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DBH Student Profile: Elizabeth Nekoloff, M.Ed., LPCC-S, NCC

By January 16, 2025February 25th, 2025No Comments6 min read

Breaking Stigma and Building Resilience: Elizabeth Nekoloff’s Journey of Advocacy and Integrated Care

Jan. 16, 2025

Elizabeth Nekoloff, a Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) student at Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies, graduated from Ursuline College in 1992 with a degree in Psychology, marking the beginning of her meaningful career in social services. Her professional journey began as a childcare worker in a group home before transitioning to a 28-year tenure with the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services. In 2022, she embraced a new opportunity as a Counselor with MetroHealth’s School Health program, providing integrated care to students in two local school districts. Since 2016, she has also been active in private practice. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, alongside three siblings, Elizabeth credits her mother, a teen mom who instilled a strong work ethic, for shaping her resilience and determination. Married for 30 years, she is the proud mother of two adult sons, a daughter-in-law, a dog named Rico, and a granddog named Brutus. Committed to expanding her knowledge in behavioral health and how it relates to physical health, she enrolled in the Doctor of Behavioral Health program in 2023 at Cummings Graduate Institute. In this interview, Elizabeth discusses pivotal moments in her career, outlines her professional goals, and shares what drew her to the DBH program.

What inspired you to pursue the DBH program?

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.

How are you actively contributing to or impacting your local community through your behavioral health expertise?

I currently work for MetroHealth in the School Health Program. This program provides both medical and behavioral health services to 2 local school districts. I work alongside medical professionals to provide for both the physical and mental health wellbeing of the students. I provide brief focused assessments and consultation to students that may be struggling with depression, anxiety, suicidality and/or other everyday struggles.

What aspect of your professional experience has influenced your approach to behavioral health?

I worked in child welfare for 28 years and it has shaped the person I am today. I watched families struggle through some of the hardest things imaginable. Through their hardwork and perseverance they were able to overcome many obstacles. I also witnessed children not being able to go back home to their families. Most of the families I encountered were unable to advocate for themselves. This experience taught me that it is important to teach others to advocate for themselves. This is so important for individuals struggling with behavioral health issues.

What challenges have you encountered in the behavioral health field, and how do you envision overcoming similar challenges in the future?

The stigma that comes with behavioral/mental health and getting services to address them. I actually think the pandemic helped with this stigma, as I have found so many students that are willing to talk about what they have going on. I will continue to educate anyone that will listen.

Can you highlight a situation that has significantly influenced your understanding of integrated care and behavioral health?

Prior to 2022, integrated care was a foreign concept to me. When I accepted my current position and started working in an integrated care setting and realized that the medical staff was interested in treating the whole person. I was amazed. The medical team I work with is interested in what I have to say and value my opinion. The students also appreciate that we are treating them together and advocating for them to get their needs met.

How do you see yourself making a lasting impact in behavioral health?

I plan to continue to educate myself in many different aspects that would provide the best for those I come in contact with. The information that I have learned in the DBH program has opened me up to a whole new world on how I can advocate and teach others to do the same. I think it is important to not only be educated but to also be real with those I am working with. I have found that those I work with truly appreciate that about my style.

How has the DBH program impacted your skills, knowledge, and career trajectory?

I currently work for a School Health program that provides integrated care to students. The knowledge I have gained thus far has come in handy when meeting with students, parents and medical professionals. I am able to understand medical terms that I didn’t previously know, and it has helped my clients. I also work in a private practice and share information with my clients about things I have learned and how they can advocate for themselves.

Elizabeth’s career and educational pathways are driven by her commitment to serving her community and advancing integrated behavioral healthcare. Her decades of experience in social services, counseling, and child welfare have profoundly shaped her approach to advocacy and care. Through the DBH program, she has expanded her expertise, enhancing her ability to collaborate and empower clients. Looking ahead, Elizabeth envisions using her growing knowledge to make a lasting impact in the behavioral health field, advocating for integrated care and inspiring others to overcome stigma and embrace their own resilience.

Elizabeth Shares What Inspired her to Pursue the DBH

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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