Amy Hagerstrom, LCSW – Holistic Mind-Body Therapist in Florida & Illinois
A Therapist Who Honors the Connection Between Mind and Body
Specializing in Somatic Experiencing, Safe and Sound Protocol, and Rest and Restore Protocol
I’ve been where you are— stuck in patterns that didn’t make sense,
unsure how to get out of them.
What changed everything for me was learning how to listen to my body,
not just my thoughts.
Hi, I’m Amy.
If you’ve been pushing through the days—doing your best while carrying more than anyone realizes—you’re not alone. I know what that’s like.
Therapy that includes the body helped me make sense of what was happening beneath the surface. It gave me the space to slow down, listen differently, and respond with more clarity and care.
Now, I support clients across Florida and Illinois in doing the same—through a holistic approach that respects both your lived experience and your nervous system.
Together, we’ll explore what helps you feel more connected to yourself and more in control of how you respond—physically, emotionally, and in your relationships. Whether you’re carrying old stress, managing chronic pain, or struggling to feel at ease in your daily life, you deserve to feel supported in your body—even when things feel heavy or uncertain.
I know what it’s like to feel reactive, shut down, or disconnected—and to not always understand why. For years, I tried to talk my way through what I was feeling, but it wasn’t until I brought my body into the process that things really began to shift.
Somatic therapy, including Somatic Experiencing and the Safe and Sound Protocol, helped my brain and body recognize safety again—even in moments that used to feel too loud, too fast, or too much.
This kind of therapy isn’t about fixing or forcing anything. It offers space to slow down, notice what your body is telling you, and respond with more clarity and care. It’s about reconnecting with yourself in a way that feels honest, supportive, and sustainable.
Your process is yours. And I’ve seen again and again that when we support the nervous system with care and curiosity, new possibilities open up—not by changing who you are, but by creating more space to be who you are.
Many of the people I work with have tried talk therapy.
They’ve gained insight—but still feel stuck. They want to feel less reactive, reduce physical tension or pain, and stop shutting down in moments that matter. But they’re not sure how to get there.
This kind of work offers a different starting point. It doesn’t ask you to talk through everything. Instead, it helps you reconnect with yourself, notice what’s happening underneath, and create real shifts—from the inside out.
What Holistic Therapy with a Mind-Body Approach Can Offer You
If talk therapy hasn’t been enough, you’re not alone. Insight can be helpful—but it doesn’t always change how your body reacts under pressure. That’s where somatic work can make the difference—because it involves listening to your body, not just analyzing your thoughts. That’s because stress, overwhelm, and shutdown often live in the body—not just the mind.
Through somatic therapy, you can:
Feel more connected to your body and emotions—and clearer about what you need.
Stop getting swept up in triggers and start responding in ways that feel more like you.
Face pressure, relationships, and uncertainty without spiraling or shutting down.
Work with your nervous system to create lasting change—without having to push or power through.
This approach includes:
Somatic Experiencing (SE) – a gentle, body-based method that helps your system release built-up stress and find more ease.
Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) – a listening therapy using specially filtered music that helps your system recognize when you’re safe, making it easier to feel calm, connected, and present.
Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP) – a music-based experience designed to support deep rest and regulation, especially if you’ve been stuck in survival mode for a long time.
Together, these practices offer a different way forward—one that supports you from the inside out.
In our work together, we’ll start with where you are—and move at a pace that feels right for your system.
My approach is informed by:
Personal experience. I’ve done this work myself, and I know how vulnerable it can feel to slow down and really listen to what your body is saying.
Years of mind-body training. Before becoming a therapist, I spent years immersed in yoga, massage, and body-based healing. These earlier experiences deeply inform how I approach somatic work—supporting the nervous system and helping clients feel more connected to their bodies.
A developmental and attachment-informed lens. My graduate training was rooted in child development and early relational experiences. That work continues to shape how I understand not just nervous system patterns, but how we come to experience ourselves, others, and the world around us.
Professional education. I hold a Master’s in Social Work and certifications in Somatic Experiencing, Safe and Sound Protocol, and Rest and Restore Protocol—integrative approaches that support emotional and physical wellbeing through the body.
This work is grounded in care, collaboration, and deep respect for your process. It’s not about pushing through. It’s about helping you reconnect with yourself in a way that feels sustainable and real—with more space to show up as the person you know you are.
Let’s explore how this approach can support you. Reach out today to take the first step.
The Perspective I Bring as a Therapist
Education & Licensure
I earned my Master’s in Social Work from the Erikson Institute in Chicago, where I focused on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health—an experience that continues to shape my developmental and attachment-informed perspective. I also hold a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from Indiana University. I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both Florida (#SW23332) and Illinois (#149026921).
Specialized Training & Certifications
Over the years, I’ve completed advanced training in somatic therapy approaches like Somatic Experiencing (SEP), the Safe and Sound Protocol, and the Rest and Restore Protocol. I’ve also studied Polyvagal Theory with Dr. Stephen Porges and Deb Dana, tactile work with Sonia Gomes, trauma dynamics with Kathy Kain, and developmental trauma with Raja Selvam.
Earlier in my career, I trained in body-based healing through a Diploma in Therapeutic Massage from The New School of Massage in Chicago (Formerly licensed in Illinois) and completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (CYT-200) through Cityoga in Indianapolis. These early experiences deeply inform how I approach nervous system support and body-based care today.
Therapy Qualifications
Outside of Therapy
After years in Chicago, I recently moved to South Florida—trading one kind of waterfront for another. I’ve always loved city energy, but over time, I’ve come to appreciate a slower pace, smaller communities, and being near big bodies of water. The sound, the movement, the vastness—it grounds me in ways that words can’t.
Most days, I walk to clear my mind and reconnect. I’ve also started learning to shuffle dance—equal parts humbling and fun.
I love good food, really old buildings, and great conversation—especially when it dives into what shapes us, what we hold, and how we make sense of being human.
And of course, I spend a lot of time with my dog, Fergus. He keeps life playful and reminds me to stay present, even in the small moments.
Get Help from Holistic, Mind-Body Therapist
When stress, tension, or disconnection builds up over time, it can leave you feeling off—physically, emotionally, and in ways that are hard to name. You might be holding it together on the outside, but inside, you’re tired of pushing through.
Somatic therapy—an approach that works with both mind and body—can help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface and begin to respond in ways that feel more aligned with who you are and how you want to live.
You don’t have to keep operating in survival mode. With a holistic, somatic approach, we’ll work together to create real change—on your terms, and at your pace.