Dora Kunz, born Theodora Sophia van Gelder in the Dutch East Indies, was a Dutch-American writer, psychic, and alternative healer who became a prominent leader in the Theosophical Society in America. Her early life was marked by a strong connection to Theosophical teachings, as both her parents were members, and she began meditating daily at age five. Kunz claimed childhood interactions with ethereal beings and was tutored in psychic development by C. W. Leadbeater. She later moved to the United States with Fritz Kunz, whom she married, and became a naturalized American citizen. Together, they established the first theosophical camp in Washington state. Kunz dedicated many years to exploring new healing methods, most notably co-developing Therapeutic Touch with Dr. Dolores Krieger. This technique, which she believed originated from ancient Yogic texts, is designed to promote healing and reduce pain and has been taught widely. Kunz also applied her clairvoyance to assist physicians with diagnoses by observing energy fields and disease effects in patients' auras. Her followers believed she could foresee illnesses well before symptoms appeared. In her later years, she led the Theosophical Society in America and published works on her experiences with fairies and nature spirits, emphasizing their connection to Earth's vital energy.

Born in 1904 in the Dutch East Indies, Dora van Gelder grew up in a family deeply involved in Theosophy. Her parents were members of the Theosophical Society, and she adopted meditation as a daily practice from a young age. Kunz reported experiencing contact with spiritual entities from childhood, a belief supported by her mother who recognized her clairvoyant abilities. At age eleven, she relocated to Australia to study with C. W. Leadbeater, a known psychic and clergyman, who guided her in enhancing her psychic skills. It was through Leadbeater that she met Fritz Kunz, whom she later married in the United States.

A significant contribution of Dora Kunz was her work in alternative healing, particularly the development of Therapeutic Touch in 1972 with Dr. Dolores Krieger. Kunz described Therapeutic Touch as a method derived from ancient Sanskrit texts on pranic healing, aimed at facilitating healing, relaxation, and pain relief. This technique gained considerable traction, being taught in numerous universities and colleges across the U.S. and in many countries worldwide. Kunz also utilized her clairvoyance to aid medical professionals by diagnosing conditions through observing the energetic effects of diseases within a patient's aura. She described distinct energy centers in the body, known as chakras, whose colors reportedly changed in response to specific illnesses affecting corresponding endocrine glands.

Kunz held a leadership role within the Theosophical Society in America, serving as its president from 1975 to 1987. During this period, she also explored and documented her spiritual experiences. In 1977, she published "The Real World of Fairies," detailing her lifelong communication with nature spirits, or devas, whom she believed were linked to Earth's vital energy and played a role in its preservation. She noted a perceived difficulty in communicating with these beings due to increasing pollution but suggested that greater human involvement in environmental causes could improve this connection. Following her retirement from the presidency, Kunz continued to lecture and write, focusing on spiritual aspects of healing and consciousness.