Stefan Benton MFT

I am a marriage and family therapist and have had a private practice in Marin County since 1998. My practice concentrates on three areas: couples therapy, family therapy, and therapy for individuals, both adults and children (ages ten and older). My passion is helping people work through their issues, meet their goals and advance in their personal development.

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Education

I graduated in 1990 from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) with a BA in Psychology and a Coaching Certificate. I earned my secondary teaching credential at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I have a Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology and a Pupil Personal Services Credential from the University of San Francisco (USF).

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Background

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I grew up in Marin County and attended local schools. After obtaining my masters in Counseling Psychology from USF, I worked at Pyramid Alternatives in San Mateo County where I completed my 3,000 hours of internship and my licensing requirements. While at Pyramid, I saw individual clients, couples and children. At Pyramid Alternatives, I also worked in court-ordered DUI groups. During my seven years at Pyramid Alternatives, I supervised interns and staff in the Alternatives to Violence Program, which focused on anger management, domestic violence, teen anger management and anger/parenting groups.

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In 1998, I received my MFT license and opened my private practice.

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In 2003, I co-founded Building Better Families Inc., (BBF) a county-certified anger management and domestic violence batterers treatment program.  Also known as BBF, this organization provided group counseling for court-mandated and self-referred clients who were struggling with anger and/or violence in their relationships. BBF closed its doors at the end of 2014 after working with thousands of individuals.

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In 2015, I added Integrative Mediation and Collaborative Divorce to my practice.

 

In 2020, I began exploring Non-Violent Communication (NVC), a form of communication developed by Marshall Rosenberg. This method has greatly informed how I work with couples and I am impressed with its effectiveness.

 

In 2022, my personal development includes exploring Internal Family Systems (IMF) and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP).