Dr. Sipe is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Pediatrics, with additional clinical and research training in pediatric gastroenterology.
He has an active outpatient psychotherapy and medication management practice serving adults and adolescents. He has joint academic appointments at the UCSF School of Medicine as an Associate Clinical Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, where he teaches and supervises medical trainees in both fields.
He provides consulting and expert witness testimony to attorneys, both plaintiff and defense, focusing on the integration of medical and psychiatric issues in regard to damages in personal injury, medical malpractice, and product liability, and criminal cases, including PTSD, repressed or recovered memory, the neurobiology of early childhood stressors and sentencing mitigation. He also conducts psychiatric evaluations and provides treatment plans.
Dr. Sipe spent four years as an attending psychiatrist in the Anxiety Disorders Specialty Clinic of the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, which receives a high proportion of referrals for individuals with developmental trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other trauma-related disabilities. Additionally, he runs a clinic for pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders and pain at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital that specifically focuses on mind-body interactions.
His research experience and publications include laboratory investigations of the neurobiology of visceral pain, clinical research regarding the application of mindfulness techniques to depression, and the neurobiological changes associated with mindfulness. He has presented on the topic of the neurobiology of trauma to the National Center for Victims of Crime, the National Crime Victim Bar Association, Californians for Safety and Justice, and the Wyoming Office of the Attorney General.
Dr. Sipe is available to speak to attorney groups on the complex issues of mind–body interactions as they relate to litigation.
Attorneys please call 415-483-2112 to discuss your case.
"That was a fascinating description of the mechanisms of trauma, particularly the importance of how people respond in the aftermath of stress as being a critical factor in resilience to damage. That new perspective will help me better serve my client." — Client Comment
"Walter, thanks for your work on this case. We were specifically looking for an expert with experience in both psychiatry and medical pediatrics. You were very impressive, to say the least." — Client Comment
(After a talk)"That was one of the clearest explanations of the neurobiological effects of traumatic stress I have ever heard. I would love to get you in front of a jury!" — Client Comment