SYDNEY STURNER, LMSW
Anxiety & Relationship Therapist
Brooklyn and Virtual
Hi, I'm Sydney.
To everyone around you, you have it together. You're the one people come to. But inside, the noise tells a different story. You replay conversations, second-guess your instincts, and hold yourself to a standard that feels impossible to meet.
Maybe you've gotten good at being whoever the moment needs you to be.
Easygoing, low-maintenance, always one step ahead of what someone else might need. It's worked, mostly. But somewhere underneath it, you wonder what it would feel like to be loved without having to earn it first.
In relationships, you overthink everything. You stay too long, leave too fast, or wonder why you keep ending up in the same place no matter how much self-awareness you bring to it.
That's anxiety running the show, even when your life looks fine from the outside.
You don't have to keep living there. That's what we're here for.
HOW I WORK
I work with women who are tired of their own overthinking. Together we'll explore what's driving the anxiety underneath your relationships and your dating life: the beliefs you hold about your worth, the fears you've learned to manage alone, and the unspoken needs that have never felt safe to express.
That means slowing down and looking at what's actually happening beneath the surface, not just the situation, but the story you've been telling yourself about it. We'll work on quieting the inner critic, loosening the grip of perfectionism, and helping you feel actually present in your life rather than always bracing for something to go wrong.
I integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and EMDR to meet you where you are.
WHAT I BELIEVE, AND HOW IT SHAPES MY WORK:
Everyone is capable of change. I have seen it happen, and I believe it can happen for you too.
The relationship between therapist and client is the most important part of the work. Safety, trust, and vulnerability are what make change possible.
Trauma does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like the quiet ways you learned to keep yourself safe. It made sense then. It does not have to be the whole story now.
The way we feel and show up in relationships isn't random. These are ways we have learned to adapt, but they don't have to define who we are.
“Everyone is capable of change.”AREAS OF EXPERTISE
TRAINING & EDUCATION
LICENSURE & EDUCATION
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LMSW)
New York State License NYU Silver School of Social Work
→ Master of Social Work (MSW)
CLINICAL TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
EMDR Levels 1 & 2
→ Personal Transformation Institute
GET TO KNOW ME
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Working with Sydney feels warm and direct, with the sense of being genuinely listened to. She's especially attuned to the quiet ways anxiety and overthinking show up in dating, relationships, and self-worth, and she brings real curiosity to your story without judgment. Clients often say they feel truly understood, like she remembers what matters and helps connect the dots between what's happening now and where it came from.
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Sydney specializes in anxiety, dating and relationship patterns, body image and self-esteem, and EMDR therapy, particularly for women who appear to have it together but feel overwhelmed by overthinking underneath.
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Sydney integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and EMDR, tailoring the mix to what's actually driving your anxiety.
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We're an out-of-network practice, so we don't bill insurance directly. Instead, we provide you with a superbill, an itemized receipt you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Many clients find their out-of-network benefits cover a meaningful portion of session costs. We're also happy to check your specific coverage with you during your free consultation call.
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Sydney primarily works with individuals, often on anxiety as it shows up in dating, relationships, and self-worth.
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Most people start with weekly sessions. Research shows that consistency creates the strongest foundation for progress and change. Over time, clients may transition to biweekly sessions depending on their needs, goals, and stage of therapy.
We’ll work collaboratively to find a rhythm that feels supportive, manageable, and aligned with what you’re looking for.
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Reach out to schedule a free phone consultation, and Sydney will help you figure out if her approach feels like a good fit for what you're navigating.
If you're ready to stop letting anxiety make decisions for you, I’d love to connect.If you're ready to stop letting anxiety make your decisions for you, I'd love to connect. A consultation is a good place to start.