Near and Dear Therapy

Near and Dear Therapy Holistic and Compassionate Care and Insights I focus on creating a space where you feel seen, supported, and grounded — a space where real growth can unfold.

👋 Welcome — I'm Amy Ratkovich, LMFT
I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist serving clients in both California and Wisconsin. With over nine years of experience, I support individuals navigating ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship challenges.

🌀 My Approach
Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. My work is rooted in deep, intuitive listening and a blend of person-centered, psychodyn

amic, and eclectic therapies. Together, we explore your patterns, your needs, and your strengths — not from a place of fixing, but from a place of rediscovering what’s already whole within you.

🌿 What You Can Expect
Sessions are collaborative, compassionate, and paced to meet you where you are. You’ll build insight, learn practical coping strategies, and deepen your connection to yourself. Whether you’re working through something specific or seeking long-term personal growth, I’m here to walk with you.

Sometimes when we become dysregulated due to a perceive disconnect between us and the people we are attached to, it can ...
04/28/2026

Sometimes when we become dysregulated due to a perceive disconnect between us and the people we are attached to, it can be hard to slow down and ask what is really going on here?
If this resonates with you, no matter how bleak it feels we can return to a felt sense of internal safety regardless of what is going on "out there."

If you would like to learn more, please visit my website.

Warmly,
Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308

www.neardeartherapy.com

Forgetting isn’t indifference.In ADHD, working memoryand attention regulationdon’t always hold onto what matters—even wh...
04/26/2026

Forgetting isn’t indifference.

In ADHD, working memory
and attention regulation
don’t always hold onto what matters—
even when it really matters.

This isn’t a character flaw.
It’s a processing difference.

I would love to help you learn how your unique mind works, so you can more more easily in the world, showing up in the ways you want.

If this resonates with you, trust that and reach out today.

Warmly,

Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308

www.neardeartherapy.com

I support women struggling with both ADHD and managing life, particularly relationships. I am a proponent of us all lea...
04/24/2026

I support women struggling with both ADHD and managing life, particularly relationships. I am a proponent of us all learning our own minds in order to move more easily in the world.

The deep transformational work done in psychodynamic therapy allows for this.
Visit my website to learn more or to get started.

Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308
http://neardeartherapy.com

If you are struggling to be the change you want to see, let's talk.www.neardeartherapy.comAmy Ratkovich LMFT 124308
04/22/2026

If you are struggling to be the change you want to see, let's talk.
www.neardeartherapy.com
Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308

If you ware struggling to be the change you want to see in the world, come talk to me.Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308www.neard...
04/16/2026

If you ware struggling to be the change you want to see in the world, come talk to me.
Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308
www.neardeartherapy.com

I specialize in working with ADHD but I see the overlap every day. Let's move past just "awareness" toward true acceptan...
04/15/2026

I specialize in working with ADHD but I see the overlap every day.
Let's move past just "awareness" toward true acceptance that humans come in variety on the inside too.

A sneak peak at my next blog on April 15th!Your taxes will be done (hopefully) and you can return your attention to othe...
04/10/2026

A sneak peak at my next blog on April 15th!
Your taxes will be done (hopefully) and you can return your attention to other things including your relationships.
If you have symptoms of ADHD, this post will help you understand the impact it can have in intimate relationships.
I attempt to back my writings with science and include all references. This isn't just my clinical opinion, but the hard work of many people attempting to support those of us with more sensitive nervous systems.
Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Warmly,
Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308

Dear Community,As you may know I focus my work on supporting folks with the ADHD symptoms, but today I want to shine a l...
04/10/2026

Dear Community,
As you may know I focus my work on supporting folks with the ADHD symptoms, but today I want to shine a light on the overlap my work has with Autism.

This "overlap" means that many of the strategies we use for ADHD—like visual schedules or sensory tools—are also huge wins for Autistic individuals.
Just a friendly reminder that we have a great deal of variety on the inside of us as well as on the outside.

Warmly,

Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308

Dear Friends and Community,I hope you have been enjoying my blog series about therapy and ADHD. I will have another pos...
04/08/2026

Dear Friends and Community,

I hope you have been enjoying my blog series about therapy and ADHD. I will have another post coming soon about these topics scheduled for April 15th. In the mean time please check out my past blogs.

www.neardeartherapy.com/blog

Warmly,

Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308

A seek peak at my up coming blog out on April. On the day that romantic relationships are in the spotlight, let's shed a...
03/30/2026

A seek peak at my up coming blog out on April. On the day that romantic relationships are in the spotlight, let's shed a compassionate light on how romantic relationships are affected by symptoms of ADHD. ⁠
⁠
Dear Near and Dear Readers,⁠
⁠
Intimate relationships often bring out the best and the most challenging parts of ourselves. When ADHD is part of the picture, misunderstandings and frustrations can grow quickly. Many couples find themselves caught in cycles of blame and hurt, not realizing that the root of their struggles often lies in how ADHD affects executive functioning and nervous system regulation. Recognizing these underlying factors can shift relationships from conflict zones to places of compassion and creativity.⁠
⁠
In this post, we explore how ADHD impacts the brain’s ability to manage attention, emotions, and impulses, especially in close partnerships. We will also discuss practical ways to support nervous system regulation and executive functioning to foster healthier, more understanding connections.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
www.neardeartherapy.com⁠
⁠
Amy Ratkovich, LMFT #124308

Nancy McWilliams: Personality with Compassion (1994)In 1994, Nancy McWilliams published Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, a land...
03/18/2026

Nancy McWilliams: Personality with Compassion (1994)

In 1994, Nancy McWilliams published Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, a landmark text that reshaped how clinicians understand personality. Rather than viewing personality styles primarily through a disorder-based lens, she described them as adaptive organizations of the self — coherent ways of surviving, relating, and managing emotion.

McWilliams emphasized that what we call “narcissistic,” “obsessive,” “hysterical,” or “depressive” personalities are not moral failings or character flaws. They are structured patterns that developed for a reason — often in response to early relational environments.

Her work shifted the focus from symptom-labeling to structural understanding. When we understand personality as organized adaptation, shame decreases. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” we begin asking, “What was this pattern trying to protect?”

Understanding structure increases flexibility. When women can recognize their relational patterns as protective strategies rather than identity defects, they gain room for choice. Compassion replaces self-criticism. And with compassion comes the possibility of change.

Amy Ratkovich LMFT 124308

www.neardeartherapy.com












P.S. If you are interested in buying this book now, please do so through my affiliated link. You will help support me in continuing the legacy of women in psychology.

https://linkin.bio/amyratkovich79

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1460 Maria Lane #300
Walnut Creek, CA
94598

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