Counselling FAQs

ZAR Wellness offers professional, evidence-based counselling in Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, and online - delivered by Maryanne Zarth, a qualified Registered Counsellor who helps individuals and couples navigate life's challenges with clarity, compassion, and practical tools. Counselling sessions are tailored to your unique circumstances and goals, not a one-size-fits-all program.Whether you're managing anger, working through relationship difficulties, healing from trauma, or simply feeling stuck, Maryanne draws on approaches including CBT, ACT, Solution-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, and Somatic-based interventions to support lasting change.

Anger management counselling at ZAR Wellness helps you understand the triggers, patterns, and underlying causes behind your anger - and develop practical, evidence-based strategies to respond rather than react. Sessions are non-judgmental and structured around your specific experiences, not a generic program.Working with both situational anger (triggered by specific circumstances) and characterological anger (a longer-standing pattern), using tools from CBT, Mindfulness, and Somatic-based interventions, we help you with: Identify early warning signs before anger escalatesRegulate emotional and physical responses in real timeRebuild relationships affected by angerDevelop long-term coping strategies grounded in self-awareness For More on Anger Management and our Anger Management Classes

Couples counselling at ZAR Wellness is available to partners at any stage - dating, de facto, engaged, married, separated, or navigating a blended family, who want to strengthen their relationship or work through specific challenges. The focus is on rebuilding connection and improving communication, not assigning blame. We support couples dealing with:Communication breakdowns and recurring conflictTrust issues and betrayal recoveryIntimacy concerns — emotional and physicalParenting conflicts and blended family dynamicsFinancial strain, cultural differences, and growing apart Counselling sessions draw on evidence-based approaches including Gottman, Attachment Theory, CBT and Solution-Focused Therapy to help both partners feel heard and work toward shared goals. For more on Couples Counselling and on our blog

Rebuilding Trust and Reconnection After BetrayalWhen trust has been damaged by infidelity, emotional betrayal, dishonesty or repeated let-downs, it can leave you feeling hurt, uncertain and disconnected. Counselling offers a space to make sense of what has happened, explore how trust can be rebuilt, and find ways to reconnect and repair.At ZAR Wellness Counselling, we help couples understand the impact of broken trust, take responsibility for harmful choices, and turn intentions into meaningful, consistent change.Together, we explore:How broken trust has affected each partner and their sense of security in the relationshipPatterns of communication and disconnection, while keeping responsibility for the betrayal clearPractical ways to rebuild honesty, transparency and emotional safetyWhat each partner needs to move forward, including boundaries, reassurance and consistent follow-throughWays to reconnect through meaningful conversations, shared time, rituals, affection and everyday moments of careRealistic expectations for healing and rebuilding closeness, recognising that progress takes timeOur approach draws on the Atone, Attune, Attach framework, with three connected stages:Atone — acknowledge the hurt and take responsibility. Address the breach of trust through honesty, accountability and an understanding of its emotional impact. This includes following through on agreed boundaries and commitments.Attune — understand and respond to each other. Learn to talk about difficult feelings, listen with empathy, and recognise each other’s needs. Develop ways to turn towards each other and restore emotional connection.Attach — rebuild closeness and connection. Gradually strengthen trust, affection and intimacy through shared experiences, rituals of connection and consistent care, at a pace that feels safe for both partners.Trust repair and reconnection take time, and these stages may overlap or need to be revisited. We work at a pace that respects both partners’ readiness, helping you make informed choices about your future together. Explore: Couples Counselling Relationship Counselling Family Therapy

Your first session is an opportunity to settle in, get to know your counsellor, and talk about what has brought you here. You don’t need to have everything figured out or know exactly where to start.At ZAR Wellness Counselling, we offer a warm, non-judgmental space where you can feel heard and understood. You can share at your own pace and choose what you feel comfortable discussing.During your initial session, we will:Explore what’s happening for you and what you would like support withBegin to understand your experiences, circumstances, and what matters most to youTalk together about your goals and how future sessions could support youExplain how counselling works and answer any questions you may haveYou’re welcome to come as you are. We’ll work out the next steps together. For more information on your First Visit

Yes. Online counselling can be an effective way to work through anger, relationship challenges and other emotional concerns. For many people, video sessions offer similar benefits to face-to-face counselling, while making support easier to access.A strong connection with your counsellor matters in either setting. Through video, we can build trust, explore difficult experiences and work together on practical changes.At ZAR Wellness Counselling, telehealth sessions draw on the same therapeutic approaches used in person, with activities adapted for online participation. We use a secure video platform and interactive tools to support conversations, practise communication skills, recognise anger triggers and develop strategies you can use between sessions.Being in a familiar environment may also help you feel more comfortable opening up. We’ll discuss whether telehealth suits your needs and circumstances, including access to a private space where you can speak freely.

The best starting point depends on what you would like support with. You don’t need to work this out on your own.Individual counselling provides space to explore personal experiences and concerns, such as anxiety, anger, grief, self-worth or difficulties managing emotions. Couples counselling focuses on the relationship, helping you improve communication, navigate conflict, rebuild trust and reconnect.It is also common for couples counselling to bring earlier experiences into focus. Childhood hurts, family patterns and ways of protecting yourself may resurface in your relationship, influencing how you respond to conflict, closeness or feeling rejected.Depending on what emerges, individual therapy may be recommended alongside couples sessions. Sometimes, couples work may be paused to allow time for individual support before continuing together.We will discuss any recommendations with you, explain how they may help, and agree on an approach that supports your individual wellbeing and relationship goals.

