From the Trailer Park to Special Operations: How Steven Bunting Overcame Poverty, Loss, and Addiction to Chaos

Steven Bunting’s life has been shaped by adversity. From growing up in an Alabama trailer park to serving as an Independent Duty Corpsman in the Navy, his story is one of grit, loss, and redemption.In this episode of The Hero’s Journey, Steven shares how a tough childhood and a pact with his little brother led him to Special Operations, deployments around the world, and years as a medic on the front lines. He talks about the steep cost of service, losing friends and family, battling alcohol, and the moment he realized he had to change.After transitioning out of the Navy, Steven became a marriage and family therapist to fill the critical gap for high-risk communities. He explains how coaching, mentorship, and the mind-body connection helped him rebuild his life and relationships.Today, he serves as Head of Coaching at Sharp Performance, helping others in demanding occupations take back control of their health, performance, and purpose.Learn more about Sharp Performance: https://hubs.la/Q03Dmtg70Chapters00:00 Introduction02:32 Childhood in a Birmingham Trailer Park07:01 Moving in with Grandparents and Watching 9/11 on TV08:56 Call Center Job, Fallujah on TV, and the Pact with His Brother10:13 Fight with Marine Recruiter, Choosing the Navy Instead13:22 Boot Camp, Becoming a Corpsman, and Special Operations Selection17:28 Deployments as a Frontline Medic22:30 Alcohol, Family Strain, and Losing Friends and His Brother to Suicide30:14 Rock Bottom After Afghanistan and Contracting30:54 First VA Session Ends with the Psychologist Asleep36:00 Discovering Coaching, Meditation, and the Mind-Body Connection41:00 Building the Coaching Program at Sharp Performance[spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/5indYjqNQWUiq0HYifYBFk?si=ece87e604a8541fd][apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-trailer-park-to-special-operations-how/id1832731879?i=1000722656374][youtube:https://youtu.be/BsigCm102PM?si=JGh9XRbI8Z4ddUh4]