Amy L. Erickson

If you spent a few minutes in the presence Amy’s family, it wouldn’t be long before someone would start singing and dancing. Growing up in a suburb of Detroit in the 60s in a culture rich with music, and being introduced to musical theatre as a child paved a path for Amy’s love for song and dance. At age 13 she started working to earn money for dance lessons. But it wasn’t until her 40s when she stepped onstage in a musical theatre production that she found her passion for self-expression. This proved to be the healing from post-traumatic stress that she needed. Today, as a documentary film director, Amy is realizing her life’s purpose and flow, where her talents, passions and work have converged to produce meaning. She looks forward to continuing her work as a social-change artist as she volunteers with theatre groups and performs on stage.

Amy received 2017 GAP Award funding for her documentary Visceral, which will raise awareness about trauma-informed, expressive arts as alternative healing strategies for PTS. The film also will advocate for individuals, organizations, and institutions who serve people who are most at-risk and underserved (due to unprocessed trauma) for poverty, homelessness, incarceration, and substance abuse stemming from chronic mental and physical health issues.