Danielle Sheypuk
Dr. Danielle Sheypuk (b. 1978) is an American psychologist and advocate for people with disabilities. Sheypuk is a self-described "sexpert" and leading commentator on the psychology of dating, relationships and sexuality for the disabled population. She promotes the message that people with disabilities are sexy, datable, educated and glamorous – and that they are integrating more successfully than ever into the urban social and professional scene.
Wheelchair-dependent since childhood, Sheypuk once described her NYC dating and relationship experiences as “Sex and the City, disability style.”
Sheypuk has also served as a pioneering fashion model, challenging the established conventions of glamor and beauty in the American fashion industry on behalf of persons with disabilities.
Early Life and Education
Sheypuk grew up in Jermyn, Pennsylvania, near Scranton. She was born with spinal muscular atrophy and got her first motorized wheelchair in kindergarten.
After graduating from Marywood University (Scranton, Pa.) with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology (2000), Sheypuk moved to New York City to pursue her Ph.D. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research in 2009.
Advocacy and Accomplishments
Sheypuk has used her personal story as a central supporting example in her advocacy work, aiming to break down stigmas and stereotypes of the disabled population.
She won the title of Ms. Wheelchair New York in 2012, receiving positive responses from social media followers and media outlets around the world. Following her win, Sheypuk continued to promote her platform of dating, relationships and sexuality in the disabled population.
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/jermyn-native-earns-ms-wheelchair-n-y-title-spreads-message-at-national-competition-1.1340817 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc1a_iwEnPQ
In February 2014, Sheypuk became the first model in a wheelchair to "walk" the runway at New York Fashion Week, generating worldwide buzz and positive press.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2014/02/first-model-in-wheelchair-at-new-york-fashion-week-has-message-for-fashion-industry/https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/dr-danielle-sheypuk
http://disabilityhorizons.com/2014/06/new-york-fashion-week-first-runway-model-wheelchair/
Sheypuk was also featured in The Raw Beauty Project in 2014. The project, developed by a partnership between mobileWOMEN.org and the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, featured 20 women with disabilities to showcase their "beauty, passion and power."
In May 2015, Sheypuk appeared in her first TED Talk, which took place at Barnard College at Columbia University. She discussed the changing culture of American sexuality, and the mainstreaming of people with disabilities as potential romantic and sexual partners in everyday life.
She is an in-house expert and columnist for SheKnows Magazine, and serves as a fashion model for the Tomboy Shop Online Lookbook.
Professional Achievements
Sheypuk has established a successful and innovative private therapy practice that employs Skype-based treatment, which she engineered specifically to make it easier for people with disabilities to attend sessions.
Sheypuk has been involved in public speaking and advocacy for most of her life. Notable engagements have included:
Spinal Muscular Atrophy National Convention, Washington, DC, “Dating, Relationships, and Sexuality with Physical Disability,” June 2014.
- The New School University, University-wide Conference, Manhattan, NY, “Embodiment(s) in the Therapy Room: (How Clients and Therapists Negotiate the Material Body,” April 2014.
- Muscular Dystrophy Association National Convention, Chicago, Ill., “Behavioral and Emotional Health in Neuromuscular Disease,” March 2014.
- ReelAbilities Film Festival, Manhattan, NY, “The New Image of Disability in Film,” March 2014. Myotonic Dystrophy Association of CA, “Coping with Depression in Chronic Illness,” a webinar, Fall/Winter 2013.
- The New School University, Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, Manhattan, NY, “Addressing Physical Disability and Sexuality: A Clinical Approach,” Fall/Winter 2013.
- NYU's Initiative for Women with Disabilities, The Young Women’s Program, Manhattan, NY, “Addressing Self-Advocacy Issues in Adolescents with Physical Disabilities,” Fall/Winter 2013.
She is also a board member of the market-research advocacy firm disABILITYincites, which is pursuing a major multi-sector study of the American disabled consumer.
