go there, while shut down is can't. She said that shut down was okay, if that was where I was. Then she would let me off the hook, whereas she wouldn't let me off if I was avoiding.

I think that some things might really be too hard or you're just not ready for them yet. But that doesn't mean you never will be ready to go there.

Does that help?

Rap

OH yes!!! It happens often to me.... mine is caused by PTSD... or stress in general! I don't have to feel stressed, nor anxious... just...am. It only worsens for me if I become frustrated that it happened! I have to take a deep breath, smile or smirk and allow it to be. Forcing does NO good for me.

I hope you can accept that this is happening. Perhaps you are covering too much in session, and need to slow down? This might be your brain telling you so.

TC!

It's good to hear that it happens to others also. My t said something similar to Rap's, about it being ok if I just couldn't seem to answer right then. I just kind of wondered where my brain goes when that happens. Now that you mention it, Sky, stress does generally seem to be a factor.
thanks for your replies
Quay

LOL oh man right time for this.

I went to therapy today with next to nothing sleepwise and hung over from too much benedryl in attempting to allieviate allegy and insomnia.

The result - I could not even begin to make any sense of LL's questions let alone fully answer them. I just kept drawing a blank including when she was reading an introduction to a relaxation visualization that we are planning for my next session. She ended up asking if I wanted her to photocopy it for me so I could read it later. LOL even when LL was trying to ask me a question about something I had wrote I could not explain it other than to say "It does matter because its none of your business when....".
I came home and got a little bit of sleep.

When this kind of thing happens to me I journal write on what I drew blanks about and then give it to my therapist.