Hi. I am new to this site, and I feel like an entire 180-pound woman has slid off my stooped shoulders. I feel free--and sane--for the first time in years.

My MIL has said the following to me:
"I can't believe that a smart man like your father would marry a woman like your mother."
"Well, you're average, but [my husband] is special."
And so on.
But she is a therapist, so she can never, ever, ever be the one who is wrong. She is the one who "understands" human relationships, so she is the one who "explains" to me how I have "misinterpreted."

Of course, then she has an "I will never apologize" breakdown:
"If I believed I could ever have said any of those things, I deserve to cut my throat! I don't deserve to do the work I do! I deserve to die!"
and then a few moments later, of course:
"But you just misunderstood."
And later:
"I'm glad you acknowledge that your temper makes you misunderstand" (!!?????).
And finally, on a nice colorful note, sent about a week after the exchange in which she said the "slit my throat" thing:
"I'm glad you're going to work on your temper."
And when I dared to mention the things she said to me again:
"I don't understand why you lecture me and hurt my feelings, when I just worry that I'll never see you two again and I'll never get to have a relationship with my son and I'm dying and I won't bother you for long and it's been such a long struggle for me!"

Are you saying that I am not crazy? That these things that really don't seem like apologies, I don't have to accept as such? Oh, GOD thank you.