- Attachment issues
- Family patterns
- Forgiveness work
About Summer
Summer Ratliff, LICSW, is a licensed independent clinical social worker in Minnesota with 10 years of clinical experience. She works with people who are managing mood disorders such as bipolar and those navigating ADHD. She also addresses related concerns like self-worth, communication struggles, and forgiveness.
Summer helps clients unpack difficult family patterns and attachment concerns. She talks through abandonment, codependency, and family of origin problems in straightforward ways. She also supports people facing addiction, self-harm behaviors, and co-occurring challenges that complicate treatment.
Her style is person-centered and collaborative. She listens, asks practical questions, and helps people weigh options rather than prescribing one path. Summer pays attention to how faith, values, or secular perspectives shape a person’s choices.
In sessions she focuses on what feels most pressing and actionable. That might mean working on communication skills, noticing patterns that lead to impulsive behavior, or sorting through feelings of emptiness and shame. The work aims to identify small changes that can reduce daily strain.
Summer draws on a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques and adapts them to each person’s needs. She encourages clients to try approaches that fit their goals and to reassess as they go. The process is practical and paced to each individual.
Evidence-based approaches and online sessions
Summer draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on helping people change patterns that keep them stuck. One common approach she uses emphasizes noticing patterns in relationships and behavior, which helps when dealing with attachment issues, abandonment, or codependency by making repeated interactions easier to spot and adjust. Another approach she applies centers on mood regulation and practical strategies for daily life. This style teaches concrete tools to manage mood swings and impulsive actions, which can be useful for people with bipolar or ADHD when they need steadier routines and clearer decision points. Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Summer works with each person to try methods that fit their goals and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as progress or new challenges emerge. Confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats. Many people choose online sessions because they can fit therapy into a busy day, have a shorter check-in when needed, or avoid travel time. Talk with her during the matching steps to learn which session formats she currently offers and which will work best for your schedule.Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
10+ years
Listed in
Minnesota
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She works with bipolar disorder and ADHD and addresses related issues such as abandonment, codependency, family of origin problems, and forgiveness.
How would she approach feelings of guilt or shame?
She uses a person-centered approach that helps name the feelings, trace where they come from, and test small changes in behavior and thinking to reduce their hold.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 10 years of experience working with emotional and relational challenges in clinical settings.
What credential does she hold and where does she practice?
She is a LICSW - licensed independent clinical social worker - practicing in Minnesota.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people from other countries work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Cost varies by location; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.