Castro District · San Francisco

Scott Balderson is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT, License MFC34280) based in the Castro District of San Francisco, California. Specializing in mindful psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, couples therapy, LGBTQ+ affirming therapy, anxiety treatment, and trauma therapy. Serving San Francisco and Bay Area residents in person, and California residents via telehealth.

A place to
look inward,
and grow.

Collaborative, mindful psychotherapy for individuals and couples seeking greater self-understanding, deeper connection, and lasting change.

scott@scottbalderson.com
MFC34280
Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better accommodations.

Hafiz

25+
Years in Practice
MBA
& CIIS Graduate
Castro
San Francisco
🌿

Mindful Approach

Grounded in contemplative wisdom and modern neuroscience for lasting healing.

🤝

Collaborative & Engaged

Therapy that meets you where you are — directive, warm, and responsive.

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LGBTQ+ Affirming

A safe, affirming space with deep experience serving the LGBTQ+ community.

Scott Balderson, MFT — Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in San Francisco Castro District
25+
years in practice

A therapist shaped by
diverse experience

I've been working as a therapist in private practice in San Francisco's Castro District for over twenty-five years. Before entering the field, I worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and in business after earning an MBA — experiences that gave me a deep appreciation for the complexity of human motivation and decision-making.

I'm a graduate of the California Institute of Integral Studies, where I trained in an approach that honors multiple ways of knowing and healing across cultures and traditions. My work integrates Western psychotherapy and wisdom traditions including Buddhism and shamanism. I maintain a personal practice of meditation and yoga.

I describe my therapy style as collaborative, personable, and engaged — working with you to strategize around what you need and how therapy can help you get there. I welcome feedback throughout our work together.

Graduate SchoolCIIS, San Francisco
Also holdsMBA
Location533a Castro St, SF
LicenseMFC34280
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What I Offer

Therapy tailored to
your unique path

Whether you're navigating personal challenges or relationship dynamics, I offer a safe, non-judgmental space to explore what matters most.

01

Mindful Psychotherapy

Drawing on contemplative traditions and modern psychology, mindful therapy cultivates the inner observer — a non-judgmental awareness that becomes your most powerful resource for healing and growth.

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02

Couples Therapy

When disconnection sets in, I help couples identify the patterns — not the people — that stand between them and a more fulfilling relationship. We work toward genuine intimacy and lasting reconnection.

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03

LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy

With deep respect for the unique psychological landscape of gay, lesbian, and queer individuals, I offer therapy that honors your full identity and supports authentic self-expression and aliveness.

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04

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a transformative approach to therapy that embraces the complexity of the human mind. Imagine your mind as a family, with each part of you playing a unique role. Some parts may carry burdens from past experiences, while others strive to protect you from pain. IFS helps you connect with these parts, fostering understanding, compassion, and harmony within yourself.

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My Approach

Therapy rooted in
mindful awareness

🔍

The Inner Observer

Cultivating the part of you that observes experience without being defined by it. From here, change becomes possible.

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Non-Judgmental Awareness

We unravel patterns of interaction that no longer serve you — recognizing it's often the pattern, not you or your partner, that disconnects.

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Relational Mindfulness

Being truly seen by another is itself healing. The therapeutic relationship becomes a context for opening and lasting transformation.

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Neurobiology-Informed

Understanding how the brain and nervous system shape emotional life informs every aspect of the work — bringing both precision and compassion.

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Jungian & Depth Psychology

Drawing on archetypal perspectives to illuminate the deeper symbolic and unconscious dimensions of your experience.

Spiritual Integration

For those for whom it's relevant, I welcome Buddhism, shamanism, and other contemplative traditions into the therapeutic process.

When you are the witness of feelings, you are not bound by feelings. In place of your contracted self there is simply a vast sense of openness and release. As an object, you are bound; as the witness, you are free.
— Ken Wilber
Peaceful forest path near San Francisco — representing the journey of therapy and personal growth

Finding the right
fit for you

I offer a free initial phone consultation to answer any questions and to see if we are a good fit.

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Telehealth and In Person

I offer both in person therapy and telehealth therapy for California residents.

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Insurance

Not currently on insurance panels. I provide all documentation for out-of-network reimbursement.

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Flexible Spending

FSA and HSA plans can significantly reduce your cost. I provide all necessary documentation.

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Schedule

Monday – Thursday, afternoons and evenings. Limited evening availability due to high demand.

Ready to begin?

Reach out to schedule your free phone consultation or first appointment. I'm here to answer any questions.

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Curated reading for
growth & insight

A selection of books and articles I recommend across the topics I work with most.

