Sonia Dugay, BACP

Sonia Dugay is a BACP counsellor based in the United Kingdom who offers calm, non-judgemental support for people facing relationship and life stress. She is approachable and practical, and helps people talk through worries such as anxiety, low self-esteem, intimacy difficulties and problems that follow trauma. Sonia aims to make the first step easier and to help clients find a bit more hope for the future.

Sonia draws on a person-centred way of working that focuses on listening and helping people find their own answers. She also uses psychodynamic ideas to look at how earlier life experiences can still affect someone now. Together these approaches allow space for immediate coping strategies and for understanding deeper patterns.

Her background includes time at a support centre for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, where she supported people dealing with anxiety, anger, difficulties with intimacy, eating-related problems and self-harm. More recently she has worked in independent practice and has seen people affected by loneliness, career change and mid-life relationship struggles.

Sonia also works with concerns linked to family and parenting, breakup and separation, abandonment and attachment issues, body image, compassion fatigue and guilt or shame. She welcomes people who identify as LGBT and has experience supporting those impacted by domestic violence and trauma.

Outside of counselling Sonia values regular exercise, such as brisk walking or dance, as part of maintaining mental health. She describes herself as warm and friendly and aims to offer a listening space without judgement so clients can explore practical steps forward.

How Sonia’s approaches work online

Client-centred therapy involves the counsellor listening closely and reflecting what matters to the client so they can find their own solutions. It is useful for improving self-esteem, relationship worries and decision-making.

Psychodynamic work looks at patterns that began earlier in life and how they turn up now. It can help when recurring relationship issues, attachment concerns or feelings of emptiness are present.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Sonia will discuss goals and preferences in early sessions and suggest which ways of working might suit each person. The plan is collaborative and can change as needs become clearer.

Please confirm the session formats available before booking, as specific online options are not listed here. Online counselling can make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives, reduce travel time and allow appointments during a lunch break or between commitments. It also means people can connect from different locations, which may suit those living abroad or balancing work and family responsibilities.