When you dissociate and shut down during a therapy session, your therapist's response of speaking quieter and asking simpler questions with yes or no answers is likely an attempt to create a safe and supportive environment for you. Therapists are trained to recognize signs of distress or dissociation in their clients and adapt their approach accordingly. There are a few reasons why your therapist might respond this way:
Reducing Overwhelm: When you dissociate and shut down, it may indicate that you are feeling overwhelmed or experiencing a high level of emotional distress. Speaking quieter and asking simpler questions can help reduce the sensory and cognitive overload, making it easier for you to process and respond.
Facilitating Communication: Dissociation can affect your ability to communicate and express yourself. By asking yes or no questions, your therapist is providing a way for you to participate in the session and communicate without requiring extensive verbal responses.
Enhancing Safety: By adjusting their tone and approach, the therapist is signaling to you that they are aware of your emotional state and are creating a safe and non-threatening environment for you. Feeling safe is crucial in therapy, especially when working through difficult emotions or trauma.
Respecting Boundaries: Dissociation and shutdown can be indicators that you need some space and time to process your emotions. The therapist's approach of speaking quietly and using simple questions respects your boundaries and allows you to engage at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
Encouraging Grounding: Speaking softly and using yes or no questions can also help with grounding techniques, which are designed to help you reconnect with the present moment and your surroundings. Grounding can be beneficial in managing dissociative experiences.
Assessing Readiness: By using yes or no questions, the therapist can gauge your readiness and capacity for more in-depth exploration. This approach allows them to proceed with caution and not push you beyond what you can handle at that moment.
It's important to remember that therapists have different approaches, and their response may vary based on their training and the specific therapeutic model they use. The primary goal is to support you and facilitate a healing process that aligns with your individual needs and experiences.
If you find that you frequently dissociate or shut down during therapy sessions, it would be helpful to discuss this pattern with your therapist. Open communication can lead to a collaborative effort to explore and address the underlying reasons for dissociation and develop coping strategies to manage these experiences effectively.