DBH Alumni Profile: Dr. Markias Kaiyan Littlejohn, DBH, LCSW, CST

About Dr. Markias Kaiyan

Dr. Markias Kaiyan Littlejohn is an internationally known Licensed Sex Therapist, Clinical Sexologist, Clinical Practice Specialist, and Integrative Practitioner who has specialized in improving Sexual Health since 2013.
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Dr. Littlejohn is the owner of Kairos Therapeutic Alliance, LLC and is a member of The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapist (AASECT) and The Royal Society of Medicine UK.

Dr. Littlejohn has proven success in providing effective sexual & mental health interventions in the US and UK; by employing innovative and discreet interventions that empower clients to command the sexuality they desire and deserve. This work is supported through education and skills training that help individuals connect with their vision for sexuality, primal sexual energy, and prana. It also draws on Dr. Littlejohn’s expertise in sex therapy, medical sexology, and neuroplastic sexual training.
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Dr. Littlejohn was featured in The Huffington Post as “One of 15 Male Therapist You Should Know”, is a guest lecturer and Sex Expert for an Allied School of Health and Medical School, and has been featured and referenced in various books. Dr. Littlejohn continues to lead and participate in national and international initiatives, campaigns, and programs to ensure everyone has access to quality sexual treatment and healthcare.

Culminating Project

Utilizing Sexological Interventions in Primary Care to Improve the Sexual Functioning and Quality of Life for Men Experiencing Sexual Dysfunction

Sexual dysfunction (SD) afflicts at least 150 million men worldwide and 30-million men in America. Shocking 2025 projections indicate 322 million men in America will meet diagnostic criteria for some level of SD. Currently in America, there is not a national program or initiative that promotes male sexual dysfunction (SD) awareness, screening, and treatment, which perpetuates the cycle of men living with untreated SD having a significantly poorer quality of life than men without SD.

Common barriers to male SD treatment: patients reporting shame as a barrier to disclosing SD symptoms to their providers, patients believing their SD may not be seen as a serious issue by their providers, healthcare providers reporting discomfort navigating sexual conversations and SD screening with patients, providers reporting male SD screening is not a part of their regular workflow, providers lack of knowledge regarding the Sex Therapy profession, and providers lack of referral to Sex Therapist, even though patients report Sex Therapist as the profession that best addressed their male SD.

The solution is to partner primary care practices with Sexological Interventions in Primary Care (SIP-C). SIP-C is a clinical pathway that integrates sexological interventions into primary care (PC) and yields a 100% ROI for contracted PC clinics after the 12th enrolled patient. Sexological interventions examines how physiological, psychological, sociocultural, and relationship factors influence sexual functioning and satisfaction.

SIP-C offers robust training for primary care clinical staff to ensure providers are confident in navigating sexual conversations with patients followed by warm handoffs to the SIP-C provider. SIP-C then delivers assessment and treatment to male patients with sexual dysfunction with or without co-morbid chronic illnesses by leveraging and updating current primary care workflows.

SIP-C ensures optimal patient outcomes through the use of evidenced-based screening tools and patient- and couple-centered treatment options in the primary care setting. SIP-C leverages and updates current PC clinics policies and procedures for a seamless integration and provides billing recommendations to ensure full reimbursement for SIP-C rendered interventions. SIP-C addresses both common and special treatment needs for those with SD, including neuroplastic training for men with co-morbid spinal cord injuries (SCIs), mobility challenges, and chronic pain (CP); interventions for couples to address SD and intimacy issues that often contribute to divorce; fertility and family planning for patients with the goal of starting a family. As an integrated partner with your PC clinic, we will improve quality of life for many through high quality SD screening and 13-week treatment.

Testimonials

“As a member of the AAPI community, I’m very familiar with the barriers to mental health services and the need to break through the glass wall of cultural stigma that prevents many from receiving potentially life–saving treatment. I was the only Asian American person in my master’s cohort, the only Asian American person in many of my clinical work settings, the only Asian American person to walk into many of the professional settings that I pushed myself to show up to. In my current practice, I’m constantly reminded by my patients of how difficult it is to find an Asian American mental health provider, though this reminder constantly informs me that more needs to be done for my community. Day after day, I read stories of Asian American people who die by suicide as a consequence of our culture’s avoidance of mental health topics. As a DBH, my biggest goal is to use my expertise in whole–person care to amplify the conversation around mental health and help my community understand that mental healthcare is not a privilege that we are not entitled to, it is a crucial part of our healthcare that will manifest differently in us than what many Western psychology or psychiatry textbooks will describe, and that our unique experience of mental health issues are valid, important, and is time to be part of the larger conversation.”

