Listening with Heart: The Remarkable Journey of Suzanne Sovdi
By Kerri Leland
At 68, Suzanne Sovdi is still learning, growing, and embracing new challenges.
After more than 25 years spent supporting others through life’s struggles and triumphs, she recently achieved a milestone many people would consider daunting at any age: earning a Master’s Degree in Psychology and becoming a provisional psychologist in Alberta.
For Suzanne, however, the achievement is less about credentials and more about purpose.
“I can continue to learn and grow at the age of 68,” she says. “It’s been an interesting and sometimes gruelling journey, but also very fulfilling.”
That spirit of curiosity, resilience, and lifelong growth has defined much of Suzanne’s life, from her childhood as one of the few Black families in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, to her decades of counselling work, faith leadership, and community involvement.
Today, as she counsels clients through difficult seasons at Capstone Counselling and Lighthouse Counselling Centre in Edmonton, Suzanne brings something that can’t be taught in a classroom: a lifetime of listening, learning, and living.
From Barbados to the Prairies
Suzanne’s story begins on the Caribbean island of Barbados.
Born Suzanne Valencia Sealy, she was just four years old when her parents, Eustace and Genetha Sealy, made the life-changing decision to immigrate to Canada with their three children.
“My parents and two siblings came to Canada when I was four years old,” she recalls. “Arriving from a tropical island to the cold winter of the Saskatchewan plains was quite a shock to the system, and an overall cultural shock.”
Her father had accepted an invitation from his younger brother, who had arrived in Canada a year earlier. The family settled in Moose Jaw, where they became one of only a few Black families in the city.
For her parents, the transition involved far more than adapting to winter weather.
“It was a new way of living, being a minority, finding new foods to eat and heavier clothes to wear while attempting to assimilate into a new culture,” Suzanne says.
While she was young enough to adapt relatively easily, she sensed the challenges her parents faced. Her mother emphasized the importance of embracing Canadian life while maintaining their heritage and values.
School was another place where Suzanne became aware of being different.
“Other than my older brother and younger sister, the colour of our skin was our defining difference,” she says. “People, for the most part, were kind and helpful, but there were often undercurrents of tension which we felt at different times.”
Despite those experiences, Suzanne remembers her childhood as one rich in family, friendship, and community. Her parents welcomed immigrants from many different backgrounds into their home, creating an environment filled with laughter, food, and connection.
“We had so much fun, enjoyed great parties and learned to appreciate different foods from around the world,” she says.
The Power of Being Heard
One of Suzanne’s earliest influences was her father.
“As a child and teenager, my dad was a significant influence in showing me what a quiet and gentle spirit could accomplish,” she says. “Sometimes with words, often in silence, with love and forgiveness.”
His encouragement helped shape her confidence during years when she often felt different from those around her.
“At different times, my dad would offer me words of encouragement which accented my uniqueness,” she says. “He often would ask my opinion or inquire how I was feeling about certain situations. I knew he cared for me and was looking out for me.”
But Suzanne never originally planned to become a counsellor.
After high school, she considered a career in dietetics and spent a summer working in a hospital dietary department. It quickly became clear that path wasn’t for her.
The turning point came during a conversation with a friend at Bible College.
“She asked me if I had considered counselling, which I hadn’t,” Suzanne recalls. The reason surprised her.
“Her main reason for suggesting that was she saw that I really listened to people.”
As Suzanne reflected on the observation, she realized her friend was right.
“I started to notice that I did give specific attention to what people were sharing. I realized I was listening because I cared about what they were saying and also experiencing. I also wanted to know what they were not saying and who they were.”
She laughs softly when she reflects on that moment today.
“I have been giving my ear and heart ever since.”
Faith, Family, and Finding Her Way
Suzanne’s educational journey eventually led her from Saskatchewan to the United States, where she earned a degree in psychology. The experience proved transformative.
“My time at Evangel University was the catalyst for shaping my worldview,” she says.
When she returned to Canada, she accepted a position as Dean of Women at a Bible college in Moose Jaw. Alongside administrative responsibilities, she taught classes, worked as a librarian, and continued counselling.
The position also introduced her to a young man named Leslie Sovdi.
The couple married in 1985 and recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.
“When I met my husband, he challenged the way I did my faith and was passionate about his relationship with God,” Suzanne says. “He has helped me think about the deeper things of faith.”
Together, they helped plant a church in Moose Jaw before making another major life transition in 1991.
“We took a step of faith and moved to Alberta,” she says.
The move marked the beginning of a new chapter that eventually brought them to Edmonton, where they live today.
Throughout the years, Suzanne continued counselling in various capacities while balancing family life, faith commitments, and community involvement.
Looking back, she sees relationships as one of the greatest shaping forces in her life.
