Fort Lauderdale, FL
Support That Includes Both Mind and Body, Not Just Insight
Online somatic therapy for adults in Fort Lauderdale, FL, specializing in anxiety, trauma, and midlife stress
Book a 10-Minute Consultation
You may understand yourself well and still find yourself reacting in ways you wish you could change.
Anxiety, chronic stress, trauma, and earlier experiences can leave patterns that continue to show up even when you understand where they come from.
You might notice yourself becoming overwhelmed more quickly than you want to, shutting down during difficult moments, or feeling tension in your body that is hard to let go of.
As a somatic therapist serving Fort Lauderdale and adults throughout Florida, I help people work with these patterns by including both mind and body in therapy.
Somatic Therapy for Patterns That Keep Showing Up
Somatic therapy gives us a way to work with what’s happening in the present, including your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and automatic reactions. This work can help you build greater capacity to stay present with difficult feelings and experiences, while developing more flexibility and choice in how you respond.
Many people begin to notice changes such as:
- Feeling less pulled into automatic stress responses
- Recognizing tension, overwhelm, or shutdown sooner
- Recovering more quickly after difficult moments
- Feeling more connected to themselves and their relationships
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 Fort Lauderdale and throughout Florida.
My approach is warm and collaborative. You may already be thoughtful and self-aware, but still find yourself dealing with anxiety, overwhelm, shutdown, or reactions that can feel difficult to change.
Somatic Experiencing is the foundation of my work. I may also incorporate the Safe and Sound Protocol or Rest and Restore Protocol when they are a good fit. Our work is individualized, with close attention to pacing, choice, and what feels manageable for you.
I work especially well with people who want depth in therapy and are interested in understanding themselves while also working with what is happening in their body in the present.
If you’re in Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in Florida and this sounds like the kind of therapy you’re looking for, feel free to reach out.
What You Might Be Going Through
You may recognize yourself in more than one of these areas. Anxiety, earlier experiences, and the pressures of midlife can overlap, especially when you’ve been carrying a lot for a long time.
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Trauma
Even if the past feels far away, your body might still be reacting. You may shut down, feel disconnected, or get overwhelmed by things that seem small. Learn more about trauma therapy
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Anxiety
You might look calm on the outside but feel unsettled inside, like your body is bracing or your mind will not slow down. You want more than coping tools and are ready to work with what your body has been carrying. Learn more about anxiety therapy
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Midlife Crisis
You are managing a lot and doing your best to hold everything together, yet it is getting harder to ignore the strain on your body and emotional life. You may feel burned out, less well physically, and unsure whether the life you have built still fits who you are now. Learn more about midlife crisis therapy
What Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy includes what’s happening in your body alongside your thoughts and emotions. In our work together, we move naturally between conversation and experiential work, often slowing things down to bring more awareness to your physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, and how they connect.
We might spend time with a sensation or emotion, explore changes in posture, gently push against something, or follow a movement your body wants to make. We also pay attention to what feels resourceful for you, allowing time to notice and take in those feelings and sensations.
An important part of this work is approaching difficult feelings and sensations in manageable amounts, while also making room for what feels resourceful, enjoyable, or supportive. This gives us opportunities to work with familiar reactions without becoming overwhelmed, gradually building your capacity to stay present and respond with more flexibility and choice.
My Approach to Therapy
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Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing is the foundation of my work. It gives us a way to work with what is happening in your body alongside your thoughts and emotions, with attention to pacing, capacity, and choice. By slowing things down and noticing what is happening in the moment, we can work with familiar patterns without requiring you to retell or relive difficult experiences.
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A Developmental Lens
Earlier experiences can shape how we relate to ourselves and others, what we expect in relationships, and how we respond when something feels difficult. My graduate training at Erikson Institute focused on infant and early childhood mental health, which continues to inform how I understand the patterns that show up in adult life. This lens helps me stay curious about where a response may have developed while also paying attention to what is happening in the present.
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Integrative & Listening Supports
I take an integrative approach to mental health and may consider areas such as sleep, movement, nutrition, and daily rhythms when they are relevant to what you’re experiencing. When they are a good fit, I may also incorporate listening therapies into our work, including the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) or Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP).
What Can Change Through Somatic Therapy
Over time, you may find that familiar stress responses feel less intense or pass more quickly. You might feel more able to stay present during difficult conversations, express what you need, or make choices that once felt hard.
These changes can also open up possibilities in your life. You may feel more confident in your relationships, more willing to try something new, or more able to enjoy and pursue what matters to you.
Start Online Therapy in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sessions are held online, making it easier to fit therapy into an already full life. I work with adults in Fort Lauderdale and throughout Florida who are looking for therapy that includes both mind and body.
I offer a free 10-minute consultation to answer your questions and see if we might be a good fit. If you have questions before scheduling, you’re also welcome to reach out through my Contact page.
Book a 10-Minute Consultation