Sonia Dugay, BACP

Sonia Dugay is a registered counsellor based in the south of the United Kingdom with nine years of clinical experience supporting people through trauma, relationship challenges and major life changes. She has worked extensively in a support centre for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, and that work informs her trauma-sensitive approach when addressing issues such as anxiety, anger management, low self-esteem, intimacy difficulties, eating disorders, self-harm and relationship problems.

More recently Sonia has worked in private practice and provided support during the lockdown period, helping young adults who experienced loneliness, anxiety and career transitions as well as people facing midlife uncertainty, relationship breakdowns or low confidence. She has also provided counselling for people dealing with unexpected DNA results and the emotional questions those discoveries can bring.

Sonia practices in a nonjudgmental, listening-led way and holds the BACP credential, which denotes membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She draws on a client-centered perspective that encourages clients to find their own answers while also using psychodynamic ideas to explore how earlier life experiences may continue to shape current patterns and feelings. Sonia aims to create a warm therapeutic space where difficult topics can be spoken about and pathways forward can be discovered together.

Outside of work Sonia finds that regular exercise such as brisk walking or dance classes supports wellbeing. Raised in a broadly Christian household but not currently practising, she remains open to understanding other cultures and beliefs. Sonia is described as friendly and warm and looks forward to meeting people who are ready to begin therapy.