Stefan Benton, MFT

As I stated in my prior review, new reviews for Mr. Benton only seem to pop up in response to negative occurrences and not just because people want to leave reviews for him. The first review for Mr. Benton was posted in 2012. That review stood alone for nearly TWO YEARS. Then, suddenly, almost immediately after the Board of Behavioral Sciences cited Mr. Benton for «gross negligence or incompetence», two reviews were posted. Then, I posted a review in August 2015 detailing the BBS citation against Mr. Benton and then come September 2015, again, there are suddenly favorable reviews for Mr. Benton to counter the negative review. In my humble opinion, these are not coincidences. I must concede that I could be wrong. There may not be a cause and effect, but there certainly seems to be a correlation.
I think that it is also important to note that most of the people who have written reviews for Mr. Benton have not written any prior Unilocal reviews. Additionally, if you read these reviews, the content is almost identical. So, everyone who sees Mr. Benton has an identical experience? If it is true, that is amazing.
Finally, there is a review that is not a recommended review, but it is still listed on Unilocal.The content of that review is almost identical to the copy on Mr. Benton’s website.
To summarize, please note that the first review ever posted on Unilocal for Mr. Benton was in 2012. This is a FACT.
Subsequent reviews for Mr. Benton did not appear until March 2014 almost immediately after he was cited for «GROSS NEGLIGENCE or INCOMPETENCE» by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. This is a FACT.
I filed a review in August 2015 outlining the details of the BBS citation and the events surrounding my experiences with Mr Benton, which resulted in my filing a complaint with BBS and the resulting citation against Mr. Benton for «GROSS NEGLIGENCE or INCOMPETENCE.» This is a FACT.
Following the August 2015 review, suddenly positive reviews were posted on Unilocal for Mr. Benton, which are similar in content and tone with limited variation. This is an observation.
More than a few of the individuals who posted reviews for Mr. Benton had NEVER posted reviews on Unilocal before. This is a FACT.
Not a single review, other than mine, takes into account that there was a recommendation in place to revoke or suspend Mr. Benton’s license. The case was handled by the DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. This is a serious matter. FACT!
In my opinion, it is important for the public to be aware of the fact that Mr. Benton’s gross negligence or incompetence resulted in serious injury to a real human being, me. And four years later, I have yet to fully recover and my life, the lives of my children, my friends, my family and other innocent victims have been forever altered and etched in pain, grief, misery, loss, shame and unbearable regret.
Ignoring these facts is unfair to those who have suffered due to Mr. Benton’s actions and to his current and prospective clients who deserve to be made aware of the facts of the matter as opposed to anyone’s personal opinions. That way, they can make an educated and informed decision when considering hiring Mr. Benton as their therapist or remaining under his care. There needs to be transparency.
He needs to own what he did and explain why he believes it will never happen again.

After years of various forms of counseling, our family very much benefitted from Stefan Benton’s cognitive behavioral approach. Our work with him netted very positive results for our family dynamics and the decrease of stress in our home. Based on his recommendations and tools, we were in ACTION and our lives were positively affected.

Stefan is a very competent therapist who has helped my family a tremendous amount over the years. He is compassionate and fair in group settings. You can tell this is his life’s work and passion because he gives his all to every session. Besides that he’s a very nice man with an easy demeanor, who truly wants to help you.

I have referred a number of my clients to Stefan over the years that I have known him. Like Stefan, I am a member of the Collaborative Practice of Marin and trained in mediation. Stefan has been very helpful to the people I referred who were trying to stay in their relationship with a signficant other, despite anger management issues, or assess a decision to quit the relationship. He is very even tempered, and speaks with clarity. In addition to his couples work, he runs a discussion group for men with anger issues.

If you value your mental health or the mental health of a loved one, DO NOT go to Stefan Benton. He failed to diagnose a serious illness because he could not admit that it was beyond the scope of his abilities. My friend’s life was destroyed because of him. Run away from him. Run do not walk. He is horrible.