Dr. Danielle Sheypuk – Sexual Health Expert, Media commentator, Disability-rights advocate and Fashion model

Danielle Sheypuk
Danielle Sheypuk

Unfortunately Danielle was unwell for our recording so here is an earlier talk she did for TED.


Psychologist and “21 Leaders of the 21st Century” awardee

Expert, media commentator, disability-rights advocate and fashion model, Dr. Danielle Sheypuk is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the problems of dating, relationships and sexuality among the disabled. Wheelchair-dependent since childhood, Dr. Sheypuk has acquired special insights into the challenges facing the community, both in the everyday physical world as well as in the areas of mental, emotional and interpersonal well-being.

After an explosion of media attention when Dr. Sheypuk became the first model in a wheelchair to “walk” the runway at New York Fashion Week, her impact on the disabled community and its image within society has been tremendous and universal. Holding a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research in New York City, Dr. Sheypuk is widely regarded as a “sexpert” and leading commentator on issues confronting the disabled population. She 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.

Using her personal story as a central supporting example, including winning the title of Ms. Wheelchair New York 2012, Dr. Sheypuk has received positive responses from social media followers and media outlets around the world. As Yahoo! News stated, “Danielle Sheypuk, a psychologist, can rock a pair of Louboutins, regardless of her wheelchair, and is fighting the stereotypes and stigmas surrounding people with disabilities.” Her approach to life and love as an urban-dwelling professional has been favorably compared to an episode of “Sex and the City.” Media appearances have included features 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, among many others.

Follow Danielle on Twitter!