Bring Your Whole Self: Cultural Humility and Authentic Presence in Therapy with Gino Titus-Luciano

In this episode of A Simple Therapy Podcast, Sindee Gozansky welcomes Gino Titus-Luciano, LMHC—CEO of Kokua Mental Health and Wellness Group, president of the Hawaii Counselors Association, and a therapist who believes you can't show up as a textbook and expect real healing to happen. Calling in from Honolulu, Gino brings insight into what culturally grounded care actually looks like and why bringing your authentic self into the room doesn't mean losing your professional boundaries.

Together, Sindee and Gino explore how to balance being real with staying professional, why cultural curiosity matters more than competency, and what happens when a client's values directly challenge your own. Gino shares a powerful moment working with a client who rejected DEI principles—and how getting curious instead of defensive opened the door to actual therapeutic work. He breaks down why rigid treatment models burn clinicians out, how to know when you're over-identifying or under-identifying with a client's culture, and why caring for your therapists is the foundation of caring for clients.

This conversation is full of permission to stop performing, real talk about vicarious trauma, and a reminder that reflection isn't optional—it's essential. Gino challenges us to ask whether we still love this work and to build practices where clinicians can laugh, bring their specialties to the table, and actually want to show up. Because sustainable therapy starts with remembering you're a person too.

00:49 - Meet Gino Titus-Luciano: Leader in Culturally Grounded Care

03:39 - Life and Practice in Hawaii: Culture, Cost, and Community

05:51 - Hawaii's Cultural Melting Pot and What It Means for Therapy

08:11 - Gino's Background and Identity: Shaping His Path as a Therapist

10:06 - The "Customer Service Voice" and Cultural Code-Switching

13:50 - Clinical Journey: From Autism Care to Prison Work to Private Practice

18:53 - Building Kokua Mental Health and Wellness Group

20:03 - Why Real-World Experience Before Private Practice Matters

23:50 - Self-Care Struggles: Why Therapists Feel Guilty Having Fun

27:14 - Balancing Professional Neutrality and Authentic Presence

30:10 - When a Client Rejects DEI: Choosing Curiosity Over Defensiveness

39:47 - Nevada as the "Ninth Island" and the Hawaiian Diaspora

42:39 - Cultural Over-Identification vs. Under-Identification in Therapy

48:54 - Expanding Access to Trauma-Informed Care Through Group Practice

52:27 - Giving Clinicians Freedom to Lead From Their Specialty

55:40 - Where Clinicians Need the Most Support Right Now

01:00:30 - Final Wisdom: Reflecting on Your Path and Reigniting Your Spark

01:02:55 - Connect with Gino and Kokua Mental Health and Wellness Group

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Connect with Gino Titus-Luciano:

Gino Titus-Luciano

Kokua MHW Group

Connect with Sindee Gozansky:

Visit my website: asimpletherapypodcast.com/

Join the Heart-Centered Therapist Community FB group: facebook.com/groups/478651669638167

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LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sindeegozansky/

Want to be a guest on the podcast?

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