Nina Van Sant(She/Her/Hers)

Nina Van Sant is a licensed independent clinical social worker and psychoanalyst who works with teens, adults, and couples. She often works with women who are thinking about having children, going through pregnancy, or adjusting to life postpartum—times that can bring up a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and unexpected emotional challenges. She also works with people who feel stuck in certain patterns in their relationships or inner life, even after having been in therapy before.

Many of her clients come in with a good amount of self-awareness but find that this self-awareness hasn’t led to the kind of change they were hoping for. Her work is especially helpful for people who want to understand why certain patterns keep repeating.

In her approach, Nina pays attention not just to what’s happening in the present but also to how one’s underlying ideas about oneself and the world continue to shape how one feels, thinks, and relates to others. She believes it's hard to change unless you understand these underlying ideas. With couples, she focuses on helping both partners better understand the patterns they get caught in together, and how each person’s history and expectations play a role in the relationship.

While she has particular experience working with women thinking about having children or adjusting to life postpartum, she works with people who have a range of concerns, offering both individual and couples therapy. Her style is engaged, thoughtful, and collaborative, with an emphasis on creating a space where people can think more freely and honestly about their experiences.

She offers in-person therapy and also telehealth sessions in Washington, DC. Nina has undergone extensive training, and she has a range of tools to help her patients. Her practice is a place for people to discover deeper understandings that can lead to lasting change.