Erick Lear

Dr. Erick C. Lear’s formal training is in social work where he has served in various roles over his 15+ years in the field. Dr. Lear served as Director of Client Services for Violet’s Cupboard, an AIDS Service Organization in Akron, OH. He volunteered for over 10 years for the SUPPORT Hotline of Portage Path Behavioral Health, focusing on crisis intervention and suicide prevention. He has also held direct service positions at Akron’s Children’s Hospital, Community Support Services, and Lifewell Behavioral Wellness. He began his teaching career in 2011 with a focus on nonprofit management and direct practice/social work skills at several online schools. At Walden University, Dr. Lear teaches the social work skills and the human behavior in the social environment courses. Dr. Lear’s current research interests focus primarily on suicide prevention, social work skills, burnout prevention, and veterinary social work.