I understand what he is saying and I think he is right about how he can't say anything even remotely non-cuddly without a high likelihood of out of proportion upsettness it creates. People get irritated with each other and get over it all the time. But one can't walk on eggshells around someone either. I understand him being mystified.
Isn't he mainly a sports psychologist - trying to get athletes over a mental block or to have confidence seems a very different skill set than the one Lt is looking for.