Psychiatrist launches local practice

Sisters Country residents searching for an empathetic ear as they struggle with mental-health issues have another choice with the recent arrival of Dr. George Mecouch, D.O., a board-certified psychiatrist.

He has long wanted to be a small-town psychiatrist, having grown up in rural New Jersey.

Dr. Mecouch did his psychiatry training at The Medical College of Wisconsin, graduating in 1982. He worked in the Midwest for several years then came to Oregon in the mid-1990s. He spent the past 28 years living in West Linn, Oregon and maintained a private practice in Vancouver, Washington. In addition, he was the medical director of a community mental-health center in Clark County, Washington.

When the opportunity presented itself, Dr. Mecouch and his wife, Susan, made the move permanently to their home at Black Butte Ranch and he set up his practice in Sisters.

Specializing in Jungian analysis and depth psychology, Dr. Mecouch places great emphasis on delving deep into the soul of a patient. He treats more than symptoms and seeks to help his patients figure out ways to connect the soul to the world around them, allowing the psyche to heal itself with time and hard work. Practical applications are the end goal, and he uses a variety of techniques to get there.

"Psychotherapy tries to determine what the depth of the soul wants," he said.

Dream analysis, cognitive behavorial therapy, talk therapy and empathic listening, as well as medication when necessary are techniques Dr. Mecouch uses with patients.

He also advocates getting outside and finds his personal best therapy is fly fishing. One of his favorite T-shirt slogans reads, "Therapy is for the rich, fly fishing is for the rest of us."

"Fly fishing is the best therapy, but if it doesn't work, come see me," he said.

Dr. Mecouch can be reached at 503-705-9208 or through his website

www.drgeorgemecouch.com.