Logo for Open Chapters Therapy and Consulting featuring an open book with a stylized plant or leaf design in the center.

Step Into Healing That Honors Your Strength

Therapy for those who’ve survived by holding it together—now ready to heal, feel, and live authentically

In-person therapy in Orange County, California for children and adults

Telehealth in California and Nevada

A Safe Space to Pause, Heal, and Reclaim Yourself

It’s exhausting to keep it all together when something inside doesn’t feel right. You might be successful, capable, and composed on the outside—but inside, you may feel anxious, unfulfilled, disconnected from your feelings, unsure of who you really are, or stuck in the sense that you’re not enough, no matter how much you achieve.

Maybe you’ve learned to survive by staying productive, staying in your head, and putting others’ needs ahead of your own—even if it means silencing your own. You may avoid conflict, hesitate to ask for help, or worry about being a burden. You might struggle with perfectionism, self-doubt, or difficulty setting boundaries. Now, you’re seeking relief, emotional connection, and a stronger sense of your authentic self.

Whether you’re managing anxiety, healing from complex trauma, or coping with the long-term effects of emotional neglect or childhood wounds, I offer trauma-informed therapy that helps you reconnect with yourself in a way that feels safe, steady, and real.

Meet Barbara Hall, LCSW — Founder of Open Chapters Therapy and Consulting

A woman with curly brown hair and glasses smiling, wearing a peach-colored blazer and a white top, standing in front of a brick wall.

I’m so glad you’re here. I work with adults and children, including high achievers, driven professionals, and those who have experienced complex or severe trauma. Many of the people I support feel anxious, emotionally disconnected, or stuck in patterns that no longer serve them. Whether you're navigating internal pressure, painful past experiences, or feeling out of touch with your emotions—I offer a space where you can slow down, feel seen, and begin to reconnect with your true self.

Why You’re Here: What You’ve Been Carrying and What You’re Seeking

You’ve been carrying a lot for a long time. You might look like you have it all together—but inside, you’re managing more than anyone knows.

Maybe you’re a high achiever or a driven professional—always on the move, managing responsibilities, expectations, and the pressure to keep going.

Or, maybe you’re living with anxiety, trauma, or past experiences that have quietly shaped how you think, feel, show up in your relationships, and relate to others.

You may feel emotionally disconnected—from your feelings or even your sense of self. What you might need most is space. A space to pause, feel understood, untangle old patterns, and reconnect with who you really are underneath the roles you’ve had to play.

You may also be someone who cares deeply—thoughtful, conscientious, careful not to inconvenience others. But that same strong desire to avoid conflict and prioritize others can lead you to second-guess yourself, overexplain, or shrink parts of who you are to keep the peace. Let us explore how you can honor that care for others without losing yourself in the process.

You don’t have to keep pushing through alone.

In this space, you’ll be met with care, insight, and real support—so you can begin creating the lasting change you’ve been craving.

How We’ll Journey Together Toward Real, Lasting Change

My approach is warm, relational, and deeply trauma-informed. I integrate evidence-based practices such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Play Therapy, Sandtray, expressive arts, and nervous system regulation work to support healing that goes beyond coping.

What I offer goes beyond surface-level support. I don’t just hear what you say—I remember it. I see the patterns, the pain beneath the perfectionism, and the parts of you that are ready to feel something real again. Together, we’ll slow down enough for you to reconnect with yourself and make sense of your experience.

I’m here with an open heart and steady presence, ready to hold all parts of you—the confident, capable side, and the vulnerable parts that feel tired, confused, or guarded. Together, we’ll gently explore how your past and present connect, creating space for the healing and growth you’re ready to welcome.

Your next chapter starts here.

Therapy can be a space where you’re not performing or fixing—just being. A place where you are truly seen, supported, and prioritized. Change doesn’t come from pushing harder—it unfolds when you’re met with care, attunement, and understanding. Here, you can slow down, reconnect with your authentic self, and begin to rewrite your story on your own terms.

  • Driven professionals managing anxiety, perfectionism, emotional disconnection, or burnout behind the scenes

  • Adults & young adults healing from trauma, emotional neglect, or childhood wounds.

  • Men learning to access and express emotions in authentic, grounded ways

  • Individuals exploring identity and belonging after years of adapting to others’ expectations

  • Individuals raised by emotionally immature, narcissistic, or critical caregivers or parents.

