Walter Sipe is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Pediatrics, with additional clinical and research training in pediatric gastroenterology.

Walter e. b Sipe

As a psychiatrist, I specialize in providing care and alleviating the suffering associated with depression, anxiety, and chronic pain states in young people and adults. I take an integrated approach to your care, combining mindfulness approaches based on meditative practices, with more traditional psychotherapy, and–where appropriate–careful use of medications.

My commitment is that your therapy make a profound difference in the areas of your life that are most important to you. Trained in both pediatric gastroenterology and adult psychiatry, my experience in human development, nutrition, and mind-body medicine offers a unique perspective on the care I can offer.

I am on faculty at UCSF in the departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, where I teach and supervise medical students and residents in both fields. I have a research background in the neurobiology of abdominal pain, and continue academic work in the field of mindfulness.

APPROACH

I practice integrative psychiatry, a holistic approach to wellbeing that includes psychotherapy, medicine, and mindfulness.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness extends far beyond meditation—it’s a way of cultivating awareness with practical impacts on your relationship to yourself and others. As Jon Kabat-Zinn defines it, mindfulness is “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” Mindfulness practices help you respond skillfully to life’s challenges, manage difficult emotions, and develop deeper self-compassion in your daily experience.

Psychotherapy

My therapeutic approach centers on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Rather than struggling to eliminate difficult thoughts and feelings, ACT helps you develop psychological flexibility—expanding your capacity to effectively face uncomfortable experiences while committing to actions aligned with your values. This evidence-based approach empowers you to live a meaningful life even in the presence of pain, cultivating resilience and authentic engagement with what matters most.

Medications & Hormones

I view medications as an extension of psychotherapy: another potential tool to support values-consistent living. When symptoms interfere with your ability to engage meaningfully with what matters, thoughtfully chosen medications can restore that capacity. I take an individualized approach, utilizing compounded formulations when needed, and address hormonal changes throughout the lifespan in all genders, including peri-menopausal hormone therapy.

Nutrition

Drawing on my background in gastroenterology, I help you navigate the overwhelming noise of conflicting dietary advice from press and social media influencers. My commitment is finding a personalized nutritional approach that works specifically for you—not following trendy diets or one-size-fits-all recommendations. Together, we’ll clarify the mixed messages and establish a relationship to food that supports your mental health, physical wellbeing, and long-term health goals.

Physical Activity

Scientific evidence clearly links cardiovascular and strength training with improved mental health outcomes. As a physician, I’m committed to guiding you toward personal mastery and lifelong health through movement. With extensive strength training experience and certification as a Functional Range Conditioning mobility specialist (FRCms), I bring both personal and professional knowledge of joint health, conditioning, and movement capacity to encourage your physical development functional capacity throughout your lifespan.

Supplements

The supplement industry is largely unregulated, with questionable evidence behind most products. By utilizing first principles and evidence-based resources like Examine.com, I help you navigate this challenging landscape to make informed decisions about relative costs and benefits and what actually works.

TRAINING & EDUCATION

EDUCATION

Harvard College, A.B. in Psychology
University of California San Diego, M.D.
Boston Combined Residency Program in Pediatrics (Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center)
University of California San Francisco, Clinical and research Fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology
Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute of UCSF, General Adult Psychiatry Residency