Ian Saward, LMFT

Ian earned his Master’s in Counseling at the University of Phoenix in 2013. He completed his undergraduate degree in Psychology at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1995. Throughout his career, Ian has worked in various settings with different populations across San Diego. This includes working with children, adolescents, and adults ages 4-65 performing individual, group, couples, and family therapy with former foster youth, victims of domestic violence, and families involved with Child Welfare Services (CWS). He has either worked and/or ran programs in the school system at San Diego Unified School District, at a residential treatment program, a crisis program, a child psychiatry program performing assessments, case management, and parent training, an intensive outpatient program, and now private practice. Currently, Ian is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Supervisor, mentoring new clinicians and managing other supervisors in the practice. Ian also has former business experience running a family business.

For the last ten years, Ian has worked with children ages 4-18, and he currently works with adults 18+, couples, and families. He has experience working in higher level care, crisis, school, nonprofit, and private practice settings treating children, adolescents, and adults with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, trauma, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, suicidality, self-harm, substance use, and oppositional defiant disorder. He collaborates with allied health professionals, educators, and families to coordinate care. In clinical work, Ian makes use of an integrative, client-centered approach and draws on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy (SFT), dialectic behavioral therapy (DBT), mindfulness tools, and motivational interviewing. Ian is certified in the Incredible Families Program and has trained other providers across the county. He is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional.

Ian’s therapeutic philosophy centers around meeting clients where they are at. Ian takes a nondirective approach of not telling people what to do but rather supporting them in their decisions. He believes everything is connected and the importance of the mind-body connection.

“The only guarantee in therapy is if you do nothing, nothing will change unless you want to.” – Ian Saward

Ian was born and raised in San Diego, CA. He played college and professional soccer in England and is a father of two. He enjoys sports, specifically soccer, golfing, walking his dog, animals, and spending time with family and friends.