Dr. McClellan received her Ph.D. from Arizona State University in counseling psychology and her master's degree from UCLA. She completed postdoctoral training in family therapy and established a successful private practice as a psychologist for over 35 years in the Phoenix, Arizona area. She served in leadership positions on a number of community boards and committees.

While Dr. McClellan enjoyed her private practice, she was always looking for new ideas and inspiration. Her office looked out onto a lake that was inhabited with various migrating ducks. Between sessions, she would gaze out of the window and long for more time in nature. That is when she began taking classes with Arizona Highways PhotoScapes and attended a workshop on photographing humming birds. After that powerful introduction, she was hooked and began studying with distinguished wildlife photographers around the world.

One workshop was in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska. It was in Alaska that the bears began to speak to her, asking that she share their wisdom. Enjoy what Dr. McClellan discovered in her conversations with these amazing creatures in her book, Advice from the Grizzly Bears.