Zaya Kuykendall

Zaya Kuykendall is a licensed mental health counselor and licensed professional clinical counselor with sixteen years in the helping field. She guides people who feel stuck or in need of a reset after major life changes. Her style is collaborative and direct, with an emphasis on building stability and reconnecting to personal priorities.

Kuykendall uses practical conversation to help clients regulate strong emotions and clarify goals. She encourages openness and honest reflection so people can decide what to change next. Sessions focus on identifying feelings, recognizing obstacles, and taking small steps toward better balance.

Her work blends pieces of Gestalt, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused therapy to suit each person’s needs. That mix is used to highlight strengths, close unfinished business, and map out clear next steps. Feedback and support are offered alongside concrete strategies for moving forward.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling, earned in 2004. Over her career she has built experience in areas such as domestic violence, child development and parenting, familial conflict, women’s issues, and substance use concerns.

Zaya describes therapy as treatment for mental wounds, comparing healing to how one would care for a physical injury. She aims to help clients develop self-awareness and practical coping tools so they can keep moving along their life path.

Therapeutic approaches and how they fit online

Zaya commonly integrates Gestalt principles, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused techniques into her work. Gestalt-style work helps people notice patterns in the present moment and build greater self-awareness, which can clarify what needs to change. Motivational interviewing supports exploring ambivalence and strengthening a person’s own motivation to make choices, useful for addiction, behavior change, and life transitions. Solution-focused work concentrates on small, practical steps that move someone toward clearer goals and improved daily functioning.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. The therapist will work collaboratively with each client to identify which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences. This conversation shapes session goals and the tools used between meetings.

Please confirm the specific online session options before booking, since formats are not listed in the profile. In general, online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when needed, and supporting continuity during life changes. Licensed professionals can also use online work to maintain progress between in-person visits or when travel and schedules make meetings harder to arrange.