The Work with Melissa Ratliff-Sorrell

01/13/2026

I remember sitting in class with my mentor and spiritual teacher, talking about the loops we find ourselves in.

Thirty years into my own personal work — therapy, training, spiritual study — and I was still encountering the same internal experiences:
fear of rejection,
people-pleasing,
rescuing,
and that deep desire to be loved no matter what.

Different faces.
Different seasons.
Same feelings.

She looked at me and said,
“Melissa, the ego — the lower, survival mind — is always going to have a problem.”

It hit me all at once.

I could stay in this loop forever if I didn’t plug in.

That moment wasn’t about more healing.
It was a reclamation of power.

A recognition that I was never meant to do this alone — and that there was no level of awakening I could reach that would suddenly fix my life.

The shift was internal.
I stopped looking outside myself and turned fully toward the Power within.

This is the work I’m opening space for now.

The Power Intensive
January 24–25 | Tupelo, MS
Meals included

Use code SOULWORK for $222 off.

More to come.

01/05/2026

You don’t need more healing.

At some point, healing without power becomes another loop.

Power isn’t force.
It isn’t control.
It isn’t dominance.

Power is capacity.
The capacity to choose.
To respond instead of react.
To stay present when life asks more of you.

When power is lost, people don’t fail —
they fragment, over-function, shut down, or stay stuck repeating patterns they understand but can’t move through.

This is the work I’m opening space for next.

The Power Intensive
January 24–25 | In person | Tupelo, MS

I’ll share more tomorrow — but for now, let this land.

02/20/2025

If you like bourbon…you’ll love this…

11/19/2024

Never test your partner—you’ll always be the one who loses.

Let’s talk about those moments when we “test” our partners—dropping hints, playing games, or creating situations just to see how they’ll react. Maybe it’s ignoring their texts to see if they’ll chase you or setting up a scenario to “prove” their loyalty.

These tests might feel like a way to validate our fears or needs, but here’s the truth: they erode trust and create distance. Testing isn’t love—it’s control wrapped in insecurity.

Instead of playing games, try this:
👉 Be clear about your needs. Say what you want and why it matters to you.
👉 Address your fears. If you’re testing, it often means there’s an underlying wound asking to be healed.
👉 Build trust, not traps. Healthy relationships thrive on open communication, not hidden agendas.

When we test, we risk damaging the connection we’re trying so hard to protect. So next time you catch yourself setting up a “test,” pause and ask yourself: What am I really afraid of? Lean into that vulnerability instead of the games—it’s where true intimacy grows.

What’s your take? Have you ever fallen into this pattern? Let’s get real in the comments.

11/15/2024

because and don’t ever let another person or experience teach you differently.

11/13/2024