Yes. ZAR Wellness Counselling offers both face-to-face appointments in Maroochydore and online sessions for individuals and couples across the Sunshine Coast and throughout Australia.Online sessions take place through a secure video platform, allowing you to access support from a private, comfortable space without travelling to the practice. Couples can attend from the same location or join from separate locations.Online counselling may suit you if you:Live outside Maroochydore or in a regional or remote areaNeed appointments that fit around work, family or other commitmentsHave limited transport or find travelling difficultFeel more comfortable talking from your own environmentAre in a long-distance relationship or cannot attend together in personWhether you attend online or in person, sessions are tailored to your needs, with opportunities to explore concerns, practise skills and work towards meaningful change.

Yes. Maryanne supports individuals, couples and separated parents as they navigate the challenges of parenting across households and bringing families together.Blended family life can involve different routines, expectations and parenting approaches, alongside complex feelings for adults and children. Counselling provides space to understand these differences, clarify roles and develop ways of communicating and parenting that support children’s wellbeing.Sessions can explore:Differences in parenting styles, expectations, routines and disciplineStep-parent roles and boundaries, allowing relationships with children to develop at a comfortable paceChildren’s adjustment to separation, new partners and changing family relationshipsLoyalty conflicts, including children feeling caught between parents or householdsCommunication and boundaries with a former partnerPractical ways to reduce conflict and build a more consistent, respectful co-parenting relationshipSupport is tailored to your family’s circumstances, with sessions available for individuals, couples or co-parents where appropriate.

Yes. Even when communication has been difficult for years, counselling can help you understand recurring patterns and develop more constructive ways of talking, listening and connecting.At ZAR Wellness Counselling, we help couples explore what sits beneath their disagreements, including unmet needs, emotional triggers and the desire to feel heard, valued and understood.Together, we work on patterns such as:Having the same arguments without reaching understanding or resolutionBecoming defensive, critical or overwhelmed during conversationsWithdrawing, shutting down or avoiding difficult discussionsFeeling unheard, dismissed or misunderstoodStruggling to discuss finances, parenting, intimacy or other sensitive issuesWe also help you recognise the Four Horsemen described by the Gottman Method: criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling. Sessions focus on replacing these patterns with respectful requests, appreciation, accountability and ways to pause and settle before returning to a conversation.Through practical activities and guided conversations, you can learn to express your needs clearly, listen with empathy, repair after conflict and rebuild everyday connection.

At ZAR Wellness Counselling, we draw on a range of evidence-based therapies and complementary techniques, tailoring sessions to your needs, preferences and goals. The strength of research varies between approaches, and we discuss what may be appropriate for you.We explore the connections between your thoughts, emotions, behaviours, relationships and physical responses to stress. Approaches may include:Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Recognising and challenging unhelpful thinking patterns and developing more balanced perspectives and responses.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Changing your relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings while taking steps towards what matters to you.Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills: Building practical skills for managing strong emotions, tolerating distress and communicating effectively.Gottman Method: Helping couples strengthen friendship, improve communication, manage conflict, rebuild trust and reconnect.Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT/EFCT): Understanding the emotions and attachment needs beneath relationship patterns to support greater closeness and security.Internal Family Systems (IFS) and parts work: Exploring different parts of your inner experience, such as a critical voice, a protective response or a hurt younger part, with curiosity and compassion.Schema-informed work: Recognising longstanding beliefs and patterns, often shaped by early experiences, that influence how you see yourself and relate to others.Solution-Focused Therapy: Building on your strengths and identifying achievable steps towards meaningful change.Narrative approaches: Exploring the stories you hold about yourself and making room for perspectives that recognise your strengths, values and possibilities.Mindfulness and self-compassion: Developing present-moment awareness and learning to respond to yourself with greater kindness.Somatic and grounding techniques: Noticing physical signs of stress and practising breathing, orienting and body-awareness exercises to support emotional regulation.EFT tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques): Combining gentle tapping with focused attention on feelings or concerns, where appropriate and according to your preferences.Reflective inquiry: Exploring assumptions, meanings and limiting beliefs that may be keeping you stuck.Expressive activities: Using writing, imagery, worksheets and creative exercises to support reflection and self-expression.All sessions are guided by trauma-informed principles, including safety, choice, collaboration and respect for your pace. We explain suggested approaches and work together to find what supports your progress.

At ZAR Wellness Counselling, every session is shaped around you—what is happening in your life, how you are feeling and what you need support with at that time. No two people or relationships are the same, so your counselling experience is personalised to reflect your circumstances, experiences and goals.Maryanne Zarth takes a flexible, person-centred approach, adapting the pace, focus and therapeutic techniques as your needs evolve. One session may focus on navigating a recent disagreement, while another may explore longstanding patterns, earlier experiences or ways to rebuild trust and connection.Drawing on approaches including the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy, CBT, ACT and IFS parts work, Maryanne works with you to find ways forward that are meaningful and practical for your relationship.You can expect a warm, respectful and non-judgmental space where your experiences are heard and your priorities help guide the work. Sessions are available in Maroochydore and online.