Willam Chum, LMHCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 16, 2022

“The Doctor in Behavioral Health (DBH) program has changed my understanding of the subject and career path. Before this academic journey, my knowledge of behavioral health was primarily theoretical, including essential ideas and methods. However, the DBH curriculum combined intense academic research with practical application, helping me understand behavioral health from multiple angles. Recognizing mental health as part of total health changed my perspective. The biopsychosocial model, which showed how biological, psychological, and social variables affect mental health, was stressed in the DBH curriculum. This comprehensive approach made me realize how complex human behavior is and how important it is to address mental health issues. Effective interventions must target the individual’s surroundings, relationships, and life experiences, not just symptoms. The curriculum also gave me enhanced evidence-based practice training to execute successful solutions. Studies methods and data analysis classes improved my critical thinking and allowed me to evaluate and apply behavioral health studies. This gave me the confidence to contribute to the field’s knowledge base through practice and research.”

Dr. Rhea Hill, DBH, LPCDBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 17, 2025

“This program will change how you present to the world, not just as a professional but as an individual. Understand this is work but the work is worth it and the journey is undeniably transformative. If you are seeking a doctorate for the title, this is not the program for you. If you are seeking a doctorate to interrupt and disrupt the course of healthcare, then this is the program for you. You won’t find a more supportive program with professors who are dedicated to your success and your education. This program is not about the regurgitation of information. It is about the appropriate applied application of knowledge and information to push forward and become an advocate for equitable and quality care for all.”

Brandy K. Biglow LMHC, CCTP, QSDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 5, 2024

“The Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) program has definitely transformed my understanding of behavioral health. Understanding the links between physical and mental health has taught how to make better treatment decisions. The DBH program has also given me insights that otherwise would not be possible and allows me to view individuals through a lens that I was previously ignorant of. This program has helped me grow into a more confident individual, provider, and parent.”

Cory H. Cannady, BCBA, LBADBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 13, 2024

“The DBH program has reinforced my vision of viewing behavioral health (BH) as an integrated component of the healthcare system rather than a siloed service. As a practitioner in the focused BH realm of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, I observe on a regular basis how identifying and serving SUD patients is often missed, ignored and stigmatized in primary healthcare, despite the fact that early intervention at these check-points often has the potential to intervene earlier and lessen the negative SUD outcomes frequently seen by the time a patient reaches specialty SUD services. Reinforcement received in my DBH program has motivated me to promote integration as a leader in my workplace and is a primary factor in considering the long-term trajectory of my individual career path.”

Kenneth L. Roberts, MPS, LPCC, LADCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - November 5, 2024

“Graduating from the DBH program has influenced and enhanced my approach to addressing behavioral health challenges and making a difference in the field by preparing me to become a serious business owner. Through the DBH program, I understand now that becoming a business owner not only assists me in reaping the financial benefits of working for myself, but the program also offers me a sense of freedom to make a difference in an individual’s life.”

Dr. Rebecca K. Wright, DBH, LBA, BCBA, QBADBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - December 18, 2024

“I have always wanted to pursue a higher degree but never found a program that met my needs. When I investigated the DBH program, I can honestly say I was excited. It was a program that would expand my knowledge in behavioral health but also how it relates to physical health. The philosophy of treating the whole person was exactly what I was looking for.”

Elizabeth Nekoloff, M.Ed., LPCC-S, NCCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 16, 2025

“Prior to obtaining my DBH, I practiced behavioral health within the boundaries of behavior analysis. The DBH degree has given me the ability to broaden my scope of competence allowing me to provide a higher quality of care to my clients through a person-centered approach, while still staying within my scope of practice. I was in the beginning stages of opening my business when I enrolled in the DBH program which set my trajectory towards being a stronger leader. The program equipped me with essential healthcare leadership and entrepreneurial skills, allowing me to ensure high-quality services for my clients and foster a supportive work environment for our staff. It has also given me the confidence to expand my business and pursue other healthcare ventures, reaching a broader range of patients in need.”

Dr. Pauline Tolentino Pablo, DBH, BCBA, IBADBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 21, 2025

“Although I have worked with many patients who have mental health diagnoses, or behaviors which make managing their medical diagnoses and day to day life difficult, the DBH program at CGI is broadening that knowledge and providing a deeper understanding of behavioral health and how best to help these individuals manage their health and improve their quality of life. This will allow me to provide and advocate for more meaningful and seamless integrated care, providing new tools for my intervention toolbox, and the confidence and skills to collaborate within and lead whole person focused interdisciplinary teams. I also anticipate building upon my knowledge as a nurse case manager and long time caregiver, as well as my personal passions and professional vision, learning about processes and operations, to be in position to start up and lead my own company one day, offering the services and care I know every person should have access to.”

Hollie Wilson, MSN, RN, CCMDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 11, 2025

“The DBH program will open opportunities for me to contribute to healthcare system innovation, particularly through trauma-informed care and integrated behavioral health settings. I will be better positioned to advocate for and implement holistic care models that improve health outcomes for underserved populations. Ultimately, this program will help me transition into higher-level roles, such as a director or consultant in behavioral health, where I can influence broader system changes and contribute to the future of healthcare delivery.”

DeKyn Rashad Peters, MPH-CHES,BSW/BA,APCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 4, 2025

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