Aging & Death
Who Dies? An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying
Stephen Levine

A profound and compassionate guide to confronting mortality with openness and grace. Levine draws on his years of work with the dying to explore how embracing death — rather than fearing it — can transform the way we live. This book offers a path toward living more fully and dying more peacefully.

A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last
Stephen Levine

Levine teaches us how to live each moment mindfully — as if it were all that was left. A year-long program of intensely practical strategies and powerful guided meditations that gives us the opportunity to deal with unfinished business and enter into a new relationship with life.

Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death
Joan Halifax

Drawing on decades of work with the dying and their caregivers, Halifax offers Buddhist-inspired teachings that affirm we can open and contact our inner strength in the face of death — and help others who are suffering to do the same.

The Second Half of Life: Opening the Eight Gates of Wisdom
Angeles Arrien

A collection of teachings, reflections, and stories from around the world that opens us to the challenges and deeper mysteries of midlife. Arrien introduces us to the "Eight Gates of Initiation" through which we harvest the meaning and purpose of our life and come into our spiritual maturity.

Anxiety & Panic
When Panic Attacks: The New, Drug-Free Anxiety Therapy That Can Change Your Life
Dr. David D. Burns

Dr. Burns presents more than forty proven techniques for working with and moderating anxiety — offering a practical, drug-free approach that has helped countless people reclaim their lives from panic and worry.

Don't Panic: Taking Control of Anxiety Attacks (Third Edition)
Reid Wilson, Ph.D.

A straightforward and effective self-help program for overcoming panic. Wilson demystifies anxiety attacks and provides indispensable advice on how to recognize, manage, and control the moment of panic — and rediscover the joy of living.

LGBTQ+ Psychology
The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World
Alan Downs, Ph.D.

A groundbreaking examination of the psychology of gay identity and how growing up gay in a straight world leads to internalized shame. Outlines three distinct stages to emotional well-being for gay men, offering empowering strategies to break cycles of avoidance and self-defeating behavior.

Coming Out Spiritually: The Next Step
Christian de la Huerta

A clear perspective and optimistic vision of the role gay people can play in the world for the benefit of all — exploring the intersection of spiritual identity and LGBTQ+ experience.

Gay Spirit: Myth and Meaning
Mark Thompson (ed.)

A collection of essays exploring the possibilities of gay spirit — suggesting ways in which gay people might find a place and purpose in human culture unique to themselves, from the outer shores of our culture's collective consciousness.

Gay Spirituality
Toby Johnson

This Lambda Literary Award-winning title explores how the rise of gay identity has become an important part of contemporary religious development, examining gay men's unique ability to see beyond cultural assumptions.

Jungian Psychology
The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By
Carol S. Pearson

Combining literature, anthropology, and psychology to define six heroic archetypes that exist in all of us — the Innocent, the Orphan, the Wanderer, the Warrior, the Martyr, and the Magician — showing how to reach our fullest potential by achieving balance among them.

An Open Life: Joseph Campbell in Conversation with Michael Toms
Joseph Campbell

In the tradition of The Power of Myth, a rich conversation that distills the mature wisdom and eclectic spiritual thinking of the world-renowned scholar and mythologist.

The Power of Myth
Joseph Campbell

Campbell touches on subjects ranging from modern marriage to virgin births, from Jesus to John Lennon, in an illuminating attempt to explain our world through the lens of mythology and archetypal story.

Men's Issues
He: Understanding Masculine Psychology
Robert A. Johnson

Important reflections on what it means to be a man, how men develop into maturity, and what components make up the complex masculine personality — drawing on Jungian psychology and myth.

Men and the Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of Men
Michael Meade

A masterwork that uses myths and symbols to provide keen insights into male initiation, power, ordeals, scars, wounds, passion, violence, and love. "Meade is a master of the mode." — New York Times Book Review.

Iron John: A Book About Men
Robert Bly

A new vision of what it is to be a man, addressing the devastating effects of remote fathers and the disappearance of male initiation rites. Using the Grimm fairy tale "Iron John," Bly explores eight stages of male growth — images of vigorous masculinity, both protective and emotionally centered.

Mindfulness & Meditation
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
Pema Chödrön

A treasury of wisdom for going on living when we are overcome by pain and difficulties. Chödrön discusses using painful emotions to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage — one of the most beloved contemporary American spiritual books.

Inner Work: Using Dreams and Active Imagination for Personal Growth
Robert A. Johnson

Noted Jungian analyst Johnson shows how working with dreams and active imagination can integrate our conscious and unconscious selves, leading us to wholeness and a more satisfying life.

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
Eckhart Tolle

An inspiring spiritual journey to find your true and deepest self. Tolle shows how to connect to the indestructible essence of our Being — liberated from the chattering mind and fully alive in the present moment.

