About Sydney
Sydney Erskine is a licensed marriage and family therapist practicing in California with 24 years of experience. She focuses on helping people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy issues, addiction, grief, stress, ADHD, and self-esteem.
Background and approach
She speaks plainly and aims to make the first steps feel manageable for a busy or worried person. Sydney draws on a blend of approaches to meet each person where they are.
She uses client-centered work to listen deeply and help people feel seen. She also uses emotionally-focused methods to look at patterns in close relationships and somatic techniques to notice how the body holds stress and emotion.
Her background includes work in addiction treatment programs, dual-diagnosis settings, and independent practice in the Bay Area. Over two decades of practice have shaped a flexible style that mixes practical skills with reflective conversation.
That means some sessions look at immediate coping tools and others dig into how past relationships influence current choices. Sessions often begin with a clear look at what brought someone in and what change would feel meaningful.
Together they set small, measurable goals and build steps to reach them. The focus is on workable practices - better sleep habits, clearer communication, or calmer reactions to stress.
Sydney emphasizes a whole-life view that includes biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors. She partners with people to uncover values, shift unhelpful patterns, and create practical routines that support lasting change.
Her aim is to help people move toward greater authenticity and a sense of purpose.
Approaches that translate well to online therapy
Client-centered therapy focuses on active, empathetic listening and helping people feel understood. This approach is useful when someone needs space to process emotions, build self-awareness, and name what matters most in their life.Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) looks at patterns in close relationships and how emotions drive interactions. EFT helps when communication gets stuck or when people want to change repeating cycles with partners or close others.
Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention practices to reduce rumination and stress and to improve emotional regulation. These skills are helpful for anxiety, sleep problems, and managing daily triggers.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to discover which methods fit their goals and preferences. That might mean trying brief solution-focused steps for immediate relief, then adding deeper emotionally-focused or somatic work over time.
Online sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video is useful for face-to-face conversations and body language, phone calls work well when bandwidth is limited, and brief live chat or messaging help with quick check-ins or on-the-go support. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving, or travel while keeping the focus on steady progress and practical tools.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
Also works with
- Abandonment
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating disorders
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Somatization
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 24 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English