Molly Martin, PsyD
My Approach
I work with people who feel caught in painful relationship patterns, long for deeper connection, or want to live with more meaning and momentum. I’m especially at home working with queer clients, artists, and creative professionals. I also work with couples.
My work is rooted in contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy, a relational approach that looks closely at the patterns shaping how you love, protect yourself, and connect with others. I’m compassionate, and also direct, and I tailor the work to what you want and need.
The work is serious, but it isn’t solemn. It can be lively, honest, and sometimes playful, even when we’re talking about the hardest things.
How I Work
Why focus on relationships?
Most of what brings people to therapy shows up between them and others: the same argument, the same distance, the same role you keep stepping back into. These patterns usually made sense once. They were the best way to cope with what you were facing. But they tend to run on their own long after they’ve stopped helping.
What changes?
Over time, reactions that felt automatic become things you can recognize, understand, and choose differently. People often describe feeling steadier, less anxious, and more like themselves in their relationships, with more room for closeness and less need to protect themselves from it.
What happens in a session?
We usually start with what’s on your mind: something that happened this week, a feeling you can’t shake, a conversation that went wrong. From there we follow the threads, into your history when that helps, and into what’s happening between us in the room. I’ll ask questions, share what I notice, and sometimes say the thing that’s hard to hear, with care.
What does "psychoanalytic" mean?
Contemporary psychoanalytic therapy isn’t a silent therapist and a couch. It’s an active conversation, grounded in the idea that much of what drives us happens outside our awareness. When it’s helpful, I also draw on other evidence-based approaches, so the work fits what you want and need.
What to Expect
We’ll start with a free 15-minute phone call. It’s a chance to tell me a little about what’s bringing you in, ask any questions, and get a feel for whether we’d work well together.
If it feels like a fit, we’ll schedule a first session. The first few meetings are about getting to know you: what’s hard right now, what you’ve tried, and what you hope will be different. They’re also a chance for you to decide whether I’m the right person for this.
Most people I work with meet with me weekly. Some come for a focused period around a particular struggle, and others stay longer to work on patterns that run deeper. We’ll talk openly about what makes sense for you.
Training and Background
-
PsyD in Clinical Psychology, Alliant International University
-
BA, Washington University in St. Louis
-
Licensed Psychologist, California (PSY 33209)
-
Postdoctoral fellow, Wright Institute Los Angeles
-
Clinical intern, Los Angeles LGBT Center: therapy with LGBTQ+ adults
-
Clinical intern, Airport Marina Counseling Center: couple and family therapy
-
Member, Los Angeles Group Psychotherapy Association