Vanessa Nieves, MS, LMFT

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Old Town Psychology, where I work with adults, couples, and families. I provide individual therapy, couples counseling, and family therapy. Many of the people I see are navigating relationship challenges, anxiety, parenting stress, or life transitions — or simply feel disconnected, depleted, or stuck and want to feel more grounded, connected, and like themselves again.

My work is rooted in empathy, collaboration, and empowerment, and I believe healing begins when we feel truly seen, understood, and emotionally safe. I specialize in relationship and communication challenges, anxiety and overwhelm, emotional regulation, ADHD and executive functioning, codependency and self-doubt, parenting stress, and career and life transitions. Whether you come on your own, with a partner, or as a family, my goal is to help you move beyond the patterns that keep you stuck and toward meaningful, lasting change.

With couples, I help partners recognize and interrupt the cycles that create distance and conflict, building toward more open communication, renewed trust, and deeper emotional intimacy. With individuals, I offer a compassionate, nonjudgmental space to explore emotional patterns, self-limiting beliefs, and everyday stressors, and to reconnect with your values and sense of self. With families, I help members understand one another’s needs and communication styles, cultivating emotional safety and stronger bonds at home.

My approach is holistic and evidence-based. I draw from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, attachment theory, and systemic family therapy to understand the experiences, relationships, and internal stories that shape who we are. I see therapy not only as a place to manage emotions, but to transform them — so you leave with the tools, insight, and confidence to navigate life with greater clarity and self-compassion.

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Old Dominion University and my Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University’s COAMFTE-accredited program. My clinical experience is wide-ranging: I began my career working with children diagnosed with autism and gained early training in psychological testing and assessment, later working with expectant and postpartum mothers, high-conflict family systems and at-risk youth, and finally in private practice, where I have focused on couples and individuals.

Before becoming a therapist, I was a professional dancer and teacher — an experience that deepened my appreciation for emotional expression, storytelling, and the connection between mind and body, and that continues to inform how I understand the way emotion lives within us. As a military spouse and mother, I also bring a personal understanding of resilience, adaptability, and the strain that change and transition can place on relationships and families. I am LGBTQIA+ allied, culturally humble, and deeply committed to creating an inclusive, affirming, and respectful space where every client feels welcome and supported.