Sonya Drottar , LCSW

Sonya Drottar is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in California with 25 years of professional experience. She supports individuals and families facing stress, anxiety, parenting and blended family challenges, relationship and attachment concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, compassion fatigue, addictions, self-esteem struggles, career issues, and the many adjustments that come with major life changes.

Drawing on a range of evidence-informed methods including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing, she helps clients identify values, build practical coping skills, and reshape unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior. Her approach integrates skill-building with compassionate listening so that therapy can address both immediate symptoms and longer-term goals.

Sonya creates an open and nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be explored honestly. She emphasizes collaboration, helping each person set goals and choose steps that fit their situation. She also works with international clients and brings decades of clinical experience to complex family and caregiving dynamics, chronic health and pain concerns, addiction, and the stresses of caregiving and first-responder roles.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Sonya commonly integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Client-Centered Therapy into her online work. ACT helps people notice and accept difficult thoughts and feelings while clarifying personal values and committing to small, meaningful actions - it is often used for stress, anxiety, and life transitions. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, active listening, and collaboration so clients can explore feelings at their own pace and build self-understanding; this approach supports work on self-esteem, relationship dynamics, and caregiving stress.

She can also draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to identify and shift patterns of thinking and behavior that contribute to anxiety, low mood, or addictive behaviors. Choosing the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process - Sonya works with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences and adjusts the plan as progress unfolds.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for busy schedules, caregiving responsibilities, or long-distance arrangements. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care and access therapeutic support from wherever clients are located.