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Ink is Therapy: Meet Vancouver's trauma-informed tattoo artist

For Taylor Menzies and many of her clients, tattoos are a form of therapy. Learn what it means to be a trauma-informed tattoo artist.

Taylor Menzies is a tattoo artist based in Vancouver, British Columbia, who specializes in fine line and patchwork tattoos.

Her story plays a huge role in what her business, 'Ink is Therapy' stands for. 

As an abuse survivor, Menzies says she "grew up feeling uncomfortable" in her body. Since childhood, she used art as an outlet to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

She fell in love with tattoos and how they allowed her to change her perception of her body. Menzies says tattoos helped her to no longer see herself "as damaged but instead as something so beautiful." 

Menzies describes herself as a trauma-informed tattoo artist. She supports clients by providing them with any resources they may need for the tattooing process, such as stress balls and fidget toys. She aims to provide a safe space for clients by consulting them on their triggers. 

Menzies hopes that by sharing her story and her art, she can help others to "feel beautiful in their own skin and honour what their bodies have been through."