21 Apr From Taking Apart VCRs to Rebuilding Lives: Dr. Christopher S. Taylor on Values, Identity, and the Mental Health Pandemic
Jeff Crilley sits down with Dr. Christopher S. Taylor, founder and CEO of Taylor Counseling Group, to talk about the ongoing mental health fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and why so many people—young and old—are struggling with loneliness, identity, and purpose. Dr. Taylor describes how his practice nearly closed during the early days of lockdown before telehealth opened a lifeline, and how Taylor Counseling Group has since grown to over 55 therapists across 10 locations in Texas. He explains his existential psychotherapy approach, which centers on helping clients identify their core values and align daily choices with those values—a process he illustrates through the story of a client named Brooke who rebuilt her entire identity after a devastating divorce. The conversation also covers the alarming rise in preteen mental health crises tied to social media, the pressure parents place on children to map out their futures far too early, and the fading but not yet gone stigma around seeking therapy. Dr. Taylor also previews his upcoming book, "You Are Here," which chronicles real client journeys toward authentic living.
Key Topics
- the ongoing mental health pandemic after COVID
- existential psychotherapy and values-based identity work
- telehealth saving therapy practices during lockdown
- the quarter-life crisis in young adults
- social media's link to preteen suicide
- pressure on children to decide their futures too early
- the fading stigma around therapy
- Dr. Taylor's upcoming book "You Are Here"
Episode Timestamps
- 01:22 – Jeff frames the post-pandemic mental health crisis
- 02:15 – Dr. Taylor on nearly closing the practice during COVID
- 03:28 – How telehealth became a lifeline for therapy
- 03:52 – Taylor Counseling Group's growth: 55+ therapists, 10 locations
- 04:25 – "The In-N-Out Burger of therapy" — services explained
- 04:42 – From taking apart VCRs to understanding how people work
- 05:35 – The upcoming book "You Are Here" and Brooke's story
- 07:12 – Existential psychotherapy: values as building blocks of identity
- 08:15 – Quarter-life crisis and pressure on 12-year-olds to plan careers
- 09:22 – Instagram's 2009 launch and the tracking of preteen suicide
- 10:38 – Comparison is the thief of joy — social media's fake lives
- 12:16 – Building a values-driven team at Taylor Counseling Group
- 13:06 – Direct message to viewers: "You are here and so are we"
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Episode Chapters
- 00:00 – Introduction
- 01:22 – The Pandemic's Mental Health Impact
- 01:59 – Meet Dr. Christopher S. Taylor
- 02:14 – How the Pandemic Transformed Therapy
- 03:22 – Taylor Counseling Group's Growth
- 04:07 – A Lifelong Curiosity for How People Work
- 05:05 – The Upcoming Book: You Are Here
- 05:36 – Brooke's Transformation Story
- 07:11 – Existential Therapy and Living by Your Values
- 08:14 – The Quarter-Life Crisis and Youth Mental Health
- 09:31 – Social Media, Comparison, and the Stigma Shift
- 11:54 – Building a Values-Driven Dream Team
- 12:56 – How to Get Started with Taylor Counseling Group