Sharon E.R. Taylor, Ph.D. founded The WINGS Project (Women in New Growth & Support) in 1999 to serve the needs of women in transition and growth. WINGS incorporates The Relational/Cultural therapy model, a program of The Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at The Wellesley College Center for Women.

After receiving a Masters in Social Work and Social Welfare from the University of Kansas, Dr. Taylor worked in a Kansas City hospital as the clinical coordinator of the adolescent addiction recovery program. She also did in-home therapy for the State of Kansas family preservation program. After moving to Phoenix in 1996, she taught Social Work at Ottawa University, Maricopa County Community Colleges, and Arizona State University. In 2002, she earned a Ph.D. from The Union Institute & University in Relational Psychology.

After giving a eulogy for a family friend and alumni of Saint Martin’s University in Olympia, WA, she was invited to join the psychology and social work faculty. While living on a houseboat at the Olympia Marina, she taught psychology and social work, was Chair of Women’s Studies, and director of First Year Experience. As part of her community involvement at SMU, she instituted The Last Lecture Series. A faculty member, chosen by students, gives a lecture answering the question: “If you could tell students anything, what would it be?” The series is modeled after The Last Lecture given at Carnegie Mellon University by Dr. Randy Pausch. She returned to Phoenix in 2011 to build The WINGS Project into an agency for women in transition and growth.

Dr. Taylor continues to write, speak, and educate. She is a member of American War Orphan’s Network, and the P38 National Association, and Charter Member of the WWII Museum. She is a supporter of the arts and is a benefactor of In Concert Sierra and Sierra Stages in Grass Valley, California Dr. Taylor’s search for and recovery of her father’s WWII crash site is the topic of a Der Spiegel TV documentary, The Last Flight of Lt. Estill. Her website, www.myphantomfather.com chronicles that search and recovery.

She has conducted extensive research on the effect of father-loss in war, has written a memoir, published scholastic articles, and continues to specialize in issues of transition, grief, loss, and mentoring of women.

The WINGS Project is part of Brain Solutions, where Dr. Taylor shares a practice with Jonathan Mackey, LCSW