Interesting question, and I guess you're asking it because you have some vague perhaps only distantly conscious sense of its meaning that's telling you this is important. (And thanks for sharing this too .)

I couldn't even begin to think what to say (but I'm going to anyway ) except that to me your response to his comment is following a pretty logical way of thinking/experiencing - if your childhood wasn't safe and you continue to feel unsafe currently both in real world and in therapy, then his saying something that on the face of it sounds like he's contradicting himself (you still feel unsafe - ergo you mustn't be doing 'great' at therapy, this being how I'd read it anyway - and then to be told I'm doing great would pretty much confound my expectations and understanding, so yeah I can see why you'd be feeling wary unsettled and suspicious.)

But that's me projecting. What do you think was going on?