Zaya Kuykendall, LMHC, LPCC

Zaya Kuykendall helps people who feel stuck or off-balance rediscover a steady sense of direction and calm. She frames therapy as a practical tune-up, guiding clients to reconnect with themselves, regulate emotions, and clarify priorities so they can move forward with intention.

Her work is collaborative - she invites openness and honest conversation while offering structure and stability to support growth. Drawing on an eclectic mix of methods with strong influences from Gestalt, motivational interviewing, and Solution Focus therapy, she offers feedback and practical support to help clients overcome obstacles and build on personal strengths. Sessions emphasize identifying and naming emotions, resolving unfinished business, and cultivating self-awareness as part of a longer journey toward well-being.

Kuykendall has 16 years of experience in the helping professions, including ten years as a practicing psychotherapist. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2000 and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling in 2004. Her clinical background includes work in domestic violence, child development and parenting, familial discord, women’s issues, and substance abuse. She provides care to children and adults across individual, group, family, couples, and e-therapy formats.

She holds professional licenses as an LMHC and an LPCC - LMHC stands for Licensed Mental Health Counselor and LPCC stands for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Kuykendall describes therapy as treatment for mental wounds, likening untreated emotional injuries to a physical burn that needs identification, a plan of care, and time to heal. Her approach emphasizes resilience, practical coping, and staying the course on one’s personal path toward greater calm and fulfillment.