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DBH Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Earl Lewis, DBH, LPC, Ed.S.

By November 19, 2025No Comments8 min read

Where Purpose Meets Practice: Dr. Earl Lewis Champions Integrated and Culturally Responsive Care

Dr. Earl Lewis, is a Doctor of Behavioral Health, Licensed Professional Counselor, Behavioral Health Consultant, and Founder of Motivate Your Mental, a practice dedicated to advancing men’s mental wellness and integrated behavioral health. With more than a decade of clinical experience across hospitals, residential programs, crisis services, and private practice, he blends evidence-based strategies with a culturally responsive approach to strengthen health literacy, emotional resilience, and preventive health behaviors. Dr. Lewis’s professional journey reflects a deep commitment to bridging the gap between clinical care, behavioral science, and cultural relevance. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and Doctor of Behavioral Health, he integrates evidence-based practice with practical strategies that empower individuals and communities to thrive. Beyond his clinical and consulting roles, Dr. Lewis is dedicated to empowering men, families, and communities to reclaim purpose, strengthen identity, and build lives rooted in vitality, wisdom, and service. In this interview, he shares how the DBH transformed his systems-level approach to behavioral health, his vision for innovative and culturally responsive care, and the leadership skills guiding his mission to improve men’s wellness and community health.

How has earning your DBH shaped your approach to behavioral health?

Earning the Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) has profoundly reshaped my perspective, approach, and leadership style in the field of behavioral health. Before pursuing the degree, my work as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Couple and Family Therapist was deeply rooted in traditional mental health frameworks addressing symptoms, relationships, and individual functioning. The DBH program expanded that lens entirely. It taught me to think like a systems-level clinician and strategist, enabling me to see how social determinants, health literacy, cultural context, and integrated care models intersect to influence population health outcomes.

Through the DBH program, I learned how to blend the science of behavior change with the business of healthcare delivery. Courses in population health management, entrepreneurship, and quality improvement helped me understand how to bridge gaps between providers, systems, and communities. I developed a deep respect for data-driven innovation—learning how to design, evaluate, and scale behavioral interventions that improve outcomes and reduce disparities.

My mission is now clear: to apply what I’ve learned to help men, families, and communities not only heal, but thrive.

What innovative approaches or strategies do you believe have the potential to revolutionize the behavioral health landscape?

Community-Based Involvement & Peer Models
Sustainable change begins locally. Behavioral health can be revolutionized through community-based programs that integrate peer mentors, health coaches, and culturally relevant education within trusted spaces such as churches, gyms, barbershops, and workplaces. When behavioral science meets everyday culture, transformation becomes contagious.

Integration of Behavioral Health into Preventive and Primary Care
The integration of behavioral health within primary care and preventive health systems must evolve from concept to standard practice. Behavioral health professionals should be embedded as key members of multidisciplinary teams—addressing lifestyle, stress, and adherence factors that influence 80% of chronic disease outcomes.

Workforce Redesign and Leadership Development
To revolutionize behavioral health, we must also reimagine the workforce. We need clinician-entrepreneurs, behavioral health strategists, and cultural navigators who can move fluidly between clinical practice, consulting, and innovation. Training programs must emphasize systems thinking, business literacy, leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration to prepare professionals to lead in health systems, corporations, and community initiatives.

Looking back at your DBH journey, what specific insights or skills have you gained that have been instrumental in your professional development?

Systems Thinking and Population Health Perspective
One of the most impactful insights I gained was the ability to see behavioral health through a population health lens. I learned to move beyond one-on-one interventions and instead analyze the broader systems influencing wellness, social determinants, health disparities, and organizational design. Understanding how behavioral, medical, and social factors intersect helped me recognize that sustainable change requires coordination across all levels of care.

