Often my therapist tells me I'm going through "a lot." I find this puzzling since whatever it is is almost never what I define as "a lot."

So like work stress is "a lot." Getting celiac disease was "a lot." Being upset with a friend or family member is "a lot." Even all three together, "a lot" to her but not to me (others may disagree).

The only thing I would agree was "a lot" was the fall when in a space of a couple months my older cat died, I left my abusive husband, I got sick and lost 1/3 of my body weight, and I had two surgeries, during one of which the ventilator broke. That's a lot, I think. What she says is "a lot" is normal life stuff to me.

I don't argue with her about it, it's not important to what she's saying. I just roll my eyes inwardly if I find it irritating and get what I can out of the session.

But it seems like over-validation (again, to me). So I'm curious: what would your therapist define as "a lot"? Do they talk in those kinds of terms?