A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life
Jack Kornfield

Beloved Western Buddhist master Kornfield shares personal, practical wisdom from 25 years of practicing and teaching the path of awakening, guiding readers to a simplicity of perception that brings spiritual practice alive in daily life.

Everyday Zen: Love and Work
Charlotte Joko Beck

A warm, uniquely American approach to using Zen to deal with the problems of daily living — love, relationships, work, fear, ambition, and suffering — showing us how to live each moment to the fullest.

Being Peace
Thich Nhat Hanh

Using real examples from his own life, poems and fables, Nhat Hanh explains key practices for living "right in the moment we are alive." A seminal work that remains as timely as when it was first published.

Neurobiology
A General Theory of Love
Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini & Richard Lannon

Three eminent psychiatrists draw on the latest neuroscience to demonstrate that our nervous systems are not self-contained — from earliest childhood, our brains link with those of the people close to us in a silent rhythm that shapes our emotional lives and makes us who we are.

Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation
Daniel J. Siegel, M.D.

A groundbreaking guide to "mindsight" — the potent skill at the basis of emotional and social intelligence. Siegel shows how cultivating mindsight helps us master our emotions, heal our relationships, and effect positive, lasting changes in our brains and our lives.

Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
Rick Hanson, Ph.D.

Joining modern neuroscience with ancient teachings to show how to shape your own brain for greater happiness, love, and wisdom. Full of practical tools for daily life to tap the unused potential of the brain and rewire it over time for greater peace and well-being.

Relationships
Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
Dr. Sue Johnson

Presenting Emotionally Focused Therapy to the general public, Johnson teaches that the way to save and enrich a relationship is to reestablish safe emotional connection. Seven healing conversations help couples nurture their relationships and ensure a lifetime of love.

Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples
Harville Hendrix, Ph.D.

A classic that has helped millions of couples attain more loving, supportive, and deeply satisfying relationships. Hendrix originated Imago Relationship Therapy — a unique healing process for couples that has been practiced by thousands of therapists worldwide.

Passionate Marriage: Keeping Love and Intimacy Alive in Committed Relationships
David Schnarch, Ph.D.

Called "a classic" by William H. Masters, MD, this book explores how committed relationships can deepen rather than diminish passion and intimacy over time — a powerful reframe for couples seeking lasting connection.

We: Understanding the Psychology of Romantic Love
Robert A. Johnson

An illuminating explanation of the origins and meaning of romantic love, showing how a proper understanding of its psychological dynamics can revitalize our most important relationships.

Permanent Partners: Building Gay and Lesbian Relationships That Last
Betty Berzon, Ph.D.

A guide for lesbian and gay couples addressing concerns including the merging of identities, waning desire, conflict resolution, career demands, illness, and mid-life crises — with practical wisdom for building lasting partnerships.

Shamanism
Shamanic Meditations: Guided Journeys for Insight, Vision, and Healing
Sandra Ingerman

Ingerman invites you to return to the source of human spirituality and experience the enduring power of ancient shamanic practices for healing, guidance, and awakening — including practices for finding spirit teachers, power animals, and shamanic initiation into oneness.

Black Elk Speaks
John G. Neihardt

The famous life story of Nicholas Black Elk, Lakota healer and visionary of the Oglala Sioux — a deeply moving account of indigenous spiritual vision and the tragic collision between native and settler cultures.

The Way of the Shaman
Michael Harner

A phenomenal bestseller with over 500,000 copies sold worldwide, this foundational text introduces readers to shamanic practice and the enduring wisdom of indigenous healing traditions.

Soul & Spirituality
Emptiness Dancing
Adyashanti

Adyashanti invites readers to ask: What is ultimately behind this set of eyes? Exploring how we let go of who we think we are, and begin to understand what we are — a destined spiritual classic on awakening and enlightenment.

The Seat of the Soul
Gary Zukav

A brilliant exploration of our evolution from a species pursuing external power into one pursuing authentic power based on the perceptions and values of the spirit. Zukav shows how infusing life with reverence, compassion, and trust makes it come alive with meaning and purpose.

Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life
Thomas Moore

A New York Times bestseller that provides a path-breaking lifestyle handbook showing how to add spirituality, depth, and meaning to modern-day life by nurturing the soul — honoring the ordinary as sacred.

Trauma
The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment
Babette Rothschild

The first book to link somatic memory and the impact of trauma on the body. Bridging the gap between talk and body therapy, Rothschild presents techniques for addressing the memory held in the body — essential reading for both clinicians and those who have experienced trauma.

Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma
Peter A. Levine

A hopeful vision of trauma that views the human animal as endowed with an instinctual capacity for healing. By understanding why wild animals are rarely traumatized, the mystery of human trauma is revealed — and a body-based path to healing is offered.