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Sonya Drottar

Sonya Drottar, LCSW

California

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Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Stress and Relationships

  • ACT based work
  • CBT techniques
  • Mindfulness practices

About Sonya

Sonya Drottar is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California with 25 years of professional experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, parenting concerns, and major life changes, and she also works with issues related to trauma, grief, addictions, and relationships.

Sonya uses straightforward conversation to understand what feels hardest right now. She encourages clients to name difficult thoughts and feelings and to notice how those things affect everyday choices. Sessions focus on small, practical steps that match each person’s life and responsibilities.

Her background includes work with caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, blended family concerns, and issues that come up after separation or divorce. She also supports people dealing with attachment questions, communication problems, codependency, and forgiveness struggles.

Sonya draws on several approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and a client-centered stance. That mix helps people view painful feelings differently and test out new behaviors between sessions.

She welcomes international clients and conducts therapy in English. The practice uses a subscription model for sessions that can be canceled at any time, and session costs vary with location. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.

How her approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting driven by them, then choose actions that reflect their values. It can be useful for chronic shame, guilt, and persistent anxiety that get in the way of daily life.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. It teaches practical skills for changing unhelpful thinking patterns and for testing new behaviors that reduce distress over time.

Mindfulness practices are used alongside these methods to increase present-moment awareness and to reduce reactivity to difficult emotions. Mindfulness exercises can be short and fit into a busy day between appointments.

Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. The therapist will review a client’s concerns, goals, and preferences and then try methods that seem most likely to help. Adjustments are made as therapy progresses so the work stays relevant to real life.

Session logistics should be confirmed before booking because the biography does not list specific formats. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a weekday break, reduce travel time, or allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Ask about session length and format when you complete the matching questionnaire to find the best fit.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteemCareer difficulties

Additional focus areas

Attachment issuesBlended family issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPregnancy and childbirthSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

25+ years

Listed in

California

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she help with?

She works with stress, anxiety, parenting issues, relationship and family problems, trauma and abuse, grief, addiction, self esteem, and career concerns.

How would she describe her therapeutic style?

She combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and a client-centered approach to focus on practical steps and present-moment awareness.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has 25 years of professional work experience supporting people through a wide range of life challenges and transitions.

What are her credentials and where does she practice?

She is an LCSW licensed in California and practices with that credential in the state.

Does she work in languages other than English or with international clients?

Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are offered?

Please confirm current session options before booking since specific formats are not listed in the biography.

How much do sessions cost?

Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I get started with therapy?

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.

Sonya DrottarLCSW

Continue with Sonya