Entrepreneurial and Leadership Competence
The DBH program also refined my business acumen. I learned how to create sustainable, value-based behavioral health solutions through innovation, data, and strategic partnerships. Courses in entrepreneurship, quality improvement, and practice management taught me how to think like a behavioral health consultant—identifying needs, designing scalable programs, and measuring impact. This mindset shift has been instrumental in expanding my private practice, developing group coaching programs, and consulting with organizations on workforce wellness and preventive health strategies.

Health Literacy and Culturally Responsive Practice
Through the DBH curriculum, I developed a stronger appreciation for the role of health literacy and cultural competence in patient engagement and outcomes. I learned how deeply culture, identity, and communication patterns shape behavior change. These lessons formed the foundation for my culminating project, which aimed to enhance men’s health literacy and promote preventive health behaviors through culturally responsive coaching.

Integrated and Purpose-Driven Professional Identity
Ultimately, the DBH journey helped me integrate my multiple identities—clinician, coach, educator, and entrepreneur—into one cohesive professional mission. It clarified my purpose: to make behavioral health more preventive, accessible, and culturally grounded. The degree didn’t just add credentials; it refined my vision, sharpened my leadership, and anchored my work in service and impact.

What are your career goals in behavioral health, and how will the DBH program help you achieve them?

My future career goals center on advancing men’s behavioral health, health literacy, and preventive wellness through coaching, consulting, and leadership. I envision building a multidisciplinary platform that integrates clinical insight, community education, and digital innovation to help men strengthen their mental, physical, and behavioral health. The Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) degree has provided me with the knowledge, confidence, and systems-level perspective to make that vision not only possible but also sustainable.
In the next phase of my career, my goal is to reach men who are often overlooked in traditional healthcare models—those who may not seek therapy but are open to transformation through coaching, mentorship, and lifestyle change. By integrating DBH principles such as health literacy, motivational interviewing, and population-based strategy, I aim to bridge the gap between behavioral health services and real-world engagement.

How do you view the role of leadership in advancing behavioral health outcomes, and in what ways has the DBH program prepared you for leadership positions?

The DBH program transformed my understanding of leadership from a clinical focus to a systems-oriented mission. I learned that behavioral health leadership requires fluency in both the science of human behavior and the business of healthcare. Through courses in integrated care management, entrepreneurship, and population health, I developed a comprehensive toolkit to lead change at multiple levels—clinical, organizational, and community.

One of the most profound lessons I gained was that leadership begins with self-awareness. The DBH journey challenged me to examine my own biases, communication style, and leadership philosophy. It emphasized emotional intelligence as a core competency—because in behavioral health, leadership is relational. Whether guiding a multidisciplinary team or coaching clients toward wellness, effective leadership requires the ability to connect authentically, listen deeply, and motivate others through shared purpose.

What advice would you give to someone considering the DBH program?

My advice to incoming students is to embrace the shift in thinking. Be open to learning about the healthcare system as a whole, including its barriers, economics, and opportunities, and how behavioral health professionals can serve as the connective tissue that makes it all work.

The DBH program will stretch you intellectually, but it will also refine your purpose. It teaches you to think in terms of outcomes and systems, not just sessions and symptoms. You’ll learn to analyze data, design interventions, build programs, and communicate effectively across multiple disciplines. You’ll come to see behavioral health not as a subset of healthcare, but as the foundation of human performance, prevention, and population well-being. My advice is to lean into that integration; it’s where the future of our profession is headed.

As Dr.Earl Lewis continues to expand his impact as a clinician, consultant, and advocate for men’s wellness, his journey reflects the power of purpose-driven leadership in shaping healthier communities. The Doctor of Behavioral Health program has not only strengthened his systems-level perspective, but also equipped him with the tools to innovate, integrate, and inspire change where it is needed most. Dr. Lewis’s work reminds us that when behavioral health professionals lead with vision, cultural humility, and a commitment to whole-person care, they don’t just transform individual lives, they help redefine what healthcare can become.

Connect with Dr. Earl Lewis

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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