Kelly Rein, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Founder, Kind Heart Therapy

Healing That Lasts

I use an eclectic approach to tailor therapy to your unique needs to create lasting change towards your goals.

My Approach

Collaborative

We work together to make progress on your goals, knowing that you are the expert in your life and I act as the facilitator of your growth through our reflections.

Individualized

Good therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Your treatment plan and resources are tailored to your specific needs.

Compassionate

"Only when compassion is present will people allow themselves to see the truth." (A.H. Almaas). We create safety through self-love and this is when the progress can be made.

Integrative

I integrate several evidence-based therapies and supportive approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Compassionate Inquiry.

Attachment-focused

Disruption to attachments in our childhood and formative years can create challenges in adulthood with trust, emotional regulation, confidence, and the ability to have health relationships. By identifying your attachment patterns, we can work to shift them into a healthier version.

Trauma-Informed

When we are unsupported in coping with difficult life events, negative beliefs about ourself can be formed. Shifting from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?" fosters healing and resilience, creates safety and empowerment, recognizes the impact of trauma on the brain and body, leads to a more compassionate understanding, provides more effective support, creates better outcomes, and prevents re-traumatization.

It's nice to meet you.

It’s an honor and a privilege to witness to the depths of the human experience, to see people grow, and to learn from each person’s unique experiences. Life is incredibly precious and being able to cherish the beauty can be difficult to do on your own when life is complicated. There’s so much beauty and joy but there can be equal amounts of pain and hurt. My goal is to help you sort through the noise of life and find your purpose. Together we will find the glimmers and awe that can be hiding in plain sight.

After working with thousands of people and living my own life, I’ve cultivated a special passion for helping people feel less alone and recognize their place in the world. Being a parent, I can fully appreciate the push and pull of work life balance and the struggle of wanting to be a respected professional and a diligent parent. It’s exhausting at times! I especially enjoy helping parents learn how to connect and repair their relationships with their spouse and kids, and how to help young adults navigate stepping into adulthood while building their careers, starting families, and creating the life they deserve.

I firmly believe that if you find your purpose and stay true to yourself through living your values, you will always find your way back home. It is when you are not being genuine, not utilizing your talents, getting distracted by comparisons, or burned out from over-working yourself that the drift begins and can spiral from there.

I’ve found that success comes from being proactive, taking responsibility for your life, and having positive influences to help guide your growth. It’s essential for everyone to have an outlet, not just when things are tough but to ensure that things continue to go well or to plan for upcoming life changes.

In my free time I enjoy family dance parties, being in nature, and moving my body.

Credentials

Experience

I have 16 years of varied professional experience supporting thousands of clients. I’ve worked with kids, teens, families, parents, young adults, and older adults in various settings (private practice, schools, a school district, nonprofit organizations, clinical trials, an inpatient psychiatric hospital, and volunteer organizations). I have provided warmth and guidance through individual consultations, facilitating support groups, teaching education classes and community and professional conferences, recruiting for clinical trials, community outreach, completing thorough suicide risk assessments and treatment planning with interdisciplinary teams.

My work extends beyond helping clients directly with experience writing and receiving grants for non profit organizations, training community professionals and first responders for compassionate mental health crisis response, mentoring social work students and training new employees. Additionally, I have provided pro-bono therapy to former foster youth.

Some of my proudest accomplishments are being nominated for the Social Worker of the Year for Sharp Healthcare as well as being nominated for the Above and Beyond Award for Field Instruction of San Diego State University Social Work students.

License

Licensed Clinical Social Worker – Board of Behavioral Sciences #101835

Education

Masters of Social Work – University of Southern California, 2012

- Dean’s List Scholarship Award
- Omicron Epsilon Chapter of the Phi Alpha Honor Society

Bachelors of Child and Adolescent Development – California State University, Fullerton, 2009

- Cum Laude honors
- Golden Key International Honor Society

Trainings and Certifications:

Advanced Training for Somatic and Attachment Focused EMDR (S.A.F.E.) – Personal Transformation Institute 2026
Basic Training for Somatic and Attachment Focused EMDR (S.A.F.E.) – Personal Transformation Institute 2026
Compassionate Inquiry Professional Training – Gabor Mate 2026
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy – Journey Clinical 2024
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Provider Certification – Fluence 2024
Psilocybin Peer Supporter Certification – PsiloHealth 2024
PEERS (Program for the Evaluation and Enrichment of Relational Skills) Social Skills Training for Adolescents – UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior 2023
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Washburn Center for Children 2022
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis – Responsive Integrated Health Solutions 2021
Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support and Group Crisis Intervention – International Critical Incident Stress Foundation 2012

Healing is a priority. My clients agree.

A Happier Daughter

She has seemed lighter and happier this year. She was struggling a change in friend groups, getting her period for the first time, and being unhappy about all kinds of societal expectations as a tween girl. She seems more at peace with herself and with her parents and little brother. She does seem much willing to open up to both her mom and me and that is a blessing. I am hopeful she responds, in the final session she said “she had new coping strategies and new friends at school.

“R” — Father of Tween Client

Clarity and Strength In Self

I was able to see how my values show up in my everyday actions in a more clear way. I also learned to see that some things that I saw as potential weaknesses were actually strengths and proof of me holding to what I believe in.

“E” — Young Adult Client

KAP Works, Kelly Is The Difference Maker

Kelly created a safe space to explore my anxieties and helped me to try to reframe my thoughts.

KAP Client “A”

Insights Into Self and Well-Being

I am writing this document to provide a referral for a therapist who has done an exceptional job in helping launch my teenage daughter into life. It is with great pleasure that I recommend Kelly Rein as a highly skilled and effective therapist for adolescents. From the moment we started working with Kelly, it was clear that she possessed a deep understanding of the challenges faced by teenagers. Her compassionate and empathetic approach created a safe space for my daughter to express her thoughts and emotions without judgment. This allowed my daughter to develop a strong sense of trust and openness with Kelly, which was crucial for her progress.

Through her guidance, my daughter gained valuable insights into herself and her circumstances. Kelly helped her develop coping mechanisms and life skills that have proven instrumental in navigating the challenges of adolescence. Not only did Kelly excel in her therapeutic abilities, but she also went above and beyond to ensure my daughter’s well-being.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Kelly as a therapist for teenagers. I am truly grateful for the positive impact she has had on my daughter’s journey, and I am confident that she will continue to make a difference in the lives of many more teenagers.

Mother of Teen Client

She Actually Listens

I worked with Kelly for about a year and had an excellent experience. She helped me completely resolve the issue I originally came in with – I genuinely feel “cured” of what brought me to therapy in the first place. What made her so effective was her ability to help me see things from new perspectives I hadn’t considered before. She’s an excellent listener who asks insightful questions and creates a truly safe, comfortable environment. Her positive and comforting approach made even difficult sessions feel manageable. I particularly appreciated how she would summarize our sessions and connect them to previous work we’d done together. This helped me track my progress and see how everything was building toward my goals. If you’re looking for a therapist who combines professional skill with genuine warmth and can help you make real, lasting changes, I highly recommend her.

Anonymous