Boca Raton, FL
You’re Ready for Therapy That Includes Both Mind and Body
Online somatic therapy for adults in Boca Raton, FL, specializing in anxiety, trauma, and midlife stress
Book a 10-Minute Consultation
You may have already spent a lot of time understanding yourself and the patterns that keep showing up.
You may know where some of these reactions come from and what you would like to do differently. But that understanding doesn’t always change what happens when you’re overwhelmed, hurt, anxious, or under stress.
You might find yourself reacting with an intensity that surprises you, becoming overwhelmed by things you used to handle, or shutting down when you most want to stay connected. Even after all the work you’ve done on yourself, these responses can still feel beyond your control.
I work with adults in Boca Raton who want room to talk and understand themselves more deeply while also paying attention to what is happening in their body. Therapy can include both.
Including Your Body in the Therapy Process
Somatic therapy gives us a way to include what is happening in your body alongside your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and experiences. There is still plenty of room to talk about what is happening in your life and to understand yourself more deeply.
Much of this work involves slowing down and becoming more attuned to yourself. As we talk, we may pay attention to physical sensations, emotions, and the ways your body responds. We might explore a posture you’re naturally taking, follow a movement your body wants to make, or gently push against something.
We also spend time with what feels good, supportive, or resourceful for you, while approaching difficult feelings in manageable amounts. This can help your brain and body develop a greater sense of safety and become less caught in automatic stress responses, allowing more room to stay present and respond with flexibility and choice, even when life feels difficult.
About Me
Hi, I’m Amy Hagerstrom.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) providing online therapy for adults in Boca Raton and throughout Florida.
Somatic Experiencing is at the heart of my work. I’ve continued to deepen my training in somatic approaches because I’m interested in how our emotions, relationships, and earlier experiences affect how we feel and respond, including the ways these responses show up in our bodies.
My graduate training in infant and early childhood mental health also informs how I think about the patterns that develop through earlier experiences and relationships and how they can continue to show up in adult life. I bring that perspective into my work without losing sight of what is happening for you in the present.
I’m drawn to therapy that has depth and leaves room for complexity. My approach is warm, curious, and collaborative, and I work especially well with people who want to understand themselves more deeply while also developing greater capacity, flexibility, and choice in their lives.
If you’re looking for this kind of therapy in Boca Raton or elsewhere in Florida, feel free to reach out.
What You Might Be Navigating
There may be more than one reason you’re considering therapy right now. Anxiety, earlier experiences, relationships, and the changes that come with midlife can all be part of what you’re navigating.
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Trauma
Earlier experiences may still show up in how you feel and respond today. You may shut down during conflict, become overwhelmed more easily than you’d like, feel disconnected or numb, or notice yourself bracing and tensing in certain situations. These responses can persist even when you understand where they come from. Learn more about trauma therapy
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Anxiety
You may spend a lot of time thinking ahead, going over things in your mind, or trying to figure out how to feel less anxious. Even when you know you want to relax, your body may stay tense or activated and have a hard time settling. Learn more about anxiety therapy
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Midlife Stress
You’re juggling a lot and wondering if this is how life is supposed to feel. The ways you’ve always managed stress and kept going aren’t working as well anymore. You may find yourself wanting more space to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and decide what comes next. Learn more about Midlife therapy
Building More Capacity for What Life Brings
As you work with your emotional and physical responses in therapy, you may begin to notice significant changes in how you experience and respond to life. Situations that once brought up intense reactions may no longer affect you in the same way. You may also find that when strong emotions do arise, you have more capacity to stay with them, move through their intensity, and remain connected to yourself.
As you build greater capacity, there can also be more room for a wider range of emotions and experiences, including those that bring enjoyment, connection, and a greater sense of possibility.
As the work develops, you may begin to notice:
- Familiar reactions happening less often, feeling less intense, or not lasting as long
- More ability to stay present during difficult or emotional moments
- A clearer sense of your own needs and boundaries
- Feeling more connected to yourself and in your relationships
- More room to explore growth, what you want for yourself, and how you want to live
For many people, building more capacity creates space to move beyond managing what feels difficult and begin exploring what it means to live more fully.
My Approach to Therapy
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Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing is the primary approach I use in my work. It helps us pay attention to what is happening in your body and nervous system alongside your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. The work is paced carefully, with an emphasis on building capacity and having more flexibility and choice in how you respond.
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A Developmental Lens
I also consider how earlier experiences and relationships may be connected to patterns that are showing up in your life now. My graduate training at Erikson Institute focused on infant and early childhood mental health, and that background continues to inform how I understand adult relationships, emotional responses, and the ways we adapt to what we experience.
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Integrative & Listening Supports
When relevant, we may consider how sleep, movement, nutrition, and daily rhythms are affecting how you feel. I may also incorporate the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) or Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP) as additional supports.
What Becomes Possible Through Somatic Therapy
As you work with the responses that have become familiar over time, you may begin to experience situations differently. A difficult conversation might feel less overwhelming. You may find yourself expressing something you’ve held back, making a decision with greater confidence, or responding in a way that feels more like you.
These changes can extend into how you want to live. Feeling more connected to yourself can make it easier to recognize what matters to you, pursue interests you’ve put aside, or take steps toward something you’ve wanted for a long time. You may also find yourself enjoying life more, feeling closer to others, and looking forward to what’s ahead.
Start Online Therapy in Boca Raton, FL
I provide online therapy for adults in Boca Raton and across Florida. Meeting online allows you to have sessions from your own private space while still doing the same depth-oriented somatic work we would do together in person.
If you’re considering working together, a free 10-minute consultation is a chance to briefly tell me what you’re looking for, ask any questions you have, and get an initial sense of whether we may be a good fit.
You can also reach out through my Contact page if you’d prefer to connect that way first.
Book a 10-Minute Consultation