validation and self awareness

I had a really interesting T session today. After 6 months I'm starting to feel that T understands me. We talked about my attachment to T1. I arrived wanting to talk about T1's countertransference and really strongly wanting to unpick what was going on for him. T questioned why it was so important for me to know and I said I wanted him to like me, to care (and actually to desire me sexually too). Then we started to explore my
need for validation. As we talked it became apparent T1 exposed an unmet need for validation in me. My dad would always (jokingly) knock me down and never said anything encouraging.
T1 made me feel special, he made me feel cared for. I don't think T1 was wrong to do those things but the fact that neither of us saw the significance of what was happening is why rupture occurred.
T said T1's greatest gift to me was exposing the need for validation which I can now give attention to (I still need to work out how to do that)
I feel like I've come a long way since I joined PC nearly a year ago

it sounds like a good appointment.

That's good news! Thanks for sharing.
I hope the good work you're doing continues!

Sounds like you are doing some really good work!

I have a huge need for validation too and we talked about it again tonight. Too many times I was told my feelings were wrong. We haven't discussed yet how to fulfill that need.

That sounds good. Thank you for sharing.

Congratulations!