Articles by Amy Shinneman

Living with a disability, life can be a steady stream of traumatic experiences. There is medical trauma, trauma from unsolicited comments when out in public, trauma from being excluded from…

Over the last year, I worked as a freelance writer for Hamilton County Tourism. They reached out to me after reading some of my blog posts and columns and asked…

I heard a quote recently that really resonated with me. It said, “I asked God for flowers, and He gave me rain.” I was not ready to get what I…

Growing up I was often told, “You are too sensitive!” “Don’t take everything so personally.” I remember being very frustrated by this. Not only because the person saying it seemed…

I was fortunate that early on my doctors told my parents that swimming would be the best exercise for my muscle disease. I believe that is a big part of…

You know those people you meet, whose beauty that lives within them overflows to their outward appearance? Their smile, their eyes, the way they carry themselves, or their ability to…

At times, when I think about all the life experiences I have publicly shared – deeply personal stories of hardship and triumphs throughout my lifetime as a disabled person –…

Most of us have heard the saying “silence is golden,” meaning it is often better or more respectful to remain silent than to speak. The full saying is “speech is…

In about seven months, life as I know it will be drastically different. My youngest son will be heading off to college, joining his older brother at Purdue University. My…