Barb Ryan

“I started out as an ‘A’ student,” says Barb Ryan, who grew up in Schenectady, New York, and lapsed into depression and began using drugs after her best friend’s suicide at age 14 — eventually graduating in the bottom third of her class. “Later, looking back, I learned a lot about life and myself.” In her 20s, she volunteered for a suicide hotline while working for pay at a headshop warehouse. “I was clean,” she says, “and living in a socially active, anti-war Christian community. The Berrigan brothers were our role models.” She also volunteered in a community theater group where almost everyone was gay. “I went from dating a motorcycle guy,” she says, “to finding the woman I fell in love with.” Ryan took community college courses in Pennsylvania then moved to Eugene in 1980. On her way to a 1986 master’s degree in counseling, she was co-director of the University of Oregon’s Gay and Lesbian Alliance. After graduation, she spent a year as the first director of the UO’s Women’s Center, then embarked on a 25-year career as a counselor in private practice, working with survivors of domestic violence. Since 2010, Ryan has become a life coach, an energy healer and a shamanic practitioner, offering classes and workshops on techniques to find and sustain happiness. Known as the Guidess of Happiness, she incorporated a nonprofit, Spiraling Toward Joy, in 2014. From 4 to 6 pm on Sunday, April 9, Tsunami Books, 2585 Willamette Street, will host a celebration of her newly published book, Love Loves Fear, an exposition of her healing philosophy in the form of a children’s fable, illustrated by Eugene artist Alysse Hennessey.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!