LINDA NOBLE TOPF

Linda Noble Topf When Linda Noble Topf was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1982, she chose to look at her adversity as an opportunity to live a full life of limitless opportunities. She discovered that adversity can be viewed as a vehicle for personal growth and a spiritual awakening in the areas of relationships, joy, intimacy, courage, self-worth, freedom of expression, and restoring your peace of mind. As a pioneer and activist for disability rights, a creative thinker, wellness counselor, ordained minister, and prolific writer, (You Are Not Your Illness, Simon & Schuster, 1995), (Wheelchair Wisdom, Berrett-Koehler, 2014), a monthly columnist for the Huffington Post, since 2012- to the present, Linda shares her experience, practical advice and wisdom for overcoming adversity, illuminating the possibilities open to all of us—whether living with an illness, confronting an injury, or embracing the aging process. Throughout her thirty-year career as a spiritual counselor and educator, Linda’s work has helped thousands of people live a more meaningful life by discovering the courage it takes to acknowledge their fears, doubts and self-defeating beliefs, recognize and claim their self-worth, and exploring what is possible regardless of any challenges they may face. She resides outside Philadelphia, with her husband and best friend of forty years, Michael. Linda is a graduate of Moore College of Art & Design, 1971. In 1982, she was the founder of Noble Design & Associates, a graphic arts, marketing company, specializing in image development. Among other clients, she was the Creative Director of Philadelphia’s 300th birthday party, Century IV. That same year, she designed a political poster design, Happy Birthday ?? The poster image is highlighted in the GRAPHIS annual, 1982 and is hanging in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Library of Congress. She was diagnosed with MS in 1981. An MS patient since 1981 and an advocate for disability rights, Linda Noble Topf has earned her Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology, and Theology, and has been an ordained minister since 1984, a spiritual and wellness coach, professional speaker, a published author and Huffington Post contributor and wife of 39 years. She is dedicated to assisting others in seeing that chronic illness, debilitating injury, or any kind of adversity in any stage of life, can be viewed as a spiritual awakening, and an opportunity for personal growth. Linda has lived with illness for over 35 years, but her intrinsic inner health has taught her that dealing with illness means more than getting rid of it. Linda has a natural inclination toward growth; so rather than forcing transformation to happen because of her challenges, she created ideal conditions for natural transformation to thrive. She identified key qualities she could focus on and strengthen/cultivate within herself, and used these core strengths to bring forth for herself a new transformational, creative experience of self-expression. Linda Noble Topf is the author of You Are Not your Illness: Seven Principles for Meeting the Challenge, which shows that illness, injury, or disability can not only physically alter the course of your life, but can also cause great emotional upheaval and loss of self-worth. In this remarkable and uplifting book, Linda delves deeply into her own experience to share with readers the keys to regaining emotional and spiritual wholeness. Linda believes that real healing has nothing to do with the state of the physical body, and she offers a compassionate and inspirational message—along with support, skills, and encouragement—to those who want to embrace the challenge of living successfully with illness. It is her intention to leave people transformed with more power, freedom, self expression, and peace of mind. Linda’s second book, Wheelchair Wisdom: Awaken Your Spirit through Adversity, shatters widespread notions of what it’s like to spend life in a wheelchair which addresses the unique circumstances of the millions of people in wheelchairs. She wants to convey the message that lies at the heart of her convictions—that people are more than their wheelchairs, more than their disabled bodies. Wheelchair Wisdom bears testimony to what Linda has learned and experienced—that each of us, regardless of circumstances, can move through life with freedom in a creative and joyful way.