Resident
Nina Velez, Psy.D., is a Resident in Clinical Psychology and the Assessment Training Coordinator at Iris Therapy Services. She graduated from The Chicago School and practices under the Supervision of Dr. Dee Majko. Dr. Nina enjoys working with individuals of all ages and specializes in comprehensive psychological and neurodevelopmental assessment, particularly with children and adolescents. She has received extensive psychological assessment training across several Northern Virginia settings, including Inova Kellar Center, Fairfax Mental Health & Wellness, and Prince William Family Counseling. Across these settings, she developed experience evaluating children, adolescents, and adults presenting with ADHD, autism spectrum concerns, emotional and behavioral difficulties, academic concerns, and complex diagnostic questions.
Dr. Nina’s clinical experience spans a variety of settings, including private practices, outpatient behavioral health, a domestic violence shelter, and community-based inpatient civil and forensic psychiatric facilities. She has also developed and facilitated several psychoeducational groups. These diverse experiences have shaped her warm, collaborative, and individualized approach to care. Dr. Nina values getting to know each person beyond their symptoms and strives to create a culturally inclusive, nonjudgmental environment in which individuals and families feel comfortable asking questions, gain a better understanding of their strengths and challenges, and identify meaningful next steps.
In her role as Assessment Training Coordinator, Dr. Nina supports the growth and quality of Iris Therapy Services’ psychological assessment program while helping doctoral trainees develop strong assessment and communication skills. She emphasizes thoughtful differential diagnosis, integration of multiple sources of information, and the importance of communicating results with compassion, clarity, and sensitivity. Dr. Nina also works closely with families, providers, and school teams to develop practical and individualized recommendations.
Dr. Nina also has experience providing psychotherapy and enjoys working therapeutically with children. Her primary therapeutic orientation is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), while integrating elements of Play, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) according to each child’s individual needs. Her therapy interests include anxiety, ADHD, parent support, behavioral concerns, chronic pain, executive functioning, and school-related difficulties.