Amy
Hyun
Swart
Grief & Trauma Therapist, Group Facilitator
(650) 762-9220
amy@amyswart.com
About Me
Hi there, I’m Amy (she/her), and I am glad you found my page in the vast expanse of the internet. I’m a grief and trauma therapist, writer, art maker, and group facilitator, and center my work around supporting those in the throes of grief. Alongside working as a grief therapist for over a decade, I’ve personally been in apprenticeship with grief since early childhood when my dad died unexpectedly. It has been a passion for me to help others feel supported in their losses as this was not my experience due to our societal and cultural views towards grief. It was not until my mid-twenties that I finally began to turn towards my own loss — something I was so terrified of — and began to feel more fully alive, connected to myself and others, and less exhausted and dissociated from running from the past.
Being multiracial second-generation Korean American and white (Western European and Jewish) from a blended family, my loved ones represent a handful of races, native tongues, cultures, sexual orientations, socioeconomic and educational statuses, political views, and spiritual beliefs. I honor the unique impact that these identities have upon one’s life story. It is my intention to provide a safe space for those of all intersectionality of identities to feel seen, welcomed, and accepted.
I bring in my lived experience as somatic-based grief and trauma therapist, expressive arts therapist, yoga and meditation teacher, artist and writer, to welcome your whole self to feel seen, heard, and understood on your journey through grief.
I have faith in the healing power of connection and collective liberation through group work, and feel honored and grateful to my teachers who have informed my work.
Working Together.
I offer semi-annual group grief courses along with my personalized grief support offerings. See below for details about our next 8-week Grief Course as well as the support I offer through Grief Rituals, Personalized Rituals, Crisis Response, Consultations, and Grief Medicine Untrainings.
Education.
Compassionate Bereavement Care with the Miss Foundation, Spring 2024
Right Use of Power Basics with Cedar Barstow, Winter 2024
Uncovering Racial Trauma with Ken Hardy, Fall 2022
Natural Processing Somatic-Based Process-Oriented Therapy for EMDR with Craig Penner, Spring 2022
Decolonizing Therapy for Black Folk with Shawna Murray-Browne, Fall 2021
Exploring Our Inner Communities with Bonnie Badenoch, Winter 2019
EMDR Levels 1, 2, and 3, San Francisco, CA, 2018
Somatic Attachment Training with Karen Rachels, Oakland, CA, 2018
Hakomi Professional Skills, Berkeley, CA, 2017
From Trauma to Dharma: A Hakomi Mindfulness-Based Trauma Therapy Training with Manuela Mischke-Reeds, Berkeley, CA, 2016
The Couple’s Institute Training: Level One, The Developmental Model with Ellyn Bader, Palo Alto, CA, 2015
Cross-Cultural Facilitation Skills for Diversity Trainers with Lee Mun Wah, Berkeley, CA, 2014
Past Education and Work Experience.
Daylong Workshop Presenter for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, East Bay and Monterey Chapters
Moderator, Advisory Board Member and Group Facilitator for Soulful Life with Francis Weller
Grief Processing Facilitator & Workshop Leader for Conard House Nonprofit, San Francisco, CA
Grief Ritual Leader for Lava Mae Nonprofit, San Francisco, CA
Meditation and Workshop Leader for Salesforce San Francisco, CA
Grief Workshop Facilitator for Reimagine End of Life Week, San Francisco, CA
Workshop Presenter at International Expressive Arts Therapy Association, Berkeley, CA
Process Group Leader at Outpatient Eating Disorder Center, San Francisco, CA
Workshop Co-Leader for Embodying Tools for Stress Reduction at Yoga Tree, San Francisco, CA
Head Start Bilingual Clinician for Preschool Children, Richmond, CA
Contributing Writer for the International Journal of Yoga Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program with Bob Stahl, Palo Alto, CA
Registered Yoga Instructor, Yoga Alliance, School of Santhi, Kerala, India
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Certificate in Creative Expression, Palo Alto, CA
Bachelor of Arts, Boston University, Boston, MA
Professional Affiliations
Therapists of Color Bay Area
Climate Psychology Alliance
EMDRIA
CAMFT
Resources and Publications
Read Amy’s chapter, “Grief Medicine for Collective Liberation” in the book, The World Walks With You Into Therapy here.
Read children’s book on grief authored by Alexandria Romero and illustrated by Amy here
Read pandemic grief article that features interview with Amy published in WIRED Magazine here
Read interview with Amy on collective grief published in San Francisco Chronicle here
Endorsements from Those Who Lead
“After losing my twin sister, I came to Amy’s Grief Medicine circle carrying a sorrow that felt too heavy to navigate alone. Amy has a beautiful gift for creating a sanctuary where grief is not something to be fixed, but welcomed, witnessed, and honored. Her compassion and grounded presence allowed me to soften into my sorrow and find comfort in the shared humanity of others.
As someone who also facilitates grief spaces, I understand the depth of care and presence this work requires. Amy embodies these qualities with so much authenticity and grace. She is someone I wholeheartedly trust to accompany others through the tender landscape of loss, and I am deeply grateful for the medicine she brings into the world!”
— Kelsey Ellis, Founder & Executive Director, Waves of Grief Collective
“Amy is a wonderful guide and facilitator for holding people in the deep waters of grief. Her care and compassion meet people where they are on their journey and help people feel met and seen. Amy's experience in holding grief rituals for the last decade shines through in helping participants feel welcome and held in whatever grief they are carrying. She creates a warm, safe, inclusive space for people who are grieving to gather and form community. I highly recommend her offerings for a medicinal balm for people's broken hearts.”
— Phoenix Song, queer, nonbinary Korean American adoptee performer, teacher and sound healer
“Amy Hyun Swart is a truly unique and exceptional grief guide and I am grateful and thankful for having had this opportunity to collaborate with her. In her experiential workshop on grief we explored the many different ways that grief touches our lives and learned very useful language to help in understanding and expressing where we experience grief in our hearts, minds and bodies. The material covered in the workshop was incredibly empowering but it was Amy’s empathic, passionate yet gentle and assured presence that made the workshop especially powerful and profound. Amy guided us through some very emotional explorations surrounding grief with expertise, love and compassion and held the space with grace, kindness and confidence."
— Sarah Lotus, Founder of Mixed Bloom Room