“When I consider who I am today, there are key relationships that have given my life a structure that has stood for me in the face of joys and difficulties.”
At the centre of those relationships is her faith.
“I would not have withstood the many storms and upheavals that have been part of this journey without God’s help,” she says.
Returning to the Classroom at 60
Most people approaching retirement are looking for ways to slow down. Suzanne decided to go back to university.
In 2018, at age 60, she enrolled in a Master’s program in psychology through Yorkville University. The timing couldn’t have been more challenging.
“The challenge of doing online courses, learning new computer skills, and functioning during COVID for someone over 60 was truly a feat,” she says.
Yet she persisted, and the experience tested her in unexpected ways.
“I am learning that I can still learn and I can remain curious,” she says. “My capacity for retention was put to the test. I asked more questions than I had asked in school the first time around.”
Along the way, she discovered new strengths and new insights about herself.
“I learned what was new in my field and also what was new in me.”
The result was not only a graduate degree but a renewed sense of purpose.
“I am discovering ways of thinking, ways of being and ways of doing,” she says. “Some I want to keep, some I am working at discarding—old patterns that don’t work at this stage of life.”
What Decades of Counselling Have Taught Her
Few professions offer as intimate a view of the human experience as counselling.
Over the years, Suzanne has listened to stories of grief, trauma, resilience, healing, and hope. The experience has profoundly changed her.
“This type of work makes it possible to look closer at one’s own stuff,” she says. “Some of the unravelling moments for me have come as I have listened to people’s stories.”
The work has also deepened her appreciation for the strength people possess.
“When you hear people’s stories, you gain a better understanding of what they have had to do to be in my office, and it is very humbling.”
While counselling often focuses on challenges, Suzanne also witnesses remarkable victories.
“My clients’ improvements and victories help me know that I am doing what I can do.”
Ultimately, she sees counselling as more than a profession.
“I don’t see it as something I do, but rather an extension of who I am and how God has created me.”
Learning to Care for Herself
Supporting others emotionally requires intentional self-care, a lesson Suzanne says took years to learn.
“It has taken me quite a few years to learn self-care and setting healthy boundaries,” she says.
Today, she regularly checks in with herself by asking a simple question: What do I need right now?
From there, she evaluates five key areas of life: emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, and relational well-being.
“If I don’t know what I need, it’s fairly difficult to adjust my expectations of myself or others,” she says.
Another important lesson has been learning the difference between wants and needs.
“That helps clear some of the rubble from my life.”
Creativity, Friendship, and Joy
Outside of work, Suzanne finds renewal through creativity.
Whether she’s baking, making handmade cards, working on visual projects, or assembling puzzles, creative pursuits provide a welcome balance.
“Creativity brings renewal into my life,” she says. “When I sit to make a card or work on a project, I am able to let go of the expectations or restrictions I sometimes place on myself.”
For someone who once doubted her own creativity, discovering those outlets has been surprisingly liberating.
“A friend helped fuel the possibilities by showing me ways to uncover creativity,” she says.
Friendships have also remained a vital source of joy throughout her life.
Some of her closest friends date back to grade school and university. Others are newer relationships that continue to encourage and challenge her.
“I have been overwhelmed with the love that has come through these people,” she says.
Aging with Intention
As she approaches her seventh decade, Suzanne has become increasingly intentional about how she spends her time and energy.
“Growing old is not for the faint of heart,” she says.
Rather than longing for the past, she focuses on embracing the present.
“I could spend an inordinate amount of time wishing for things to be back to the way they were at a certain age, or I can move ahead with how things are now.”
That shift in perspective has made a significant difference.
“Changing my attitude has made a significant difference.”
She also recognizes the importance of accepting limitations without guilt.
“I can’t do what I used to do at 40 or 50. Setting realistic limits is key for me.”
Perhaps most importantly, aging has helped her focus on what truly matters.
“As I am closer to the end of my life than before, I want to make sure that the decisions I make are ones I can live with.”
Living Life Fully
These days, Suzanne continues to counsel clients, travel with loved ones, read, laugh, try new foods, and spend time with family and friends.
She remains deeply grateful for the life she has built and the lessons she continues to learn.
One piece of wisdom still guides her every day.
“My Dad used to say to me, ‘Live, live life fully.’”
It’s advice she continues to embrace.
Recently, she read a book called Living Life Backwards, which reinforced the importance of making the most of the time we have.
“Without having a fatalistic perspective on life, it’s important to live each day, each moment and be grateful for the time that I have here.”
At 68, Suzanne Sovdi is still listening, still learning, and still growing.
And perhaps that is the greatest lesson her story offers: that purpose doesn’t have an expiration date, curiosity doesn’t retire, and some of life’s most meaningful chapters are still waiting to be written.
Photo courtesy of Tailor Made Wellness