When Your Client Doesn’t Know What to Talk About in Session

We’ve all had those moments when a client sits down and says, “I don’t know what to talk about today.”

As a therapist, it can be tempting to rush to fill the silence, come up with the perfect question, or find an intervention to get things moving again.

But you don’t have to have the perfect response. Here are three ways to get the session going while keeping the focus on the client.

1. Revisit the previous session.

Start by checking in on something you discussed last time. Did the client have any new insights during the week? Did they have a chance to practice a coping skill you worked on together?

Even if they didn’t practice the skill, that’s okay! You can explore what got in the way, what came up during the week, or how the skill might fit into their daily life. These questions can help you identify meaningful areas to explore without needing to come up with an entirely new direction for the session.

2. Revisit the treatment plan and goals.

A session without an obvious starting point can be a great opportunity to reconnect with the client’s larger goals.

You might ask, “We’ve been working on a few different things together. Is there anything on your list of goals that feels especially important to focus on today?”

This helps keep treatment collaborative and gives the client an opportunity to identify what feels most relevant to them. It can also help you assess progress, revisit priorities, and determine whether your current focus still aligns with their needs. (A great opportunity to document this as a treatment review!)

3. Allow space for silence.

You don’t have to rush to fill every quiet moment. Sometimes, clients need a little time to reflect on what’s been happening and what they want to bring into the session.

You can reassure them that this is their time, and they don’t need to have everything figured out before they walk through the door.

You might also suggest keeping a running list of thoughts, feelings, or situations they want to discuss during the week. We can normalize how easy it is to forget what happened on Monday by the time Friday rolls around! Jotting down a few notes can help clients remember what felt important when they’re back in session.

A final reminder: Therapy is a collaborative experience. It’s okay to encourage clients to take ownership of their counseling experience while also guiding them in how to do so. Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can do is slow down, get curious, and give clients the space to identify what they need from the session.

And if you’re a newer therapist who feels pressure to always know what to say next, take a breath. You’re allowed to pause, reflect, and collaborate with your client rather than feeling like you have to carry the entire session yourself.