Taylor Franklin,
MA, LPT, MSE-In Progress, Clinical Intern

Taylor Franklin is a unique healer, therapist, and compassionate guide who has found meaning and inspiration through her own grief. Taylor is an artist and creatrix through and through. It's in her blood. Following her creative spirit and intuitive messages from her recent and ancient ancestors is part of her destiny.
Taylor has explored many artistic mediums in her personal life as well as various creative fields in her professional life. She has cut hair, taught art to children and adults, taught dance and performed on many stages. One constant is Taylor's wonder and appreciation for nature, which is often infused into her art. Taylor has always believed in the potency of art, in its many forms, to heal and create change.

Taylor's life shifted in 2021 when she faced an immense amount of loss in a short period. Her father, aunt, father-in-law, grandma, dear friend, aunt, and cousin all passed in a 2.5 year timespan. Emergency spine surgery, chronic pain and anxiety all added layers of challenge.

And yet, despite it all, Taylor navigated this intense season by following her creative and intuitive knowing. She wove punch-needle rugs, painted, beaded, drew with crayons, molded clay, danced, shook her body, and sat silently in nature. These contemplative and embodied artforms provided tools to move into and through the overwhelming grief and trauma. She transformed on a molecular level.

The way art-making, movement, and nature supported Taylor's grief process brought to light her unique gifts that she now shares with others experiencing life’s inevitable challenges. Taylor offers creative strategies and tools as a roadmap for people to navigate their own loss, anxiety and depression. As part of this process, she bears witness to their suffering and offers a sense of collective belonging and joy, when the world can feel at its most isolating. She compassionately sits with people at all stages of grief, and supports them to see their own greatness that can feel dormant or inaccessible.

Taylor brings 25 years of experience as an artist, professional dancer and art educator with a B.A. in Fine Arts, an M.A. in Art Education, and an M.S. in Counseling -Clinical Mental Health in progress, with a lifelong professional teaching license. Taylor was Co-Director and company member of Ótimo Madison Brazilian dance for 10 years, performing across the Midwest and teaching the joy of samba to the Madison community. She feels like this is divine alchemy to have the opportunity to offer this therapeutic samba sanctuary at Willow for those that are seeking an embodied, trauma-informed and joyful path to healing.

You can learn more about Taylor's work here: https://www.taylorfranklinpsychotherapy.com/