We recently connected with Taylor Menzies and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Taylor thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

For years, I struggled to feel like my body was my own and carried a lot of guilt and shame towards it.
During high school, I would sit in my room late at night drawing, and it became a way for me to express my feelings. During this time, I struggled deeply with C-PTSD, depression, and ADHD. My nighttime drawing sessions felt like an escape and served as an outlet for my struggles.

In high school, I knew I never wanted to pursue university. Instead, I took yoga teacher training courses and obtained my personal training certification. My goal was to help people in any way I could. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to make an impact on people and their lives. After high school, I pursued trauma-informed yoga, reiki, and personal training. Although I felt I was helping people, it wasn’t to the extent I had hoped for.

During that time, I started getting more heavily tattooed and built connections with other artists, which led me to learn how to tattoo. I taught myself much of what I know but also apprenticed under an artist. I realized the healing power tattoos can have, and it helped change the narrative I had about not only my body but also what I went through.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Taylor Menzies, and I am a trauma-informed tattoo artist and mental health advocate based in White Rock, BC.

Tattoos have brought me immense healing and helped me reclaim my power. The name “Ink is Therapy” reflects this journey, as tattooing has been a form of personal therapy for me. I incorporate my trauma-informed knowledge from my background in trauma-informed yoga to hold space for anyone who uses tattooing as a vehicle for healing and empowerment.

I deeply understand human struggle and want to support others on their journey through it. Ink is Therapy is more than just tattooing. I recently expanded my business to include clothing and am working to raise awareness about childhood sexual abuse. Ten percent of the proceeds go to Directions Youth Services, a division of Family Services of Greater Vancouver. Directions Youth Services empowers young people to shift their focus from mere survival to planning and working towards a brighter future.

There is often a lack of discussion and awareness about healing from childhood sexual abuse, leading to survivors feeling shame and guilt. I want to be the person I needed growing up and show others fighting the same battle that they are much more than what happened to them and that it was not their fault.

The connections I have had the honor to build with clients have been incredibly beautiful. Having clients feel safe enough to share their stories, struggles, and experiences with me is something I hold close to my heart. I have met so many incredible survivors on my tattooing journey that it feels like we have built a little community, filling a void in my life I never knew was there. Even with clients who don’t share their stories, it is a privilege to hold space and offer a service that can bring so much healing.

As a child, I didn’t have a lot of family support when I spoke out about the abuse. Through working with others and my own experiences, I learned that sometimes all people need to hear is, “I believe you, your feelings are valid, and it was not your fault.” I want to provide that support to others. Being a part of people’s healing journeys is a feeling I will never be able to put into words.

I have many plans for the future of Ink is Therapy and want to continue focusing on growing a platform that helps others on their healing journey in any way possible.

Have you ever had to pivot?

There have been many times when I’ve had to pivot in both my business and life. This journey has been, and will continue to be, one of immense growth and learning.

In the beginning, I often found myself trying to be who others wanted me to be, losing sight of the true reason behind my work. This industry can be harsh, and I struggled with letting others’ opinions affect my self-view. The first few years felt like a constant battle of finding myself, only to lose myself again.

This past year, I’ve focused on ignoring outside opinions and staying true to my vision. Building genuine relationships with clients has become my priority. Running everything as a one-woman show has its challenges, but it’s important to me that the tattooing process remains intimate and personal.

Taking back all business operations required a lot of self-reflection. In the early years, I neglected my mental health, bottling everything up while focusing solely on my business. I realized that to be the best business owner and advocate for mental health, I needed to prioritize my own well-being. I committed to weekly therapy and EMDR sessions, putting my mental health first. Though this added stress to my business, it was necessary for me to become my most authentic, vulnerable, and healed self. Making this switch was one of the hardest yet best decisions I’ve ever made.

Moving forward, I will continue to learn and pivot when needed, always staying true to myself and my mission.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building my social media audience has been a journey of learning and growth. One of the biggest takeaways, and a regret from my early days, is that I wasn’t my authentic self. In the beginning, I jumped on every trend, even if it didn’t align with who I am. I followed every piece of advice from others on how to grow a platform. This approach did help me build a foundation, but I felt confined, like I was put into a box.

I realized I want to be more than just a tattoo artist, and I am more than just a tattoo artist. I want people to visit my page and feel like they know me, to understand my story, and hopefully take away something positive. My goal is to help others, and I believe the only way to achieve that is by posting content that truly aligns with myself and my business. When I started doing that, the right audience naturally found my page.

My perspective on social media has shifted from watching the numbers go up to focusing on building a community. My advice to anyone looking to grow their media presence is to stay true to yourself. Authenticity attracts the right audience, and it’s more rewarding to engage with a community that genuinely resonates with who you are and what you stand for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Inkistherapy.ca
• Instagram: Ink.is.therapy
• Other: TikTok: Inkistherapy
  Shopify: https://inkistherapy.myshopify.com/

Image Credits

@shotbydev on Instagram
Devan head