Heather Yasolsky, LPC

I am an experienced trauma focused counselor who has dedicated my career to educating myself to find better ways to deal with traumatized clients without re-traumatizing them in therapy.

I have been counseling since 1995. I began in juvenile programs, advancing to being a drug and alcohol counselor in the state correctional system. Once having a family working in Corrections was no longer optimal so I moved into Community Mental Health. The systems in place in community mental health I found to be very limiting professionally. Wanting to make more of an impact on my clients ability to be successful I moved into private practice in 2008. Becoming independent has allowed me to follow the research, improving my education to support client success. Certifying in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Animal Assisted Treatment - Interventionist and Internationally Credentialed Sandtray Therapist. My focus has been on supporting First Responders and traumatized individuals. I enjoy supporting people who have not had success with talk therapy.

I offer virtual options as well as in person opportunities. My office is located in Altoona, PA above a great restaurant (The Athenian Cafe) so you can grab a meal before or after session. My office complex also houses Myo Fascial Release Therapists at Hands on Massage, a pediatric speech therapist at Spot on Therapy, [ and a laundromat/dry cleaning service. I enjoy that when someone comes into my office complex it is anonymous, you do not have to say you are going to counseling, there are lots of choices.

When you begin therapy with me you pick the pace. My intake process is completely electronic. You will have a patient portal to complete paperwork. I use an IVY pay app to collect co-pays and deductibles, or manage clients who do not want to use their insurance. You schedule your appointments online. This is great for my clients who have varying schedules or need to secure childcare for sessions. My schedule is open six weeks out, and I offer evening and some Saturday appointments (they go fast). Giving clients an opportunity to schedule ahead. Since it is electronic you can even schedule at 3 am. The patient portal does not close. The patient portal also allows my clients the freedom to take a break in therapy as needed. When they want to schedule, they just get on the portal. I have found over the years this stops the no show removals of clients who are at a point where they want to stop, but feel obligated to schedule when I ask in session. Since clients are leaving on good terms, they return as needed. I prefer the people who have experienced some positive growth not to have to start over with someone else due to some arbitrary attendance policy. No worries, I have an attendance policy. please give me 24 hours notice on a cancellation. I do not permanently discharge clients who have not scheduled in a period of time. I close their file, and leave their portal open, in case they want to come back. After 30 days I will check with you to make sure that you just forgot to schedule.
In therapy, I am trauma informed. Since I am EMDR focused with the addition of Sandtray and Animal Assisted, these non talk therapies have a natural focus on Resourcing for clients so that we work on stabilizing the foundation before we work on finding the areas that need healing. This allows my clients to continue in all their roles outside the office, worker, parent, friend, child, and participate in therapy for healing.

I am but a guide on this journey. You are the expert in your life. I will help you see patterns, establish boundaries, and process old wounds to provide healing. The journey is yours.

I am a wife, mother, friend, teach water aerobics at the local YMCA, and sing in my church choir.