Recognition
Dr. Sheypuk has been honored as an Outstanding Woman with a Physical Disability by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and featured in their Paralysis Resource Guide (Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, “Paralysis Resource Guide,” Contributed under “Portraits,” Fall/Winter 2013). She is also the recipient of The Women’s Therapy Center Institute of NYC Award 2015, the Marywood University Alumni Award-Award of Excellence in Health and Human Services 2014, and served as the Ambassador for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation 2014. In 2016, she was honored as one of the “21 Leaders for the 21 Century,” as recognized by Women’s eNews in New York City.
Media and TV Appearances Sheypuk has appeared in features in The New York Daily News, Upworthy, Huffington Post, The Daily Mail (U.K.), WCBS Radio, SiriusXM Doctor Radio, WNBC's Weekend Today in NY, WNBC's New York Nightly News, ABC News, Yahoo!, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and Elle Magazine and many others.
Media and TV Appearances
Sheypuk has appeared in features in The New York Daily News, Upworthy, Huffington Post, The Daily Mail (U.K.), WCBS Radio, SiriusXM Doctor Radio, WNBC's Weekend Today in NY, WNBC's New York Nightly News, ABC News, Yahoo!, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and Elle Magazine and many others.
Publications
Sheypuk has authored columns for several disability magazines, including Quest (the national publication of the Muscular Dystrophy Association) (Quest Magazine of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, “From Where I Sit,” March/April 2007), Directions (the national publication of the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Association) (Directions Magazine of the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Association, “Ms. Wheelchair New York: On the topic of dating, sex, and relationships,” Spring 2013) and Women's eNews.
References
Advocacy and Ms. Wheelchair New York
Danielle Sheypuk, “Dateable Self-Esteem: Danielle Sheypuk, Ms. Wheelchair NY, Discusses The Evolution Of Sex In The City,” Medical Daily, August 19, 2015. http://www.medicaldaily.com/dateable-self-esteem-danielle-sheypuk-ms-wheelchair-ny-discusses-evolution-sex-city-348382
Jermyn native opens dialogue about disabilities and dating, The Times-Tribune, July 19, 2015
Danielle Sheypuk, Ms. Wheelchair New York, is a roll model, hitting the clubs & challenging stereotypes, New York Daily News, July 18, 2012
Jermyn native earns Ms. Wheelchair N.Y. title, spreads message at national competition
Secrets to My Success: Dr. Danielle Sheypuk, Ms Wheelchair NY 2012 (Yahoo! Shine Network, 2012) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc1a_iwEnPQ
Fashion Week
First Model in Wheelchair at New York Fashion Week Has Message for Fashion Industry, Good Morning America (abcnews.go.com), February 13, 2014
An Interview: The First Woman in a Wheelchair to Grace The Runways of NYC Fashion Week
https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/dr-danielle-sheypuk
Danielle Sheypuk Becomes First Model In Wheelchair Ever At New York Fashion Week (Add in the site after approval)
New York Fashion Week: the first runway model in a wheelchair http://disabilityhorizons.com/2014/06/new-york-fashion-week-first-runway-model-wheelchair/
TED talk
Every body: glamour, dateability, sexuality & disability, Dr. Danielle Sheypuk, TEDxBarnardCollege https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PwvGfs6Pok
The Tomboy Shop and Danielle Sheypuk, “A Good Fit: The Latest Androgynous Outfitter is Here,” Curve Magazine, July/August 2015 http://tranquility49.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Skeypuk-Binder.pdf
Dr. Danielle Sheypuk on Skype Therapy, Dating and Psychology, Skype Big Blog, January 13, 2015. http://blogs.skype.com/2015/01/13/dr-danielle-sheypuk-on-skype-therapy-dating-and-psychology/
Raw Beauty
'I am standing out and it feels beautiful': 'Raw Beauty Project' empowers disabled women, (Today.com, Oct. 8, 2014)
Raw Beauty website: http://www.rawbeautynyc.com/
Publications
Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, “Paralysis Resource Guide,” Contributed under “Portraits,” Fall/Winter 2013.
Directions Magazine of the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Association, “Ms. Wheelchair New York: On the topic of dating, sex, and relationships,” Spring 2013.
Quest Magazine of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, “From Where I Sit,” March/April 2007.
Disability Horizons Magazine, “Stomping Out Stereotypes, My Walk Down the Runway as New York Fashion Weeks First Model in a Wheelchair,” June 2014.