The thing today is that he recognized how some issues I've dealt with regarding him and our relationship have helped me with my outside life (like, I have similar concerns in my relationship with him that I do regarding friends and family). But he said he'd rather I leave him out of it if possible, to just skip that step in talking to him if I have a realization about something.

And in a way, I get that, but if talking about the step in between (involving him) helps me, then I don't see what's so bad, aside from his personal discomfort, about mentioning it in the process of talking about things. Do I really need to protect/take care of the therapist that much? Isn't that part of the point of paying them? For them to take care of their own stuff? Otherwise, how is it that much different from a friendship, except that I'm also paying for it?