HILLCREST
THERAPY
ABOUT
JOERG INEICHEN, LMFT #111025
About MFT
MFT or Marriage Family Therapist is the official designation for a licensed psychotherapist in California. I think this name is outdated with the word "marriage" potentially implying that we do counseling with married couples only. While some may do so, this is not the case for most. I like to work with individuals, couples, triads, relationship constructs yet to be named, and families of which some of the parties may or may not be married.
About Me
I work in collaboration with Narrative Initiatives San Diego as well as the Center for Health and Wellbeing in the Hillcrest neighborhood in San Diego. I have been in this therapy practice since the summer of 2010 and became licensed in 2018. I earned my Masters of Science in Counseling from SDSU in May 2012. My undergraduate degree is in Business Administration from USD.
Approach to Therapy
My approach to therapy, counseling, or as I prefer to say therapeutic conversations is based in Narrative practices. I believe it is important for clients to know that different therapists practice from different perspectives and those perspectives influence how therapy is delivered. There are over 250 different approaches in how a therapist can conceptualize her or his work. How we understand change to occur, how we understand a particular problem and a person’s relationship to a problem, can be different depending on the therapist’s framework. Clients should have a choice in who they prefer to work with and understanding a therapist’s orientation can be helpful in making an informed choice. I believe that the closer a therapist’s values and ideas are aligned, the higher the potential for therapy to have a meaningful and helpful effect on the client.
Background Information
I was born and raised in Switzerland and came to San Diego in 1997 to get my Bachelors degree in Business at the University of San Diego. After graduating, I worked for a Dot Com organization and then later as a management consultant before opening my own export business that I currently manage today. Practicing as a therapist and working simultaneously in business operations allows me to stay close to ideas associated with change in work environments, understand career planning, employment-related issues, and politics related to economic status.
I love to travel and learn about different cultures and customs. I believe doing so supports my desire to constantly be open to new and different ideas as well as people from any social background, sex, color, race, sexual orientation, or however we may differ from the dominant, local culture.
I am also a very active person and believe that our physical health strongly affects our mental health. I do weightlifting, compete in triathlons, marathons, and also participate in cycling events such as the AIDS Lifecyle 6-day 600miles rides. Last but not least, I hike with my dog, Jackie O., daily.
Narrative Practices
The experience of speaking aloud untold narratives can shift perspectives and inform new action and identities. The term “narrative” reflects the multi-storied nature of our identities and the related meanings we (and others) ascribe to our identities. When clients ask what Narrative therapy is or how it works, I often explain it through a metaphor of a sky filled with stars. Each star represents one particular experience. How we understand a story today is the connection of different experiences with a line, similar to what a star constellation illuminates. Hence, the charting and connecting of dots (or stars) helps to illustrate the connecting of a life story. I will strive to assist clients in connecting other experiences that they have not yet charted, either because these experiences may not be recalled or deemed important enough to talk about. This process of connection can help develop multiple story lines with new and rich meanings that speak to multiple possibilities for people’s lives. I believe change can happen when individuals claim the many possibilities for their lives that lie beyond their current understandings of their life experiences or narratives.
A note from Dr. Jan Ewing:
It is my pleasure to introduce my colleague and intern, Joerg Ineichen. For the past three years I have had the extraordinary experience of working with Joerg in the contexts of co-therapy, supervision and in classroom settings. Because of my history with him and my first hand knowledge of his clinical work, I am very confident in recommending him to those who seek relationship or individual therapy.
Joerg is a lively person, with a great sense of humor and very fun to be around. He was raised in Switzerland, and continues to be an international traveler, which I believe contributes to his wide range of ideas about life and openness to lots of different people.
He takes his clinical work seriously and enjoys his clients. I admire his practicality, his ability to simplify sometimes-messy situations, and his thoughtful questions. He is patient with people, an accurate listener, and is skilled in problem solving with clients.
If some of the ways I have described Joerg fit with the kind of therapist you are looking for then I encourage you to contact him for an appointment. I trust he will provide you with excellent support and care.
Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions.
Thought-provoking articles:
I read a good amount and often come across articles that I think are worth sharing. To some I relate because of specific conversations I have had with clients and with others I cannot help but question ideas with social justice in mind. The follwoing growing collection of articles has influenced my worldview. While I do not consider them the truth (as if there were such a thing), I think some offer bits and pieces of information you may find helpful, while others have the potential to make you think and maybe influence your opinion as well. They are listed in no particular order.
Why so many kids can’t sit still in school today - By Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post
Love is Not Enough - by Mark Manson
8 facts about violence against women everyone should know - by Sarah Kliff, Vox
Is there a shortcut to bonding with a romantic partner on a deeper level? - by Eric Barker
What Makes You ‘Click’ With Someone Else? - by Eric Barker, TIME