Shayden Bertagnolli

Matt (MattyAlfredo) _{on Google}

Feb 14th, 2024

I saw Shayden for marriage and family therapy. This was the most regretful decision of my life. Shayden's way of practicing was toxic to my relationship and makes me incredibly uncomfortable about counseling. So uncomfortable that I have an incredibility difficult time believing in the counseling profession after seeing Shayden. He not only pursued a relationship with my wife outside the office, but convinced her to be baptized LDS.
From my understanding his way of practicing during and after were so disturbing that a formal complaint was filed with the Utah Department of Professional Licensing (DOPL). It is common practice that only valid complaints are given a case number and formally investigated. Shayden at a minimum will have to take courses on professional ethics and duel relationships in therapy.
Academic studies have shown countless times how important it is for a therapist's role to be objective. My opinion is a therapist's job is not to be your friend, boyfriend, or pseudo-parent who becomes personally involved in a client's life. Their job is to be a paid professional who helps the client or couple learn skills they have not learned in life. A therapist's job is to enhance the client's relationship with regards to building stronger connections with healthy boundaries, not hinder relationships. In my opinion at NO point is it professional or ethical for a therapist to have an outside relationship with a client, especially if the client/s are seeing a therapist for marriage and family therapy.
I will end this review with my final opinion about Shayden. His behavior during and after therapy disgust me and my view of his therapy practice disturbs my heart and soul.