Laura Taylor

Dr. Laura C Taylor is a contributing faculty member at Walden University. She is a seasoned professional, having received her PhD in Clinical Social Work from The Institute for Clinical Social Work and a Master of Social Work Degree from Loyola University. Her academic journey began with an undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With 29 years of post-master practice experience and 23 years as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Dr. Taylor's expertise is unparalleled. Her teaching career in higher education spans 15 years, where she has made a significant impact in the field practicum, advanced clinical practice, and clinical supervision courses.

Dr. Taylor’s unwavering dedication is evident in her direct practice work, where she applies her training in psychodynamic therapy. For the past 15 years, she has been making a significant difference in the lives of African-American women, specializing in supporting their mental wellness. Dr. Taylor's influence extends beyond her private practice; she also provides clinical supervision, with a concentrated focus on trauma-informed care and deepening the understanding and practice of clinical processes and techniques to individuals and agencies. As the Clinical Director of Apple Seeds Inc., a maternal mental health agency in Memphis, TN, she continues to lead with passion and expertise. She was appointed the board chair of the Mississippi Chapter of Postpartum Support International in 2024.

Before relocating to the South, Dr. Taylor lived in Chicago, IL. She spent a year with the Childcare Network of Evanston, two years with the Jane Addams Hull House Association, and eight years as a school social worker in Evanston/Skokie District 65.

Dr. Taylor’s research interests involve clinical supervision and race-based mental health disparities. Her research also includes maternal mental health care, the experience of infertility among African-American couples, and clinical supervision. Lastly, she has ten published peer-reviewed articles and has been an invited speaker locally and nationally.

Courses Taught

SOCW 6111 - Advanced Clinical Practice I

SWLB 0652 - Social Work Skills Lab II

Education

BA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

MSW, Loyola University Chicago

PhD, The Institute for Clinical Social Work

Awards / Honors

2022 Field Educator Prize for Excellence in Field Education Scholarship, Simmons University, 2022

Junior Faculty Award, Council on Social Work Education, 2020

Publications

Simmons, L., Taylor, L. C., Anderson, K., Neely-Barnes, S. (2018). Comparative experiences of first generation and continuing generation social work students. Journal of Social Work Education

Delavega, E., Neely-Barnes, S., Elswick, S. E., Taylor, L. C., Pettet, F., Landry, M. (2019). Preparing social work students for interprofessional team practice in health care settings. Research on Social Work Practice

Zanskas, S., Brasfield, M., Landry, M., Taylor, L. C., Delavega, E., Neely-Barnes, S. (2022). Interprofessional training: Graduate counseling and social work student preparation for integrated behavioral healthcare settings. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work

Brasfield, M., Taylor, L. C., Pirkey, P., Neely-Barnes, S., Zanskas, S., Delavega, E., Landry, M. (2022). Reflective supervision training model: Impact on supervisory working alliance.. Field Educator

Taylor, L. C. (2018). The Experience of Infertility Among African American Couples. Journal of African American Studies

Taylor, L. C., Delavega, E., Jin, S., Neely-Barnes, S., Elswick, S. E. (2019). The prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among students at a multi-campus university. Journal of Poverty

Neely-Barnes, S., Kirk, B. G., Elswick, S. E., Taylor, L. C., Delavega, E., Pettet, F. L., Landry, M. (2019). Training second year MSW students to improve cultural and linguistic competence. Research on Social Work Practice

Presentations

Taylor, L. C. (2021). A Model of Social Work Supervision. University of Memphis School of Social Work

Taylor, L. C. (2022). Best Practices in Supervision: Recommendations for Enhancing The Supervisory Experience. NASW

Taylor, L. C. (2022). Telemental Health in Integrated Care Settings.