  • People ready to break free from old patterns and reconnect with their emotions, body, and true self

  • Young children building emotional strength, healing from trauma, or working through big feelings

Specialized Client Focus

Areas of Specialty

  • Trauma can affect anyone—children, teens, and adults—and often shows up in ways that are confusing, overwhelming, or hard to talk about. It can impact your views of self, behaviors, thoughts, and create patterns in your life. You (or your child) may be struggling with intense emotions, triggers, insecurity, difficult behaviors, or a constant sense of being on edge amongst many other things. Whether the trauma was recent or happened long ago, therapy offers a space to process, feel supported, and begin to heal.

    I work with people of all ages navigating:

    • Childhood trauma and neglect

    • Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse

    • Sudden or severe trauma

    • Complex or long-term trauma

    • Relational trauma

    • Domestic violence, war, accidents, human trafficking, murder, violence, and interpersonal violence

    Using EMDR, IFS, nervous system regulation, and expressive arts, I help clients work through what’s been hidden or too overwhelming to face—so they can move toward lasting change, deeper safety, and more connection with themselves and others.

  • From the outside, you’ve done everything “right”—the career, the drive, the responsibilities. But internally, it might feel like you’re running on empty, constantly striving, and never quite arriving. You may feel pressure to hold it all together, even while dealing with stress, self-doubt, or hidden emotional wounds.

    I work with high-achieving individuals who are:

    • Struggling with burnout, perfectionism, or imposter feelings

    • Over-functioning to avoid deeper emotional pain

    • Feeling disconnected from their emotions, themselves or their relationships

    • Facing quiet anxiety, identity questions, or unresolved childhood experiences

    • Longing for meaning beyond achievement and productivity

    • Managing the demands of high-stress, high-responsibility roles

    Therapy offers a space to slow down and reconnect—with yourself, your values, and the parts of you that often get lost in the pressure to perform. Together, we’ll work toward more balance, clarity, and a deeper sense of fulfillment.

  • You might feel like you’re both too much and never enough—constantly overthinking, second-guessing yourself, and carrying the weight of other people’s emotions. Whether you’re an overachiever, perfectionist, people-pleaser, or just someone trying to hold it all together, therapy can be a place to finally exhale.

    I help children, adults, and young adults work through the following:

    • Anxiety, overthinking, and chronic self-doubt

    • Struggles with identity, direction, and self-worth

    • A harsh inner critic and negative self-talk

    • People-pleasing and fear of abandonment

    • Codependency

    • Feeling responsible for others’ feelings

    • The pressure to succeed while feeling emotionally overwhelmed

    I also work closely with men exploring identity, emotional expression, and the quiet struggle of being seen and known beyond what they do or achieve.

    Through trauma-informed approaches like EMDR, IFS, and nervous system regulation, we’ll explore what’s underneath the surface—so you can untangle old patterns, reconnect with yourself, and move forward with more confidence, clarity, and self-trust.

  • Children often express what they’re feeling through behavior—not words. Big emotions, behaviors, meltdowns, or shutdowns can be signs of something deeper: stress, grief, trauma, or unmet needs. Therapy creates a safe space where your child can feel seen, heard, and supported in ways that make sense to them.

    I specialize in working with children who are:

    • Coping with trauma, loss, or major life changes

    • Living apart from their biological parents

    • In foster care, adopted, or in kinship care

    • Showing challenging behaviors or emotional outbursts

    • Navigating anxiety, attachment wounds, or identity questions

    I also support parents and caregivers who feel triggered, overwhelmed, or unsure how to help. Using play therapy, sandtray, expressive arts, and nervous system-informed approaches, I help children and families work through the root of what’s going on—so healing can happen from the inside out.

Read more about our  therapy approaches and specialities for children and  for young adults and adults.

Read more about EMDR therapy and IFS therapy.

We offer compassionate, personalized therapy for those seeking long-term change, authenticity, and support in overcoming past pain. Together, we’ll help you reconnect with your inner strength, move beyond challenges, release negative self-views, manage emotions, and build confidence, self-worth, and peace.

This process is about not only healing, but also rediscovering the core strengths and values that make you, you.

Let’s begin today.

Call, text, email, or complete this form to request your complimentary consultation. Take the first step toward meaningful change. You are not alone on this journey.

01 Reach out

We’ll meet for a complimentary consultation to explore your needs, goals, and hopes for therapy. Together, we will create a personalized plan that feels right for you.

02 Connect

Attend your first therapy session and start building the foundation for deep healing, lasting growth, and transformation.

03 See change.

Let us help you process your life events, gain insight, reignite that inner spark, and open you up to new possibilities for your present and future self.