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

Ms. Thomas 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 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 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' internship experiences with war veterans provided her with additional experience in the treatment of clients suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Dr. Thomas has also presented a number of professional workshops regarding the treatment of difficult clients.

Ms. Thomas 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 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 has frequently been asked to testify as an expert witness in criminal and juvenile court cases involving the alleged abuse of children.

Ms. Thomas 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' 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 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.