My T acknowledges that he doesn't know what it's like and validates that, yes, it's really ****ing hard, and, yes, it really ****ing sucks.
Then he adds that he also has hope/believes that I can make progress, it will become easier, things aren't going to hurt this much forever. He sometimes brings up the progress I've made.

I think it helps that he will openly admit that he has no clue what it's like and he can only imagine how difficult it must be. I think that's easier for me than a T who had similar issues.

Have you expressed these things to your T? Do you know what kind of response you would (or wouldn't) want?