Sonya Drottar , LCSW

Sonya Drottar is a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of experience based in California. She helps people manage stress and anxiety, navigate parenting and family challenges, and cope with major life changes. She aims to create an open, nonjudgmental space where clients can talk through difficult feelings and decide what matters most to them.

Her approach is practical and down to earth. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and mindfulness to help people notice unhelpful patterns and focus on meaningful action. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and motivational interviewing are used to break down problems into small, manageable steps and build forward momentum.

Sonya has worked with a wide range of concerns including trauma and abuse, grief, addiction, chronic illness, and compassion fatigue. She also supports people facing relationship strain, communication problems, divorce and separation, and blended family issues. Her background includes long-term clinical work, so she brings steady experience to complex situations.

Sessions focus on clear goals and usable skills. Clients can expect to work on thoughts and behaviors, practice mindful strategies, and build habits that fit everyday life. She also addresses career stress, self-esteem, and commitment or codependency issues when these affect daily functioning.

Sonya offers services in English and accepts international clients. Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. New clients begin by completing a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a first session.

Approaches you can use online with Sonya

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take committed steps toward them even when difficult feelings are present. It can be useful for anxiety, life transitions, and finding direction when things feel chaotic.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It is practical in format and can help with anxiety, stress, addiction-related patterns, and mood struggles.

Sonya treats finding the right approach as a team effort. She will talk with each person about goals and preferences and then try methods that fit those needs. Adjustments are made over time so the work stays relevant and doable.

Online therapy gives options for how and when to connect. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and exercise demonstrations, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or hands-free check-ins are needed, and live chat or text-based messaging can support brief check-ins, homework, or ongoing coaching between sessions. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep momentum between meetings.