Aimee Thomas, J.D., M.Ed., LPCC, CCDC-I            Population Served: Children (10 years +), Adolescents, Adults            Office Location: Cuyahoga Falls & Canton

Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff was awarded a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Kent State University in 1997. In 1996, she earned a Juris Doctorate from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, and is a Licensed Attorney and Counselor at Law. Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff is independently licensed as a Professional Clinical Counselor and is currently completing a Doctoral Program in Counseling Psychology at the University of Akron. She additionally holds credentials as a Chemical Dependency Counselor I, awarded by the Chemical Dependency Board of the State of Ohio.

Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff has had a wide array of clinical experiences within both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. She has facilitated chemical dependency and mental health programming for offenders with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders, and has provided crisis intervention and individual counseling for clients with diverse cultural backgrounds. Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff’s internship experiences with war veterans provided her with additional experience in the treatment of clients suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Dr. Thomas-Chuparkoff has also presented a number of professional workshops regarding the treatment of difficult clients.

Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff joined the staff of NEOBH in 2002. In this setting, her focus was initially directed toward mental health intervention with children and adolescents, with a special emphasis on the assessment and treatment of sexual abuse victims. Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff received training and supervision in the forensic assessment of suspected victims of sexual abuse, and was selected as a recognized expert in child abuse by the Attorney General of the State of Ohio. As a result, Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff has frequently been asked to testify as an expert witness in criminal and juvenile court cases involving the alleged abuse of children.

Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff has made a major contribution toward NEOBH’s development of specialized assessment services for parents who have had children removed from their care by a Family or Juvenile Court. Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff’s skills in the area of adult assessment have permitted her to play a leadership role in the provision of assessment services that provide important recommendations for these clients toward reunification with their children.

Ms. Thomas-Chuparkoff also has a strong interest in the provision of trauma-focused treatment for children, adolescents and adults. She has attended advanced trainings in trauma treatment techniques, and utilizes these skills in her work with trauma victims and their families.