Dr. John Souza, Jr., LMFT, DMFT, affectionately known as Dr. John, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), an Approved Supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and a full-time Associate Professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. His work bridges clinical practice, education, research, and advocacy with a focus on strengthening mental health access and training the next generation of therapists.

At UH Mānoa, Dr. John teaches Intimacy, Marriages, and Families and Adolescence and Early Adulthood while also working toward developing a Master’s program in Marriage and Family Therapy. His research explores nature-based family therapy, sand tray therapy, and innovative approaches to marriage and family therapy. He is also engaged in farmer mental health initiatives, workforce diversity efforts, and the modernization of licensing laws in Hawai‘i to create a more sustainable and utilizable mental health system.

A dedicated advocate, Dr. John plays an active role in legislative initiatives through the Mental Health Hui, a group of leaders from the Hawai’i Psychological Association, the National Association for Social Work-Hawai’i Chapter, the Hawaiian Islands Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (HIAMFT), and the Hawai’i Counseling Association. Together, the hui is working to improve mental health policy at the state level. He was the past president of HIAMFT and continues to be involved as their legislative chair in order to shape the future of mental health care in Hawai‘i. Moreover, he is the co-found and co-chair of the Hawai’i-Approved Marriage and Family Therapy Supervisor Designation program, an effort to increase the quality of MFT services in Hawai’i.

Born on O‘ahu and raised in the continental United States, Dr. John earned his Doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy, specializing in Addictions and Psychopharmacology, during a 20-year tenure in Minneapolis, MN (where he is also licensed as an LMFT). In addition to his academic and advocacy work, he provides supervision for future LMFTs through Elemental Guidance, LLC, organizes national MFT exam study groups, and deliberate practice supervision groups.

Outside of his professional life, Dr. John is a musician, surfer, and skater finding inspiration in the rhythms of nature and human connection. He creates music under the name “The John Sojourn” and continues integrating creativity, movement, and systemic thinking into his personal and professional worlds.

Interested in working with Dr. John? Complete the Client Service Request Form.

“To understand people, you must see them both as individuals AND as parts of a whole
We work with families because people simply make more sense when you see them in relationships.”

– Dr. John