Meet Lynn A. Haller
Lynn A. Haller, MSW, LCSW, is a trauma-informed psychotherapist, educator, and author based in rural Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of experience working with children, families, and adults navigating complex trauma, Lynn has spent her career helping people understand the protective voices inside them: the parts that show up when we're scared, hurt, or overwhelmed.
Her work began in the juvenile justice system, where she provided counseling and crisis intervention to incarcerated youth and their families. It was there that she learned how powerful storytelling could be, creating an award-winning newsletter with teens that taught them to use writing, photography, and journalism to find their voice.
Lynn holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Pennsylvania. She has trained extensively in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, a framework that recognizes we all carry protective parts inside us, each with its own job and story. When she's not writing or in session, Lynn can be found at the theater, on a hiking trail, or moving through her daily workout, a practice she believes is essential to mental health. She lives with her daughter, a nursing student, in rural Pennsylvania.
Hallway of Doorknobs
Why This Book?
For years, Lynn worked with children and families trying to make sense of big, overwhelming feelings. She watched kids struggle to name what was happening inside: the fear that made them lash out, the shame that made them hide, the anger that felt too big to control.
She knew from her clinical training that these weren't just "bad behaviors" or "difficult emotions." They were protective parts doing their best to keep these kids safe. But how do you explain that to a six-year-old?
That question led to The Hallway of Doorknobs.
What the Book Does
- Makes IFS accessible: The book translates Internal Family Systems therapy into a magical story where kids meet their parts as characters they can understand and befriend.
- Creates shared language: Parents, teachers, and children gain simple, compassionate words for complex inner experiences. "My Cactus part is here" becomes an easy way to name what's happening.
- Shows all parts belong:Â Even the prickly, fiery, or hiding parts have important jobs. The hallway is a safe space where every part makes sense and deserves understanding.
