Yes. Both a thing I feel, and my therapist verbalizes it regularly. Mostly, it's easy to feel appreciation for feeling like somebody feels a protective surge towards me like that.

Not always. Sometimes, if I am basking in appreciation of her protectiveness and love I get a sudden bitter little voice reminding me it's probably just the same way volunteers want to protect the stay dogs they look after in the pound from being destroyed. A generic protectiveness borne out of pity and basic human decency.