Steph Sterling, LCSW (NY, NJ FL, CO, & PA), LICSW (MA), is a seasoned relationship therapist with two decades of experience helping high-achieving individuals and couples strengthen communication, deepen emotional intimacy, and transform conflict into connection. Her work blends deep emotional insight with practical, actionable tools so clients do not just talk about change, they live it.

Steph earned her Master’s in Social Work from New York University (NYU) in 2006 and co-owns Alternatives Counseling with her wife, Dr. Darcy Sterling, where she guides clients from pain to connection by refining communication, deepening emotional bonds, and equipping them with practical tools to navigate conflict with confidence.

Certified in Imago Relationship Therapy and trained in EMDR, IFS, and the Gottman Method, Steph helps clients navigate communication breakdowns, unresolved trauma, and relational stagnation with clarity and compassion. Her approach is warm, direct, and collaborative, grounded in the belief that even the most successful people need support when it comes to love, vulnerability, and growth.

Steph has completed training in psychedelic harm reduction and integration (PHRI) and psilocybin facilitation through Fluence, and has completed Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) training through Journey Clinical. This training informs her broader understanding of non-ordinary states and her work in clinical research settings, and is not part of the services offered within her psychotherapy practice.

In addition to her clinical work, Steph volunteers with Fireside Project, a nonprofit that provides confidential, non-judgmental peer support by phone and text for people during and after psychedelic experiences. This role reflects her commitment to harm reduction, emotional safety, and offering grounded, non-clinical support during moments of vulnerability, transition, and meaning-making.