About
About Molly
Dr. Molly Kierein is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California (PSY 29895) with a doctorate in clinical psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology. With over a decade of clinical experience, she brings a holistic and evidence-based approach to her work, guiding individuals through life's most challenging transitions toward greater fulfillment and values-driven living.
Dr. Kierein completed her predoctoral training at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and her postdoctoral residency at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where her research focused on neurological functions related to psychotic symptoms, brain-behavior mechanisms in mental health, and neuroplasticity — the brain's remarkable capacity to form new neural connections and reorganize itself.
She specializes in trauma, depression, anxiety, performance anxiety, life transitions, low self-esteem, perfectionism, self-criticism, and relationship concerns including infidelity, co-dependence, and interpersonal barriers. She also has deep expertise in the psychological impact of chronic illness, having founded the Kidney Psychologist practice — a specialized program providing psychologist-led group therapy, research, and education for kidney patients and renal disease survivors. Dr. Kierein is herself an end-stage renal disease (ESRD) survivor and kidney transplant recipient, and brings a rare combination of clinical expertise and lived experience to this work.
Dr. Kierein is a dedicated advocate of mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies, and integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), psychodynamic approaches, and motivational interviewing into her practice. She is committed to providing personalized, effective psychotherapy that addresses the full spectrum of emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual health.
In Her Own Words
A Personal Note from Molly
My Approach to Therapy
After 14 years of higher education in psychology, what I have come to believe most deeply is this: change is possible for everyone, and the path to change is rarely a straight line. Some people need structure — homework, skill-building, clear steps forward. Others need space to explore, to slow down, to understand themselves more fully. Most of us need both. Whatever the path, I am active, engaged, and always adapting my approach to you.
I am outcome-focused. I work diligently alongside you to help you grow and meet your goals in a timely, meaningful way. I use psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral approaches, and I incorporate mindfulness-based treatments to strengthen your ability to observe uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and sensations without being controlled by them. This is what allows you to get unstuck, grow, and create conscious, lasting change.
I also specialize in working with people navigating chronic illness. Having lived through end-stage renal disease and a kidney transplant myself, I understand in a deeply personal way what it means to face a diagnosis that changes everything — the fear, the grief, the identity shifts, and the profound resilience that can emerge on the other side. This experience shapes how I show up for my clients every day.
I run groups for people with social anxiety and other relationship barriers, because I believe that healing in community is uniquely powerful. When we practice vulnerability and connection in a safe, supported space, something shifts that is hard to replicate anywhere else.
Above all, I am here to help you build a life that feels more like yours — more authentic, more connected, and more aligned with the person you truly want to be.
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