I’m so sorry about all the abuse you’ve endured

And that therapist? “He basically told me I wasn’t being paranoid” - hmmmmm......... that does not sound at all helpful to you. I have no idea why the therapist said something so weird and questionable

Maybe you were / are looking at that comment the “wrong” way?

Possibly.. but my guess is that he was intentionally trying to be discouraging .

As for his reason, I don’t know