Maliheh Zare , ACA

Maliheh Zare is a compassionate counselor based in Australia with 18 years of professional experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, family conflict, anger, depression, addiction, trauma, grief, and other life challenges. She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling and is a Level 3 registered member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), which reflects her standing within a national professional body.

She blends evidence-informed methods to match each person's needs, drawing from approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), attachment-based work, and client-centered principles. Maliheh focuses on building respectful, sensitive, and compassionate therapeutic relationships while tailoring treatment plans to address issues like intimacy, parenting, sleep difficulties, self-esteem, and coping with change.

Fluent in English and Persian, she works with individuals and families to address additional concerns including addiction, infidelity, immigration stress, avoidance and attachment patterns, body image, and grief. Maliheh emphasizes collaboration in the therapeutic process, helping clients identify practical strategies and personal values to create meaningful, sustainable change. She encourages the courage it takes to begin therapy and is committed to supporting clients through each step of their journey.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Maliheh commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients notice and make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while clarifying personal values and committed action toward a meaningful life. ACT is useful for anxiety, stress, avoidance, and coping with change.

She also integrates attachment-based work and Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) when addressing relationship and bonding concerns. Attachment-based approaches explore patterns of connection formed early in life and how they affect current relationships, while EFT focuses on reshaping emotional responses to strengthen closeness and trust between partners.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Maliheh works collaboratively with each person to determine what methods fit their goals, preferences, and needs. She adapts techniques over time so therapy remains practical and relevant.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, family, or other commitments and help people access licensed professionals from their own communities, while maintaining continuity of care when life is busy or circumstances change.