Amy Hagerstrom Therapy PLLC
Build the capacity to feel, connect, and live more fully.
Online somatic therapy for adults who want therapy that includes both mind and body.
I'm Amy Hagerstrom, a somatic therapist and the founder of Amy Hagerstrom Therapy PLLC in Delray Beach, Florida. I work with adults online across Florida and Illinois.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Somatic Therapist
Florida (SW 23332) & Illinois (149026921)
What You’re Dealing With Makes Sense
Trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, and earlier experiences can create patterns in the body that continue to influence how you think, feel, and respond.
Insight alone isn't always enough.
Your body can keep responding even when your mind understands.
Therapy can include both mind and body.
A brief introduction.
I help adults move through trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, and burnout with somatic and integrative therapy that works with both mind and body. In this short video, I share a bit about how I work so you can see whether it feels like a good fit for you.
Meet Amy Hagerstrom, LCSW, SEP
Hi, I'm Amy, a licensed clinical social worker and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner offering online therapy to adults throughout Florida and Illinois.
I do this work because including my body in my own therapy many years ago made a profound difference in my mental health. Talk therapy helped me understand my patterns. Things began to shift when my body became part of the process.
That experience shapes the way I work today. I care about offering a space where your body is part of the conversation and where we move at a pace that respects your nervous system.
Today, I'm especially drawn to working with thoughtful adults who have often done therapy before and understand themselves well, yet still find themselves caught in patterns of tension, anxiety, shutdown, or emotional overwhelm.
You May Recognize Yourself Here
You may recognize yourself in more than one of these experiences.
Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, capable, and self-aware. They've often spent years in therapy or personal growth and understand themselves well. Yet they still find themselves caught in familiar patterns of anxiety, overwhelm, tension, or shutdown that don't seem to shift through insight alone.
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Trauma is not only about what happened, it is also about how overwhelming it felt in your body at the time and how your nervous system is still carrying it now. You might notice big reactions to small things, feeling on edge, stuck in numbness, or like part of you is still bracing for something bad to happen. Somatic trauma therapy gently works with your nervous system so it can recognize more safety, release some of that stored survival energy, and help you feel more present and connected in your life.
Learn more about trauma therapy -
Anxiety is more than just worry in your mind; it often shows up as a tight chest, trouble settling, or a sense that your body is always on alert, even when you want to rest. You might notice racing thoughts, difficulty sleeping, feeling easily overwhelmed, or a constant bracing for what could go wrong. With somatic therapy, we include your body in the process so your nervous system can begin to recognize when there is enough safety, even in the middle of things that are stressful or hard.
Learn more about anxiety therapy -
Midlife can be a season where old patterns, emotions, or questions about who you are begin to surface, even if life looks “fine” from the outside. You might feel restless, stuck, more reactive than you want to be, or aware that the ways you have gotten through life so far are no longer feeling supportive. Somatic therapy offers a place to slow down, include your body in the conversation, and meet this transition in a way that makes room for both what hurts and what is ready to grow.
Learn more about Midlife therapy.
How I Work With You
Somatic Experiencing is the foundation of my work, but every person is different. I draw from other approaches when they genuinely support what you're working toward, rather than following the same formula with everyone.
My Core Approaches:
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This is always part of our work together. SE helps your body process and release stress that has been stored, so you do not stay stuck in cycles of reactivity, overwhelm, or shutdown. I completed the full three-year Somatic Experiencing professional training through Somatic Experiencing International, and it is the foundation of how I track your nervous system and support your body in completing responses that may have been interrupted.
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I pay attention to how early experiences shaped you, your patterns, and your nervous system today, so we work not just with symptoms but with the roots underneath. My graduate training at the Erikson Institute focused on infant and early childhood mental health, which gives me a grounded way of understanding how early relational experiences shape the patterns that show up in adult life.
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An optional listening program designed to help your nervous system register safety, which can make it easier to connect, regulate, and do deeper work. It was developed by Dr. Stephen Porges based on Polyvagal Theory, and I completed certification through Unyte Integrated Listening Systems. Some clients use it alongside sessions and others listen between sessions, depending on what fits.
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Another optional sound-based approach, focused on helping your system return to its natural rhythm after chronic stress or overwhelm. I am a certified RRP provider through Unyte Integrated Listening Systems. It tends to work well for people who feel wired and tired, or whose system has been under sustained pressure for a long time.
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I tend to think in a whole-person way, paying attention to lifestyle factors like sleep, food, and movement alongside the therapy itself. We can do more or less of this depending on what is useful for you.
Learn more about an integrative approach to mental health →
What to Expect
Sessions are 55 minutes and take place online, so you can join from wherever you feel most comfortable.
The first session is a chance for us to get to know each other. We'll talk about what brings you to therapy, what's been getting in the way, and what you're hoping will be different. As we talk, I also begin noticing patterns in how you respond in the moment, helping me understand how to tailor our work to you.
From there, sessions unfold naturally based on what you're experiencing that day. We may slow down to notice sensations, emotions, or impulses as they arise. Sometimes we'll bring in gentle somatic practices, such as movement, grounding, or supporting your body in different ways. Other times, we'll simply stay with what you're noticing together. There isn't a fixed formula. We move at a pace that helps you stay connected to your experience.
