Meet Our Counselors

ALAN C. OSTBY, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, obsessions/compulsions, stress management, meditation, sleep disorders, and clarification of life goals. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Clinical Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, a Master of Science in Human Development and Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University - Bozeman, and a Master of Arts in Psychology and Politics from Yale University. His Bachelor's Degree, Magna Cum Laude, is from Macalester College. His doctoral dissertation is a theoretical development of Wilfred Bion's ground-breaking psychoanalytic perspective. Dr. Ostby's Master's Thesis is a quantitative analysis of dreams and self-exploration, as well as therapist empathy, based on the person-centered theory of Carl Rogers. He has extensive experience with children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Ostby is a Past President of the Montana Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors Association. Services offered by Dr. Ostby include psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups, as well as complete psychological evaluations, including assessments of intelligence, memory, personality, attention, and hyperactivity. Dr. Ostby's theoretical orientation is cognitive/behavioral, psychoanalytic, and Jungian. He believes that any good psychotherapy includes cognitive and behavioral methods, as well as a focus on the systems in which each person functions - family, culture, society.

KELLY L. CHRISTY, MS, LCPC,is a 1992 graduate of Montana State University - Billings with a Master of Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Extended Studies. She began her career at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Billings, Montana as a psychotherapist for severly emotionally disturbed children and adolescents in the Intensive Care Unit where she provided individual, group, and family therapy. She has been in private practice since 1993. She contracted with South Central Treatment Associates for several years providing treatment for sexual offenders, victims of sexual abuse, and sexually reactive children. In 2000, Ms. Christy and her colleague, Alan Ostby, opened the Yellowstone Counseling Center. Ms. Christy continues to specialize in the treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, eating disorders, victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, family, and parenting therapy. Ms. Christy has presented locally on numerous sexaul abuse topics related to children. She is a member of Montana Clinical Mental Health Association, Association for Play Therapy, American Counseling Association, Billings Sexual Abuse Team, and Billings ZONTA.

AIMEE RUST, MS, LCPC, has been working as a psychotherapist since 1999 in several different settings including a major university, a family outpatient center, a school-based therapeutic program, and private practice. She graduated from Colorado State University with a Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. This training and experience has allowed her to work with a variety of clients including individuals, couples, families, and groups with children, adolescents, and adults. While at Colorado State, she worked with a team to develop a relationship enhancement program for couples. She has also given presentations on topics of successful strategies for dual-earner couples and building positive relationships between parents and children. She is a member of American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, American Counseling Association, and Association for Play Therapy. Aimee currently provides treatment for anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, abuse, parenting, and relationship issues.

THERESA BLAZEK, MS, LCPC,received her Master's in Counseling from the University of Houston - Clear Lake in 1993. She worked in a community mental health center for eight years and had a private practice for three years while living in Oklahoma. Theresa participated in the development and implementation of a crisis Response Team for mental health while in Oklahoma, she responded to Oklahoma City tornados, and did crises intervention and therapy with the family members of Oklahoma City bombing victims. Theresa also participated in the planning and development of a child abuse advocacy center while in Oklahoma City. She has worked extensively with domestic violence victims and with women's issues. Theresa recently relocated to Billings and has worked at Yellowstone Counseling Center since January 2006. She works with individuals, couples, and groups treating depression, anxiety, abuse, domestic violence, grief, and relationship issues.

ASHLEY ABBEY, MSW, LCSW,has been working in the mental health field since 1994 and as a psychotherapist since 1999. She received her Master of Social Work Degree from Colorado State University where she also received specialty training in the area of eating disorders. While at CSU, she provided counseling to students and was involved with the development of the eating disorder awareness and prevention program on campus. Ashley has also worked in the medical arena where she provided counseling and support to patients and families who were diagnosed with cancer, chronic illness, pain, high-risk pregnancies, and overall grief and loss. During this time, she became actively involved with postpartum depression screening and treatment. Ashley continues to specialize in the treatment of eating disorders, postpartum depression, and anxiety. She is a member of the Montana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and has been involved with the National Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention Campaign.

HOLLY KADESH, MA, LCPC, ATR-BC, received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Montana State University - Billings in studio art and worked as a professional artist in Billings before returning to California where she received her Master of Arts Degree from the Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles Marital and Family Therapy (Clinical Art Therapy) Program. Ms. Kadesh has been providing individual, family and group counseling since 1994 specializing in the treatment of adolescents and adults healing from abuse and trauma. She has been a program director and has supervised case managers, graduate therapists, and students. She has written articles on parenting and at-risk youth. Ms. Kadesh is a member of the Art Therapy Association and American Counseling Association.

SALLY G. GRUNST, MS, LCPC, has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Concordia College in St. Paul, MN. Sally has worked with 3, 4, and 5 year olds and their parents in the preschool setting since 1996. She received her Masters Degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling in May 2004 from Montana State University - Billings and her School Counseling Endorsement in December 2004. Sally started her counseling career in September 2004 with the Yellowstone Boys and Grils Ranch where she worked with adolescents, 12 to 18 years of age, offering individual, family, and group therapy sessions. Sally teaches Anger Management Classes to female inmates at the Yellowstone County Detention Center and works with adolescents at Yellowstone Academy, School District 58. Sally joined Yellowstone Counseling Center in March 2008. She is experienced in the treatment of children, adolescents, adults, and families in the areas of PTSD, attachment disorders, anxiety, depression, mood swings, stress and anger issues. Sally has been trained in Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT).

GAYLE WASH, MS, LCPC: Gayle Wash received her Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from MSU - Bozeman in 1989. She began her career at Yellowstone Boys & Girls Ranch working as a psychotherapist for severely emotionally disturbed adolescents. While at YBGR, she held the positions of Clinical Case Manager, Clinical Program Director, and Consulting Therapist. She also facilitated groups for chemical dependency and sexual victimization. From 1989 to the present, Gayle has contracted with South Central Treatment Center as a psychotherapist working with adolescent and adult sex offenders and their families. While at SCTA, she worked extensively with sexual abuse victims, sex offenders, families of incest, couples and groups. Gayle received her Montana State License as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in 1990 and began her private practice in 1992. Since that time, Gayle has provided psychotherapy for individuals with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and victims of abuse, with an emphasis in family and marital counseling. Gayle treats individuals from the ages of 10 through adulthood.