Therapists
Dr. Robert Basil (PsyD)
Dr. Basil is a clinical psychologist, licensed since 1987. He is a partner and clinician at The Highview Center. For 20 years, he directed the Mental Health and Deafness Program at the Ellis Human Development Institute of the School of Professional Psychology at Wright State University in Dayton. He had provided psychological services to the Deaf children at St. Rita School for the Deaf in Cincinnati and the Ohio School for the Deaf in Columbus. He provides psychological services to Summit Academy, a group of charter schools in Ohio serving children with Attention Deficit Disorder and Social Communication Disorder (previously Asperger’s Disorder). In the past, Dr. Basil served as the Clinical Director of Comprehensive Counseling Service (previously Pastoral Counseling Service) in Middletown, and developed Middletown’s Domestic Violence Program still being used in the community. He works with children, teens, individual adults, couples, and families. He specializes in attention issues, hearing and communication issues, coping with chronic pain, and family therapy.
Dr. Vonnie Bittikofer (PhD, LPCC, LICDC)
Dr. Vonnie Bittikofer is one of the three founders of The Highview Center. She is an Independently Licensed Clinical Counselor and a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor. She has worked in the Behavioral Healthcare field since 1989. While she has been in private practice at The Highview Center since 2004, she served as the Clinical Director and Director of Chemical Dependency services for a community mental health center from 1995 to 2004. She has also served as a counselor in inpatient and outpatient settings, and has taught courses for Ohio University and The University of Dayton as an Adjunct faculty member. Dr. Bittikofer treats adults, teens and some children with a variety of mental health issues. She also has a specialty license to treat substance abuse disorders. Additionally, she started a non-profit healthcare group, WHIIMS, in 2005, which operates out of the Highview Center. She is a cancer survivor, a Christian, and has been married since 1988.
Susan M Berger (MS, PCC)
Susan is one of the three founders of the Highview Center. She is an Independently Licensed Clinical Counselor. Susan received her Bachelor’s degree in Individual and Family Studies from Miami University and her Master’s degree in Community and Social Agency Counseling from the University of Dayton. Susan was the director of children’s programming for a Middletown-based mental health agency and she spent the first 10 years of her career serving as a school-based mental health counselor in the Middletown City Schools. Susan has experience working with children (age 2 and older), as well as working with families and individuals
Suzanne Beckmeyer (LISW-S)
Suzanne Beckmeyer is an Independently Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 20 years’ experience providing therapy and clinical support to individuals, children, and families, primarily in community based agencies. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Bowling Green State University in 1985 and her Masters in Social Work from The Ohio State University in 1988. Prior to opening a private practice at The Highview Center, she was the social worker for the Adolescent Diagnostic & Treatment Program at the Lindner Center of HOPE. For 8 years she served as Program Manager and clinical supervisor for Butler Behavioral Health Services’ Middletown Counseling Center and as a clinician for the Hamilton Counseling Center for 6 years earlier in her career. Specialized training at Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio in the treatment of sexual abuse survivors prompted her to seek additional training towards certification as a Trauma Specialist from the National Institute on Trauma and Loss. Believing that there is no such thing as small change, Suzanne truly values hearing others’ stories and bearing witness to the journey through small changes in thoughts and actions that can lead to big gains in health, wholeness, and joy.
Sandy M Kaplan (MS, IMFT)
Sandy Kaplan is an independently licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2007 and experienced in working with families, couples, adolescents, and children in a variety of community based and outpatient settings. She graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Counseling, specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University at Northridge (CSUN), and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies with a minor in Spanish from Wright State University in Dayton, OH. She also has a paralegal degree from the University of Cincinnati. She employs evidence-based strategies while utilizing individual’s unique strengths and personal values to promote healthy life choices and improved quality of life. Areas of interest and specialized training include: adjustment to divorce, adoption, foster care, grief/loss, and blended families. She enjoys working with couples, families and children age 6 and older. She is bilingual in Spanish and is grateful for the ongoing cultural education she receives from her relationships with friends around the world.
Melissa K. Stamper (M.S.Ed., LPC, LICDC)
Melissa is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor with a Master’s Degree from the University of Dayton. She is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), as well as a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC). She spent almost a decade working with the addiction population in residential, outpatient, and institutional settings. She continues to be very active and connected to the recovery community. Melissa also enjoys working with children and adolescents and beleives in integrating the concepts of positive, solution-focused thinking and gratitude into all the interventions she utilizes. She works from a holistic standpoint, taking all parts of the client into consideration - body, mind and spirit.
Joanna K. West (MSW, LISW)
Joanna West is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) in the state of Ohio providing psychotherapy services. She attended Miami University and received a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology, and later attended the University of Cincinnati studying clinical social work and receiving a Masters of Social Work (MSW). For a number of years, Joanna served as Director of a local non-profit organization serving children and families. In 2009, Joanna began providing psychotherapy for children, adults and groups in a community mental health center. She is dedicated and honored to walk along side adults and children who are challenged by life events, depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, mental illness, grief and the negative effect of life traumas and abuse. She is motivated to assist with change and growth, and to alleviate emotional pain. Joanna has training and experience utilizing EMDR and other evidenced based interventions to facilitate healing and recovery from trauma and abuse.
Ahja Harris (LISW-S)
Ahja Harris is a Licensed Independent Social Worker who provides psychotherapy services in Ohio. Ahja is a graduate of University of Cincinnati Masters of Social Work Program. Ahja has been clinically training in Mental Health. She has served children as young as three years old while a program coordinator with Therapeutic Interagency Preschool Program. She has worked in a community based counseling center conducting individual sessions with adults with an array of diagnoses. She has also worked in local hospitals as a discharge planner, conducted psychiatric assessments and also worked as a therapist on behavioral health units with children and with adults completing groups and individual sessions for substance abuse and mental health disorders. She enjoys seeing people progress through life's challenges and feel empowered to meet goals and overcome symptoms. She is specially trained in evidenced based trauma therapy. She is dedicated to seeing people resolve life challenges and thrive!