About Donna

Donna Cunningham was an internationally respected astrologer with over 45 years of experience. She wrote several best-selling astrology books and hundreds of articles on astrology and other metaphysical topics. Her soul left this world in July 2017.

About her long career, Donna once said, “Before I fell in love with astrology, I earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work, and I’ve counseled people about their life challenges ever since. “But social work also deals with how we blend with our society, how we’re affected by the culture we live in, and how we cope with our world’s institutions, rules, and problems.

“I bring that broader perspective to my astrological insights by observing what happens as the slower-moving planets pass through a zodiac sign. Major social functions related to that sign are permanently altered, and we are challenged to cope with those shifts. My specialty has been in helping people understand how to deal with the way the world is evolving while still remaining true to their core self.”

Donna’s Background and Experience

EDUCATION

Donna graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Grinnell College in 1964, with a major in psychology and a minor in sociology. She received a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University in 1967.

COUNSELING EXPERIENCE

As a social worker, Donna was employed in hospitals and medical clinics, women’s health, psychiatric clinics, and disability services. She was Director of Social Service at a hospital, then left full-time work for a private practice combining psychotherapy, astrology, and healing. She was licensed as a social worker in New York and California.

ASTROLOGY BACKGROUND

Beginning her studies in 1968, her main teacher was Richard Idemon, who embodied the blend of psychology and astrology she was drawn to. She was certified as a professional astrologer by both the American Federation of Astrologers and Professional Astrologers Incorporated in 1983 and as an Astro*Carto*Graphy practitioner by Jim Lewis in 1984.

ASTROLOGICAL PRACTICE

Donna began doing insight-oriented astrology consultations in 1970, started teaching in 1971, and, from 1974 onward, was invited to speak at national and international conferences. She wrote Dell Horoscope’s advice column, Astrology at Work, for 20 years, and regularly appears in The Mountain Astrologer.

(Note: Donna no longer does individual consultations, but will supply a list of astrologers whose work she knows and respects on Request List)

AWARDS

In 1986, Professional Astrologers Incorporated gave Donna their Lifetime Achievement Award. The United Astrology Congress gave her their prestigious Regulus Award in 1998 for her contributions to Theory and Understanding.

DONNA’S BLOG

Donna joined the blogging world in 2008, and her popular blog, Sky Writer, has more than 650 articles about astrology, psychology, and healing tools. She thoroughly enjoyed the dialogues with her insightful readers in the comment section. High on the list of Skywriter’s greatest hits are her Planetary Tests, which measure the strengths of various planets in the chart. The Pluto test is the all-time favorite, at 75,000+ visitors total.

ORGANIZATIONS

Donna belonged to the National Council for GeoCosmic Research since it began in the early 1970s. She joined AFAN The Association for Astrological Networking at its inception and served as an AFAN advisor. Donna spent her last years living in Portland, Oregon, where she was on the board of the Oregon Astrological Association.