William Nation, Ph.D.

MHS Clinician

Pronouns: he/him/his

I received my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Texas Woman’s University. I joined the JHU Counseling center for my internship training in 2020, then as a permanent staff member in the fall of 2021. Before that, I completed my master’s degree at Loyola University Chicago and my bachelor’s degree at a tiny liberal arts college, Cornell College. My training has taken place in community mental health, college counseling center, and private practice settings, giving me a broad view of the mental health world. My primary clinical and research interests are in social isolation, especially in how people react to and understand isolation and disconnection. I also focus on integrating nerd culture and gaming into therapy spaces, such as utilizing Dungeons and Dragons to help groups foster connection and learn social skills. I am also a speaker and published author on fandom/geek culture psychology and communication.

I most commonly work with depression, anxiety, disconnection, and questions of meaning and life change. My main focus as a therapist is the big picture, what my clients want/need, and how to get there. For me, the most important thing is that my clients live meaningful lives to their definition; I do my best to customize treatment spaces to help the process along. Along the way, we figure out what works and what doesn’t, hopefully building a new and more functional system. In my capacity at JHU, I also strongly focus on social justice and advocacy issues, as sometimes the systems that need to change are not our internal ones.

When not at work, I enjoy gaming of all types, especially those that tell stories. I spend time with my cat, watch sports, and consume media like comics and movies. In a world where it is safe to do so, I also enjoy attending fandom/anime conventions, concerts, and sporting events.