Rorschach test.

Have you considered the possibility that this interaction between you and your therapist resembles Rorschach test?

Therapist holds up email (ink blot) and asks, "What do you see?"
You respond unemotionally at first and then setting aside your indifference about the email become emotionally interactive.
It's kind of like seeing the ink blot and saying with unemotional indifference and aloofness that all you see isink on piece of paper that has been folded in half and then after consideration you see a butterfly.

I wonder if your therapist wanted your emotional reaction to be your first reaction.
Maybe she wanted your default reaction to be emotional because she sees that as your authentic emotional self.
I wonder if that something she saw all 12 months ago. Hence, a comment about your progress.
I I wonder if she views the indifference and aloofness as a harm to yourself in terms of caring for your own emotional well being.