Meet Steve
Hi, I'm Steve Sunseth, a therapist specializing in adult adoptees and childhood trauma. I help adults who grew up feeling unseen, emotionally neglected, or disconnected from themselves build a life that feels more grounded, connected, and authentic.
A Warm Welcome
If you’re reading this, you’ve likely carried a lot on your own for a long time. Maybe you’ve always been the strong one. Maybe you learned early in life to stay small, stay quiet, or stay in control just to feel safe. Maybe you’ve spent years trying to make sense of your story — or trying not to think about it at all.
I’m glad you’re here. You deserve a space where you don’t have to hold everything together. A space where you don’t have to explain your history or justify your feelings. A space where you can simply breathe.
Why I Became a Therapist
I became a therapist later in life, after decades of watching how early experiences shape people in ways they often don’t realize. Going back to school at age 50 to earn my BSW and MSW was one of the most meaningful decisions I’ve ever made.
Why?
Because I’ve met so many people who grew up without the emotional safety, connection, or support they needed — and I wanted to create the kind of space they’ve always deserved.
Working with adult adoptees and adults who experienced childhood trauma or emotional neglect has become the heart of my practice. These are individuals who have often carried invisible wounds, unanswered questions, or quiet grief for decades. My role is to provide a steady, compassionate place where their story finally makes sense.
My Approach
I believe lasting healing happens in the context of safety, connection, and a relationship where you don't have to earn acceptance.
Therapy with me is gentle, grounded, and unrushed. I don’t push. I don’t analyze you from a distance. I don’t expect you to perform or make sense of everything right away.
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A steady, calming presence
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A pace that feels manageable
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Deep respect for your lived experience
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Space for all parts of your story — the tender, the confused, the angry, the hopeful
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Emotional safety, without pressure or judgment
Who I Work With
As an adoption-informed therapist, I specialize in supporting:
Adult Adoptees
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Identity and belonging questions
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Feelings of “not enough”
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Deep-rooted fears of abandonment
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Complicated family relationships
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Grief and anger around their story
Adults with Childhood Trauma or ACES
Including emotional neglect, complex trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), or the lasting effects of growing up in unpredictable or emotionally unsafe environments.
A Bit About Me
Outside of therapy, I value simplicity, connection, and a life lived gently. I’m based in London, Ontario, where I provide psychotherapy both in person and virtually across the province.
I am an adoptee myself. While your experience is uniquely yours, I understand firsthand how complex, layered, and lifelong the adoptee experience can feel. I hold deep respect for the emotional terrain adoptees navigate, and I bring both professional training and personal understanding to this work. This helps me offer a steady, grounded space where nothing needs to be minimized or explained away.
I’m grounded by time with my wife, Nadine, by meaningful conversations, and by the quiet moments that remind us we’re all just trying our best. I’m also learning guitar and piano — slowly, steadily — because growth doesn’t have an age limit.
Steadiness, compassion, presence, and respect.
Professional Training
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Registered Social Worker (RSW) Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Advanced training:
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
• NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM)
• Trauma-informed, attachment-focused psychotherapy
• Adult adoptee and complex trauma treatment
I believe good therapists never stop learning. Ongoing consultation, supervision, and professional development remain an important part of my practice.