Sonia Dugay, BACP

Sonia Dugay is a BACP-registered counsellor based in the South of the UK who has worked extensively with people affected by trauma and a wide range of emotional difficulties. She spent a significant period supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse, and has worked with the related challenges that often follow such experiences, including anxiety, anger management, low self-esteem, intimacy difficulties, eating disorders, self-harm, and relationship problems.

More recently Sonia has worked in private practice and responded to the changing needs that emerged during lockdown, seeing young adults struggling with loneliness, anxiety and career transitions as well as people in midlife facing relationship strain or low confidence. She has also supported clients dealing with issues related to DNA surprises. Sonia offers a calm space to talk through difficult topics and aims to help clients find more hope for the future by listening first and drawing out the client’s own resources.

Her practice draws on a person-centred approach - which trusts that the client has many of the answers - and psychodynamic work that explores how earlier life experiences can shape present patterns. Outside of her clinical work she values physical activity, finding that brisk walks and dance help her stay grounded, and she describes herself as friendly, warm and open to different cultural and religious perspectives.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support

Client-centred therapy focuses on creating a respectful, non-directive space where the client’s own perspective and choices guide the work. It helps people who need support building self-awareness, confidence and clarity during life transitions or relationship difficulties.

Psychodynamic therapy explores how past experiences and early relationships can influence present feelings and patterns. This approach can be helpful for those seeking to understand recurring relationship issues, attachment concerns or long-standing emotional themes.

Trauma-focused therapy attends directly to the impact of traumatic events and the symptoms they can leave behind. This work aims to reduce the emotional hold of traumatic memories and to support recovery from abuse, neglect or sudden, destabilising experiences.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey and Sonia will work collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences. She and the client decide together how to proceed and adapt the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging make it possible to work around busy schedules, family commitments and geographical distance. For many people these options increase accessibility and allow continuity of care while working with registered professionals and experienced therapists.