I would always pick honesty over someone blowing smoke up my rear. However, I don't think anyone posting here has advocated blindly challenging ever.

There is a point about timing, and I have noticed my T will on occasion wait to bring something up until he thinks I'm ready. But he is always trying to help me move forward as quickly as I am able to tolerate and have enough respect for me to not coddle me or assume I am not strong enough to tolerate the work. At one point he told me that he generally estimates six to ten years of therapy to recover from certain traumas I experience. I have made it clear to him that no way in hell am I staying in therapy for six freaking years, and I want him helping me move forward as quickly as possible.

He also has enough respect for me to tell me the truth and challenge me when my behavior is unhealthy or when I am trying to evade something. He will let me back off a subject, but makes it clear that he has noted the evasion and that this is something we need to return to when I am able. When I am engaging in unhealthy behaviors, he tells me and wants to discuss how to address the underlying emotions or thoughts that are causing me to behave in that way. That is what I want from my therapist, my friends and my spouse.