Who We Are

Micah Shanser | MA

Micah is passionate about helping people achieve optimal human performance in all areas of their lives otherwise known as the concept of peak performance, or flow state.

Micah’s background in working with at-risk youth in residential and wilderness settings lead him to build his career in Neurofeedback and Neuromodulation that he applies to develop tactics that support optimal human performance.

In addition to being board certified in Neurofeedback, he holds a master’s degree in Wilderness Therapy and is constantly researching more effective ways to support people to live their best possible lives.

Bonnie Fischnaller | MA, LPCC, SEP

As a Body Psychotherapist, Bonnie approaches her work with the Eastern-based philosophy that sees every human as inherently whole and brilliantly sane. Body psychotherapy seeks to support individuals in connecting more directly to their lived experience and their relationship to the needs and emotions that lie beneath. Learning how to focus and compassionately navigate one’s internal and external experiences can allow for movement toward reintegration of parts of one’s whole experience–there is often a naming and reclaiming of our past that needs to happen for greater alignment within ourselves in the present.

Bonnie has worked with teens, adults, and families for 13 years in wilderness and adventure-based programs and has several years of experience in applied mediation and Non-violent Communication with families.

As a Somatic Experiencing (SE) Practitioner she uses this body-based approach with art and equine therapies to support her clients on their journey. As a dynamic neuralistic approach to body-based trauma resolution and healing SE also gives people tools for working through and simplifying future trauma responses.

Melanie McAuley | MA

Melanie has a MA in Early Childhood Development & Education and a passion for helping both kids and adults thrive. She strongly believes in the importance of brain development in the early years of life and it’s impact on us as we grow older.

As the organizational backbone of Amazing Brains, Melanie over sees processes while incorporating her background in education to best serve clients in their journey to thrive.

Melanie knows that rewiring the brain after trauma is possible and that our systems at Amazing Brains can help teach healthy behaviors. She is passionate about helping people reach their full potential and achieve actionable goals in any areas of their lives.

Melanie is also a volunteer with Advocates for Victims of Assault on the 24 hour crisis hotline, loves running mountain marathons, playing soccer, and waking up early to enjoy the mountains at sunrise.

Nicole McGuffin | PsyD, LPC, BCN

Dr. Nicole McGuffin believes in the power of relationship, presence, consciousness, personal responsibility, awareness, growth, and mindfulness. She believes everyone has the ability to live an amazing life through healing and create an amazing brain through applying principles of neuroscience. She is a neuro counselor board certified in neurofeedback, certified gestalt therapist and is a licensed psychotherapist. She holds a doctorate in psychology, a master’s in counseling and bachelor’s degree in sociology. Nicole has been named a fellow of AAPB for a lifetime of significant contributions to the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback and the Field of Study. Nicole gives presentations, speaking about the brain, psychology and peak performance. She is a member of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback.

Samantha Stuber |

Samantha has a BA in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from University of Colorado and is currently pursuing an MA in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling at Naropa University. She teaches yoga and leads retreats both locally and internationally, and is passionate about bringing mindfulness into her coaching style. 

Her background in ecology, coupled with her passion for wellness and yoga, leads Samantha to look beyond symptom management alone. She focuses on healing and helping clients as innately whole, complete beings, and trusts client’s inner wisdom throughout that process. Samantha is passionate about cultivating flow in her own life through mountain biking, snowboarding, yoga, and meditation, and empowers clients to find more flow in their lives as well. 

In addition to her work with Amazing Brains, Samantha works with Women’s Recovery in Dillon, Colorado – a women led & focused addiction treatment center.

Ruth Razo | BA

Ruth has a BA in Spanish and International Development from the University of Guelph and is a licenced esthetician. She’s certified in non-violent crisis intervention and has a background in working with youth through various wilderness programs, as well as case work for individuals with special needs.

Ruth has been involved in numerous non-profit initiatives for education and is passionate about alternative education and working with both kids and adults to help build environmental awareness and a relationship to nature.

Ruth is also an avid gravel bike racer and loves spending time outside biking, hiking, skiing, and other mountain sports.

Lauren Plaza | BS

Lauren has a BS in Health Promotion and Wellness with an emphasis in counseling and public health. She finds great beauty in life itself and hopes to guide others to find their inner peace and joy. Lauren is passionate about helping individuals unlock their potential and break cycles that no longer serve them.

Lauren also works in Glenwood Springs as an assistant residential manager at a group home for adults with disabilities. She spends her free time outside wandering the trails or in the air training aerial arts.

Kelly Klus | BS, BA

Kelly has a BS in Psychology and a BA in Spanish from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In her Undergraduate career, Kelly worked within research projects under the umbrella of both Neuroscience and Sociology. She’s been a PSIA certified Children’s Specialist Ski Instructor in Breckenridge for 6 years. Additionally, she teaches yoga in the county and is passionate about making multi-faceted wellness broadly accessible.

Kelly recognizes the resiliency and adaptability of the brain. She is driven to guide others to use this adaptability to reach their goals in mental and physical wellness.

Before moving to Breckenridge, Kelly worked as a counselor at a children’s home in Urbana, Illinois; and as an assistant teacher in an elementary school in Barranquilla, Colombia. She spent 3 years in South America traveling, working, and studying; this is where she developed a passion for finding mindfulness through meditation, movement, and yoga. In Summit County, Kelly finds mental clarity and flow in skiing, mountain biking, and hiking.

Chelsea Zankowski |

Chelsea’s passion for helping others enjoy a full life derives from the lived experience of her own healing journey. As an avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast, she deeply values restoring and maintaining connections between people and the earth. She recognizes that in order to heal our relationships with one another and the planet, we must first repair the connection to self. Regulating the nervous system and reshaping brain patterns can be vitally important to this process. She aims to integrate the science of brain training with holistic, somatic approaches in order to generate lasting shifts toward greater well-being. Chelsea believes in empowering people to experience a sense of agency in their lives and strives to meet clients where they are at in order to open the door to real transformation.

Chelsea is registered with Yoga Alliance as a 500-RYT through Aarunya Yoga School and is certified in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy through The Embody Lab.

When you can’t find her skiing, hiking, or climbing in the mountains, she is probably somewhere near the ocean getting into flow scuba diving and surfing.