Most people notice some shifts within the first few months of weekly therapy. The timeline depends on what brings you to therapy. While some concerns shift relatively quickly, more complex or longstanding patterns often unfold over a year or more. My goal isn't only symptom relief, but helping you develop greater capacity, resilience, and a different way of relating to yourself and your life.
This Work May Be a Good Fit for You If...
You've done therapy before or spent years trying to understand yourself, yet still find yourself caught in the same patterns.
You want therapy that includes your body as well as your thoughts and emotions.
You're curious about how your nervous system and earlier experiences continue to shape the way you feel, relate, and respond today.
You want to build greater felt safety, resilience, and capacity in everyday life.
You value a therapist who is compassionate, attuned, and willing to gently challenge you when it supports your growth.
Many of the patterns that affect your life were shaped by earlier experiences or ongoing stress and continue to show up in your body and nervous system. This work focuses on helping you develop greater capacity and flexibility so you can respond to life with more choice and feel more like yourself.
Online Somatic Therapy in Florida and Illinois
I offer online somatic therapy to adults throughout Florida, including West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and nearby areas. Working online means you're in your own space, which for a lot of people actually makes it easier to tune into what's happening in their body and to keep showing up consistently.
I’m also licensed in Illinois and work with clients across the state, including Chicago.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amy Hagerstrom Therapy PLLC
These are some of the questions people often bring when they’re considering mind-body therapy.
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Somatic therapy is a mind-body approach that pays attention to what is happening in your body, not just what you think or feel. Many experiences, especially stress and trauma, are held in the body as automatic responses. Rather than relying only on insight or coping strategies, somatic therapy helps you notice those responses and gives your body more room to move through them, at a pace that feels safe.
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Every session looks a little different because everybody is different, and what your nervous system needs can shift each time. Some days we talk more. Other days we slow down together and notice what's coming up in your body. Sessions are experiential. I may guide you through pushing against a cushion, squeezing your hands together, grounding through your feet, self-supportive touch, or other somatic practices.
The goal is to help your nervous system have space to settle, complete stuck responses, and experience something new. Over time, you build capacity to be with bigger feelings without getting overwhelmed.
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The first session looks a little different for everyone, but the main intention is for us to get to know each other and for me to understand what you are hoping to receive from therapy. I will ask some gentle questions about what is bringing you in now and what feels most important for us to start with.
I usually include a small amount of somatic work so you can get a sense of what it is like. This might be a simple grounding exercise I guide you through, or a brief invitation to slow down and notice what you are feeling.
Although it can be helpful to get some history in the first session, I do not prioritize gathering a detailed history. This is because going into too much detail too quickly can feel overwhelming, and many clients come to somatic therapy specifically because they want a therapist who will be mindful of this. -
Yes. Somatic therapy translates well to online sessions because the work involves awareness, pacing, and attunement rather than hands-on techniques. Through video, I pay attention to your voice, facial expressions, and body language, and help you stay connected to what's happening internally. Many people find that being in their own space actually helps them feel more grounded and stay with the work.
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Somatic therapy is often a good fit for people who have done therapy or personal growth work and still feel like something hasn't fully shifted. You may understand your patterns logically but notice that your body still reacts quickly to stress, relationships, or change. Many people come to this work feeling overwhelmed, anxious, burned out, or disconnected from themselves, even while holding a lot together on the outside. You don't need to be in crisis to benefit. What matters most is a willingness to slow down and explore healing that includes your body, not just your mind.
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It varies from person to person. Some people begin to notice meaningful shifts within a few months, while others stay longer to explore deeper patterns. Because somatic work includes the body, the pace is often steady rather than rushed. Many of the people I work with are looking for depth, not quick fixes, and weekly sessions give the work room to settle and take hold.
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Individual sessions are $200 for 55 minutes. If you'd like to include the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) or Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP), there is an additional fee. This practice is private pay, which means insurance is not billed directly. If you have out-of-network benefits, a monthly superbill can be provided for possible reimbursement through your plan. Credit and debit cards, HSA and FSA cards, and Zelle are all accepted.
Schedule a free 10-minute consultation: calendly.com/amyamyhagerstrom/consultation
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Most people begin noticing meaningful shifts within the first few months of weekly therapy. The timeline depends on what brings you to therapy. While some concerns may shift relatively quickly, more complex or longstanding patterns often unfold over a year or more as deeper change and growth take place. Rather than focusing only on symptom relief, our work is about building greater capacity, increasing felt safety, and helping you develop new ways of relating to yourself and your life.
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Most therapists are trained mainly in talking-based work, exploring thoughts, feelings, and behavior. As a somatic therapist I also work directly with the body, your sensations, and nervous system responses, as a way into healing. My training includes a full post-graduate somatic credential Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) on top of my LCSW licensure.
Somatic Therapy That Includes Your Whole Self
You may already understand yourself well and still feel like something hasn’t fully shifted. When patterns live in the nervous system, therapy that includes the body can create space for deeper change.
Our work moves at a steady pace and stays connected to what is happening in real time, not just insight after the fact. Some people come with clear goals. Others begin with a sense that they want to feel more grounded, more connected, or more fully themselves.
If you're wondering whether this approach is the right fit for you, the next step is a 10-minute phone call to see if it feels like a good fit.
Explore Related Articles
Explore a few articles that dive deeper into the concerns many of my clients bring to therapy.
