Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Van Steenberg.
Hi Mark, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story into this work is really a story about finding purpose through my own lived experiences and searching for a calling bigger than myself. I didn’t grow up imagining I’d become a therapist. When I entered the field, I started in community mental health and crisis settings, often meeting people in moments that mirrored some of the chaos I had known myself. Over time my work expanded into many experiences and roles as therapist and Clinical Director in settings such as hospitals, residential programs, IOP/PHP settings, OPT clinics, and specialized trauma services. Those early years taught me compassion, empathy, steadiness, and the importance of meeting people exactly where they are. They taught me to show up.
Over time, I felt called to build something that blended clinical depth with nature, spirituality, and grounded mindfulness. It’s a reflection of who I am, not just what I do. I want people to know that healing doesn’t have to be sterile or clinical—it can be honest, human, and connected to the natural world.
As my career grew, I had the opportunity to evolve and expand my clinical knowledge and reach in many specializations. I found myself working closely with active and former NFL athletes, Olympic competitors, PGA golfers, and military veterans. Each community carries its own culture, pressures, and invisible injuries. I became committed to helping people navigate brain trauma, PTSD, identity loss, transition, and the emotional weight that often follows high-performance careers. That work eventually led me to co-found Sage Elite Healing, a specialized program for retired NFL players and their families. It widened my clinical scope and deepened my understanding of complex trauma and the human nervous system. It was one of the most meaningful chapters of my career and deepened my dedication to trauma work.
My work with NFL athletes became a defining pathway of my career and continues to drive my passion, purpose, and calling. It started almost unexpectedly. I was already working in trauma, brain injury, and crisis care when I was introduced to a former player who was struggling with symptoms that no one had really named for him. What began as one case grew into many. Word spread quietly, and I found myself supporting athletes who were carrying years of hits, concussions, identity loss, chronic pain, and the emotional fallout that comes after the game ends.
I learned quickly that these men live in a unique space. They spend years being trained to be invulnerable while absorbing physical and psychological stress that most people never see. Many were dealing with depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep issues, and the long-term effects of repetitive head trauma. There were also deep layers of grief, anxiety, panic, depression, fear, and the loss of the identity they spent decades building.
My role became more than therapy. It was trusted guide. It was stabilizing. It was educational. It was advocating for their care. It was helping them reconnect to their families and to themselves. I helped build treatment plans around brain health, trauma, emotional regulation, and the real-life stressors that follow retirement. I learned their culture, their language, and the unique pressures of their world.
My approach expanded from clinical sessions to mindfulness, sound healing, meditation, and nature-based practices. Many athletes resonated deeply with stepping outside the treatment room and into the natural world. It helped regulate their nervous systems and gave them tools they could carry into their daily lives.
Today I run my private practice in Boulder, Colorado and I’ve launched a nonprofit focused on providing access to natural healing environments for all communities. Sacred Summit is where I integrate clinical therapy with nature-based healing, meditation, and sound work. I’ve learned that people heal best when they feel safe, understood, and grounded in both evidence-based practices and the natural world. Everything I do now—whether it’s therapy, teaching, leading expeditions, or creating wellness tools—is aimed at expanding access to healing and helping people reconnect with themselves in an honest and sustainable way.
Every step of my journey has had its own purpose. That purpose is walking beside my clients and be guide throughout their lives. The professional experiences, the personal struggles, the people I’ve learned from—they all led me to the work I do today. And I’m grateful for it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think we all experience the smoothness and the bumps of the road throughout our lives. Like most people in the helping professions, I didn’t arrive here without navigating my own challenges. My personal history, the trauma I experienced growing up, and the losses I carried into adulthood shaped me long before I ever sat in the therapist’s chair. Those experiences gave me empathy, but they also forced me to learn how to regulate my own nervous system and develop a steady presence for others.
Professionally, the path was demanding. I worked in settings where crises were constant and the emotional weight was heavy. As my work expanded into treating former NFL athletes and veterans, the intensity increased. Many of them were carrying multiple layers of trauma, brain injury, grief, and identity loss. Holding space for that level of suffering required strong boundaries, constant self-work, and a commitment to staying grounded.
The hardest part of the journey was learning how to stay present while not losing myself. The reality is BALANCE IS A VERB and this is the ongoing, mysterious wrestling match of life. Over time I learned how to integrate nature, meditation, mindfulness, and somatic practices into my own life. Those same practices later became a central part of the work I offer.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in multiple states, specializing in Complex PTSD, traumatic brain injury, mood and anxiety disorders, and trauma related to high-performance careers. Much of my work has focused on active and former NFL players, Olympic athletes, and military veterans. I help people navigate brain trauma, identity loss, chronic stress, and the emotional impact of major life transitions.
Throughout my career I’ve served as a lead therapist, Clinical Director, Chief Clinical Officer, and clinical consultant for IOP/PHP programs and specialized trauma services. Those roles shaped my leadership style and expanded the way I understand systems of care.
I’m known for being steady, direct, and grounded approach to being your guide. My approach blends evidence-based therapy with nature-based healing, meditation, and somatic work. What I’m most proud of is the trust people place in me. Working in crisis settings, community mental health, hospitals, and private practice taught me how to sit with people through difficult experiences while maintaining clinical integrity.
What sets me apart is the combination of my clinical training, my lived experience, and my ability to connect with people.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up I was a creative and athletic kid. Coming from Youngstown, Ohio, I found my outlets through sports, drawing, and anything that let me express myself. Youngstown is a tough, honest place, and it gave me perspective early. I learned resilience, work ethic, and how to stay grounded. Those lessons still shape me today.
I was curious, observant, and always trying to understand people. I didn’t have the language for it then, but I was already paying attention to emotions, dynamics, and the stories happening around me. Athletics gave me structure and discipline. Creativity gave me imagination and escape. Together they became the foundation for the work I do now. I’ve always carried that mix of grit, curiosity, and expression, and it continues to guide how I show up in my life and practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.markvansteenberg.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvansteenberg/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvansteenberg/
Image Credits
All photos are taken and owned by me
