Hi, I’m Zoe Kunstenaar, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA #43253, AZ #15551) in solo telehealth practice through Guidance for Growth. I’m pansexual, and I bring that lived experience into a practice that’s specifically built for people whose identities and relationships don’t fit conventional models.
I specialize in complex trauma using Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy (DNMS), working with adults in extended 75-minute sessions that allow real depth and pacing in the work. I’ve completed training specific to trans-affirming care, and my practice is explicitly kink-aware and poly-affirming. I also welcome and affirm clients across the full spectrum of spiritual and religious backgrounds — including those navigating religious trauma, those who practice non-mainstream traditions, and those who don’t identify with any organized religion at all.
I work with a lot of folks who don’t fit neatly into mainstream therapeutic frameworks — tech workers, neurodivergent clients, and people navigating non-monogamous and alternative relationship structures alongside their LGBTQ+ identities. I bring myself visibly into the therapeutic relationship rather than maintaining a rigid hierarchy with clients, which for many of the people I work with is what finally makes therapy feel safe and trustworthy after more traditional approaches haven’t worked.
My clinical approach centers parts work and attachment repair — helping clients understand the protective strategies (fawning, intellectualizing, caretaking, perfectionism) that kept them safe and find more flexibility underneath them. This is especially relevant for LGBTQ+ clients carrying complex trauma from family rejection, religious harm, or having had to mask core parts of themselves for survival.
I provide virtual psychotherapy for adults located in California and Arizona, with out-of-network rates and superbills provided for insurance reimbursement. Contact me at zkunstenaar@gmail.com and let me know what you’re looking for. I look forward to hearing from you.