Meet Dr. Essid
Hi! I'm Dr. Emily Essid, a licensed clinical psychologist offering online therapy to adults in California. I also offer sessions in French.
I've have specialized training in perinatal and postpartum mental health, relationship patterns, and psychodynamic therapy. My work focuses on the patterns that shape how you relate to yourself and to the people closest to you.
I grew up between several cultures, and it made me attentive to things that often go unspoken in families: the roles we're assigned, the expectations we inherit, the quiet work of belonging. I bring that same attention to therapy, where family history and cultural context usually turn out to be part of whatever pattern you're trying to understand.
What I believe in is listening carefully, staying curious, and building a relationship that's genuinely collaborative. The aim is a more integrated sense of who you are, and a closer connection to your own inner life.
My clinical approach
My approach is relational and depth-oriented. We'll look at how your early experiences in relationships still shape how you feel, how you decide, and how you show up now.
Many people arrive noticing the same thing playing out again: in relationships, at work, in how they treat themselves. The pattern is familiar. Understanding it hasn't been enough to change it.
Our work goes after both. Insight matters, and so does what comes after it: more emotional flexibility, a steadier relationship with your own feelings, and a real capacity to connect with people in daily life. My goal is a space that feels thoughtful, steady, and responsive to where you actually are.
Education
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, Alliant International University, San Diego (2022)
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Alliant International University, San Diego (2020)
Master of Arts in Creative and Media Enterprises, University of Warwick, United Kingdom (2016)
Bachelor of Science in Economics, Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, United Kingdom (2015)
Trainings
Fertility Counseling Postgraduate Course — Kristy Koser, PhD and Laura Covington, PhD (2024)
SDPC Fellowship, San Diego Psychoanalytic Center (2023)
Areas of focus
What I help with
Relationship patterns that keep repeating — feeling responsible for everyone, afraid of being too much, or unseen even in close relationships
Identity and belonging across cultures — for people who've spent their lives translating between worlds
Who I work with
French speakers — for clients who'd rather do this work in French, including the parts that are harder to reach in a second language
Service members, veterans, and military families — in-network with TRICARE
Older adults — in-network with Medicare
This work tends to suit people who've spent a long time prioritizing others, managing their feelings quietly, or staying composed under pressure, and who are ready for something more direct with themselves.
Licensures
Licensed Psychologist, California (PSY34868)
Licensed Psychologist, Illinois (071.011377)
Telehealth Provider, Florida (TPPY2692)
Beyond the therapy room
I’ve always been curious about what shapes people — how our histories, relationships, and losses quietly influence the way we move through the world. Growing up in Paris, with summers in the United States and frequent visits to family in Tunisia, taught me early that identity is layered, and that belonging doesn’t always come easily. It also left me with two languages I still work in.
That awareness shapes how I listen, with an ear for what's said and what's held back. I'm drawn to helping people understand themselves with more kindness, to see patterns not as flaws but as stories that make sense in context.
Outside of work, I cook to unwind, and I share my home with a sweet, goofy dog who keeps life from ever feeling predictable. I keep returning to novels that remind me why I love the complexity of people. My work and my life run on the same belief: growth starts when we stop trying to be perfect and get honest about what's real.
Considering therapy?
Finding the right therapist matters. If you're looking for thoughtful, in-depth online therapy and want to see if we might be a good fit, I'd be happy to talk.