Daniel Fisher, MD

Dr. Daniel Fisher is a board certified adult Psychiatrist with two decades of experience in his field. Specializing in Treatment Resistant Mood Disorders, Dr. Fisher offers comprehensive, expert consultation and second opinions for patients referred by other psychiatrists and primary care doctors. Recommendations are then made involving the use of a variety of treatment modalities; these range from psychopharmacology, behavioral interventions, alternative/complementary approaches, and, when necessary, Electroconvulsive Therapy. Dr. Fisher practices in Boulder, Colorado at the Guerra Fisher Institute at Boulder Community Hospital.

Referral for some newer "neuromodulatory" treatments including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or the still experimental, albeit highly promising, Deep Brain Stimulation may also be considered. The evaluations are exhaustive and thorough, with emphasis on accurate diagnosis, obtaining additional input from family members when appropriate, in depth review of medical history, analysis of prior psychiatric treatment efforts, and ultimately feedback and education about diagnosis and relative risks and benefits of treatment alternatives.

ECT is a treatment that has been in existence for over eighty years, and it represents a safe, often life-saving, alternative for the patients who suffer from the most severe forms of Depression and Bipolar illness, and who have not achieved adequate relief with other treatments. Dr. Fisher has started ECT programs in the Boulder area, and has safely performed over 15,000 treatments.

Dr. Fisher graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University, and with Honors from the University of Michigan Medical School, where he attended on a full, merit-based scholarship. He did his residency training in New York City before continuing his career in Colorado. He is a volunteer Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Prior to coming to Boulder Community Hospital, Dr. Fisher was at Centennial Peaks Hospital for fifteen years. He was Chief of Staff and the Medical Director of the Adult Services at this 72 bed free standing psychiatric hospital, where he developed its ECT program. He lives in Boulder with his wife, Michelle, and two young children.

Christopher B. Reyburn, M.D.

Dr. Reyburn is board-certified in general psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is entering his twentieth year of medical practice.

Dr. Reyburn grew up in the Mountain West in Colorado and Wyoming and was raised in a medical family. From his earliest memory he wanted to be a doctor. He attended the University of Wyoming where he earned a pre-medical degree in Zoology and Physiology. He then received his M.D. from Creighton University School of Medicine in 1993. He underwent residency training at Vanderbilt University where he served as Chief Resident and President of the Housestaff, overseeing over 800 residents in training.

While at Vanderbilt he participated in clinical research in Alzheimer’s disease and neuropsychiatry. This led to a career-long interest in treating patients with comorbid psychiatric and neurological disorders such as dementia, developmental disorders, traumatic brain injuries and neurological disorders. He also trained extensively in psychopharmacology and ECT.

After completing his training, Dr. Reyburn returned to Wyoming with his wife and two young children to begin practice. He discovered immediately that the scarcity of psychiatrists was a serious challenge in the rural West and required him to treat all patients who requested his services. This included children and adolescents, patients with addictions and eating disorders, and other areas of clinical practice that psychiatrists in large urban areas typically refer to specialists. Dr. Reyburn acted as consultant or supervisor to many therapists, physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, and primary care physicians across the state. This experience led to a deep appreciation for the value of active collaboration among medical and mental health professionals. He actively participated in teaching and training for Family Practice residents, physician’s assistant students, and medical students as well as teaching pharmacology at the University of Wyoming.

This breadth of experience was transformational in developing his approach to evaluating all areas of a person’s life and experience and feeling comfortable treating patients across broad demographical and clinical spectrums.

Dr. Reyburn participated in the development of ECT services at several hospitals in Wyoming beginning in the late 1990’s. These services were difficult to maintain at times with a small, widely dispersed population so he collaborated with Dr. Guerra to treat patients in Colorado when necessary.

Dr. Reyburn returned to Colorado in 2011 due to family needs and began to focus on high-acuity patients. He worked at Centennial Peaks Hospital as director of the Intensive Treatment Unit and Chief of Staff. He also worked as a regular attending in the ECT department receiving certification through the International Society for ECT and Neurostimulation. After several rewarding years of practice he was invited to join Dr’s Guerra and Fisher at Boulder Community Hospital focusing on the practice of ECT and the treatment of resistant mood disorders.

Dr. Reyburn lives with his wife, their teenage son and four dogs in Boulder County. He has two children in college as well. He enjoys time with family and outdoor activities. He is a life-long skier and is a certified adaptive ski instructor. Dr. Reyburn’s wife Tanis is a clinical pharmacist and the two have worked together throughout their careers in clinical practice.

Michelle Fisher, PMHNP

Michelle Fisher is Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who joined the Guerra Fisher Institute in 2012. She provides psychopharmacology care to patients, and brings to the practice the added expertise that comes in having been a Family Practice NP prior to specializing in behavioral medicine.

Wendy Nelson, LPC

Therapist Wendy Nelson has worked in Mental Health Care for over 20 years, and has had the personal experience of walking a loved one through the journey of ECT care. Her unique experience of having "lived it" endows her with an empathic capacity to aid other patients and their families likewise through their care.

Blake Hillenbrand, DO

Board Certification: ABA certified since 2005
Residency: Northwestern University 2004
Medical School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine 2000
Undergraduate: Indiana University 1989
Memberships: ASA, CSA, CO Medical Society, Boulder County Medical Society

Stephen Layne, MD

Board Certification: American Board of Anesthesiology 1996 and re-certified in 2009
Residency: Mayo Graduate School of Medicine
Medical School: Mayo Medical School
Undergraduate: St. Cloud State University, MN
Memberships: Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists

Bogdan Murarescu, MD

Board Certification: American Board of Anesthesiology 2002
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA, 2001
Residency: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 2000
Medical School: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania, 1992
Undergraduate: B.S., Mathematics and Physics, Bucharest, Romania, 1985

Cristina Stoica, MD

Board Certification: American Board of Anesthesiology 1999, recertified 2008
Residency: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 1995-1998
Internship: University of Arizona Medical Center, Tucson, AZ 1994-1995
Medical School: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania, 1992
Undergraduate: B.S. Biology and Chemistry, Bucharest, Romania 1986

In Memoriam - Frank Guerra, MD, DLFAPA, FACA

Dr. Frank Guerra was a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed residencies in psychiatry and anesthesiology at the Universities of Colorado and Pennsylvania. Twice elected President of the Colorado Psychiatric Society and is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Anesthesiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Guerra was the recipient of The Lifetime Achievement Award of the Colorado Psychiatric Society in April 2012.

Dr. Guerra served in The United States Navy and the former Lieutenant Commander (LCDR). He was Chief of Anesthesiology from 1973 to 1975 of Naval Hospital Lemoore in Lemoore, California. He participated in over 65,000 electroconvulsive therapy procedures as a consultant for patients who are either treatment resistant or experiencing life threatening psychiatric illness. Prior to pursuing full time psychiatric consultative work, he was President of Metro Denver Anesthesiologists. Dr. Guerra represented the Colorado Psychiatric Society in the Assembly of the American Psychiatric Association for ten years. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Colorado Physicians Health Program and is an Honorary Board Member of Mental Health America Colorado.