Mylischa Smith-Lewis, DSW, LCSW-BACS

Dr. Mylischa Smith-Lewis, DSW, LCSW-BACS, brings over 24 years of experience as a clinical social worker and mental health practitioner across diverse settings, including inpatient psychiatry, residential treatment, and community health. She is the Founder and Chief Clinical Consultant of Mindful by Design, LLC, a private psychotherapy and healthcare consulting practice, where she provides psychotherapy to adults and offers consultation to providers and organizations on integrative approaches to physical, mental, and behavioral health.

Dr. Smith-Lewis currently serves as Director of Training and Fidelity at the Metropolitan Human Services District, one of Louisiana’s ten Local Governing Entities supporting individuals with mental health disorders, addictive disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. In this role, she leads workforce training, program development, and clinical fidelity initiatives to strengthen service delivery across the region.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board Approved Clinical Supervisor, Dr. Smith-Lewis has supervised social work and psychology interns from Tulane University, Southern University at New Orleans, and Louisiana State University. She also maintains advanced clinical training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), integrative mind-body therapies, and program development and evaluation.

Her teaching and research are grounded in the intersections of health psychology and social work practice. Her clinical and academic interests include medical traumatic stress, intergenerational trauma, chronic pain, and the long-term health impacts of adverse childhood experiences. Her research agenda further explores chronic pain management among African American adults and examines the correlation between chronic pain, depression, and health outcomes among ethnic minority women.

Dr. Smith-Lewis earned both her Master of Social Work and Doctor of Social Work degrees from Tulane University School of Social Work, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Loyola University of New Orleans. She is dedicated to advancing the social work profession through education, mentorship, and the integration of evidence-based practices that promote resilience, recovery, and wellness.