Unlocking the transformative power of group work
We believe in the transformative power of healing and growing in connection with others. Isolation is one of the core reasons mental health struggles persist—yet most tools in the field have focused on one-on-one care. We're changing that with our infrastructure designed specifically for finding and facilitating group-based mental health care, so more people can experience the support, insight, and connection that only group oriented care can offer.
The seed for ZestLife was planted during the early days of COVID-19, a time of profound societal change where many experienced some form of loss of connection and community with others. When siblings Kaylee and Nick came home for their grandfather's passing, they unexpectedly began a long quarantine together. In the quiet of that shared pause, they discussed their respective worlds of work—mental health and technology. Over time they realized they had an opportunity to build something meaningful together. Nick called up his long time trusted colleague to join the journey— and ZestLife was born.
As a licensed therapist with a diverse career in the social services field, Kaylee had seen firsthand the beauty of intentionally gathering in groups—for reflection, growth, learning, and healing. Her work with teens across settings in New York and Tennessee, and with adults at The LGBT Center in Manhattan, revealed something consistent: group care offered something profoundly different than one-on-one care.
Group settings were more immersive—mirroring real life in all its complexity. While groups brought unique challenges, they also created unique opportunities: real-time interpersonal practice, mutual support, and accountability. The growth didn't just come from the facilitator—it came from being witnessed, challenged, and supported by peers.
And yet, despite their power, these groups were incredibly difficult to organize and sustain—especially outside large institutions.
Most therapists lacked the tools to even try. Many were daunted by the logistics, or burned out from the friction. Those who did run groups resorted to posting in listservs, where messages quickly got buried. Clinicians were constantly sending "ISO" (in search of) emails, trying to connect their clients to the right groups. Meanwhile, nearly every major mental health platform focused solely on individual care—leaving group facilitators without the infrastructure they needed.
We knew therapy groups were just as powerful, if not more powerful, than individual sessions. But the infrastructure to support group offerings simply didn't exist.
The impact of this gap is cultural as well as structural: society hasn't yet come to associate group care with mental health care. As a result, group work remains in the shadows of the field—underutilized and under-resourced. This only reinforces the cycle, making it harder for both providers and the public to access the full potential of healing in community.
ZestLife exists to bring group based mental health care into the spot light—and to give it the infrastructure it's long deserved. ZestLife offers a centralized, HIPAA-compliant space where Mental health professionals can run their offerings with all the customization they prefer—to help with group discovery to enrollment to ongoing admin. The public and referring clinicians can search for groups by topic, location, format, or group type and access group session details, reminders, and updates through a modern group portal. By removing friction on both sides, we help group work become more visible and impactful across the mental health landscape.
Co-Founder & Chief Clinical Officer
Kaylee is a New York–licensed therapist with a Bachelor's in Social Work and dual Master's degrees in Psychological Counseling and Mental Health Counseling. She has spent her career in the social service field, and has facilitated therapy groups, support groups, and workshops across a range of settings. While ZestLife is her primary focus, she continues to maintain a private practice caseload. Her current therapeutic approach passion is integrating somatic mindfulness, drawing on the body's innate intelligence and inviting the spirit into deeper communion—to help clients live more consciously, creatively, and connected.
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Nick brings over a decade of marketplace experience focused on leveraging technology to be a bridge between matching people with the services they are seeking. As both a product manager and software engineer, he's spent his career building platforms that help people earn better livelihoods. Previously, Nick worked at companies helping artists get fairly compensated and enabling restaurant workers to earn more money for the same hours worked.
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer
Chase is a seasoned technologist known for his integrity, high standards, and commitment to quality care. He's been a sought-after collaborator, and has worked closely with ZestLife co-founder Nick on platforms that advanced worker access and earnings in the food service industry. With deep expertise in web development, scalable infrastructure, and emerging technologies like AI, Chase ensures that ZestLife's platform is not only innovative—but also safe, reliable, and built to grow with the evolving needs of the mental health community.
Together, we're building the infrastructure that group therapy deserves—because we believe that connection, community, and shared healing experiences should be accessible to everyone.