Ryan Buell

Ryan Daniel Buell (born July 8, 1982) is an American paranormal investigator, author and producer who was the main host of the TV show Paranormal State.

Early life and education Buell was born July 8, 1982 in Corry, Pennsylvania, and raised in Sumter, South Carolina. He earned bachelor degrees in journalism and anthropology from Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania.

Career Buell was the main host of the TV A&E show Paranormal State. He was the executive producer for the feature film American Ghost Hunter, released in 2010. In 2011, Buell and partner Chad Calek announced a 41-city tour for the film. In 2010, Buell served as Co-Executive Producer for Paranormal State and for The Ghost Prophecies, of which he is also the co-creator. Buell and his team decided against continuing Paranormal State after the fifth season to pursue other things. Their final episode aired Monday, May 2, 2011.

In 2023, Buell received a master's degree in Counselor Education, with a concentration in clinical mental health, from University of South Carolina. In pursuit of this degree, he learned the skills to conduct individual and group counseling sessions, which he got to use while interning at a private practice. Of this experience, he says: “I literally found my purpose in this program and I feel like I grew as a human being. There are a lot of kids who are struggling so I really want to work with kids especially with ADHD, LGBTQ+ populations, addicts and trauma survivors.”

Buell is expected to begin working as a licensed professional counselor associate in September 2023 in San Antonio, Texas.

During and after the filming of Paranormal State, Buell struggled with various drug addictions. Recovering from these addictions and attending therapy led him to return to school to become a therapist. In 2018 he took counseling courses at the University of South Carolina College of Education, and ultimately graduated with a master's degree in Counselor Education in 2023. In late 2013, Buell told People magazine that he was near remission. However, his mother, Shelly Bonavita Lundburg, later denied his cancer diagnosis. In July 2017, after his releases from jail and rehabilitation, Buell published a personal blog post where he apologized to his fans, admitted he was a recovering drug addict and had recently been discharged from rehabilitation.

Recovery & Post-Addiction After his arrests and time in rehab, Buell has regularly spoken about his drug use and recovery. In his live feeds, Buell admitted that he struggled with drug addiction for years, using opiates, heroin and methamphetamine. He claims that his recovery date is "April 21, 2017," the same date as his second arrest.

In a 2024 interview, Buell stated that he suffered from severe depression and anxiety while filming "Paranormal State," and that he wasn't prepared for the fame and notoriety that came with having a hit TV show. Additionally, Buell also shared that he struggled with accepting his sexual identity.

In the same interview, Buell shared that he is now a licensed professional therapist and hopes to help people with addiction, as well as using therapy to help people who have paranormal experiences.

Buell has stated that he is open to returning to TV one day. He currently offers speaking events across the United States, and he recently opened a telehealth therapy practice that focuses on helping people with paranormal experiences.