Getting to the Heart
of Being Human.
Kelly Lynn Ziemer is a therapist, researcher, teacher, and writer whose work explores the very heart of being human — the emotions that drive us, that hold us back, and that set us free.
She holds a PhD in Social Welfare from the University of California-Berkeley and is a professor in the Developmental and Educational Psychology department at Leiden University.
From 2019–2022, she was funded by the National Institutes of Health, in association with the Alcohol Research Group, to complete her research on the intersection of well-being, addiction and recovery, self-love, emotions, and social media.
Kelly is on a mission to better understand the stories we’re telling ourselves and those that have been told to us. She believes that through confronting and rewriting our stories, we are able to unlock the source of awe-inspiring connection.
She is now working with the Research Institute of Child Development and Education at the University of Amsterdam, conducting research and collaborating with the Schools2030 global initiative in Kyrgyzstan.
For almost 15 years, Kelly has been actively applying her clinical education (LCSW) to support and counsel adolescents and adults. From people living in a refugee camp to those in drug and alcohol rehabilitation to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, she has seen firsthand how stories lie at the heart of healing our trauma, rediscovering self-love, and connecting with others.
Kelly continues to offer her support to individuals and groups through a thriving therapy practice that combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with mindfulness evidence-based practices, heightened intuitive awareness, and a soulful approach to the human experience.
She regularly gives lectures and trainings on self-care, mindfulness, and emotion awareness for therapists and nonprofits. Currently, Kelly is developing a self-care module for psychology graduate students funded through a Grassroots grant. Additionally, for the past four years, she served on the Board of Directors and was interim Executive Director for Beyond Words International, a nonprofit “cultivating hope, healing, and connection through the arts” for people who have been displaced.
Born in Wisconsin, USA, Kelly has repeatedly lived overseas since age thirteen and currently calls Amsterdam home.
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