About

Anna Sonoda was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and moved to the States in the mid 1980s. She is a graduate of Emory University, where she double majored in Anthropology and French Studies. Anna earned her Master's degree in Social Work in 2006 at the University of Georgia School of Social Work. She received her clinical license in 2009.

Her clinical experiences include residential mental health, outpatient anger management and domestic violence intervention, and dual diagnosis in both residential and outpatient settings. By far her most influential clinical work came during her years as a cognitive behavioral therapist to sexual offenders. Her counseling experience was enhanced after she became the mother to five children, where she saw firsthand that grooming is where caring adults must focus their attention.

Anna set out in 2020 to re-educate adults about child sexual abuse by concentrating on grooming, the precursor to sexual abuse. She released her debut book, Duck Duck Groom: Understanding How a Child Becomes a Target, in December 2022 as an answer for concerned parents. She speaks to individuals, groups, and agencies about how adults can protect children by preparing themselves.

Anna Sonoda resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her family, along with two pet fish who shockingly continue to survive.