Hi, I’m Walid! I was born and raised in Lebanon, have Palestinian ancestry, and immigrated to the United States when I was 18. I spent most of my time in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Pittsburgh in 2021 and now call Pittsburgh home. Although I have sensed the interconnectedness of all things and valued justice and care for the world since I was a child, in the past few years - spurred by world issues and an untenable way of life - I began to extricate myself from capitalist structures and live more intentionally in relationship with society and nature.  I am a son, a brother, an uncle (to 5 wonderful humans and 7 adorable cats), a friend, a neighbor, a caring community member, and simultaneously a human being having a spiritual experience and a spiritual being having a human experience. 

How Have Life Transitions Informed
My Work, Purpose, and Passions

My Background

In the past couple of years, I have gone through and continue to go through a major life transition. After years of working in a highly stressful environment at a respectable consulting firm in the tech space, and after experiencing repression for speaking out about Gaza, severe burnout and disillusionment with corporate America led me to quit my job and begin a journey of exploring alternative life paths that are rooted in social justice, community, and healership. Since then, I’ve dedicated time to recover from burnout, deepen my meditation practice and interest in buddhist philosophy, learn much about various therapeutic modalities, and work on various community and organizing projects. For 8 months, I served as a caregiver as part of a community-led hospice care setup that catalyzed my exploration of grief and death doula work. I have been unlearning and relearning, deprogramming and reprogramming, what it means to live intentionally with awareness. 

Who I Work With

I aim to work with individuals who are experiencing challenges navigating life transitions while coping with the polycrisis, especially those who feel marginalized and dehumanized for simply existing, and those who are working through questions about how to live more in alignment with their values and with deeper connection to others and their environment.  I also aim to work with men (especially cis-het men) who are keen to transform their relationship to sex, success, and meaningful connection working through shame, emotional attunement, and developing skills for intimate connection with other men and with their partners. 

How I Work / Areas of Focus

I experience generalized anxiety, OCD, CPTSD, and ADHD symptoms and intend to draw from frameworks that have helped me based on what’s most relevant and resonant with the client, including (but not limited to) Internal Family Systems (IFS), Ideal Parent-Figure Protocol (IPFP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), attachment theory, and mindfulness. Above all, I believe the heart of good therapy begins simply by listening with loving intent. My goal is to pursue a second masters degree in social work beginning in the fall of 2026 to eventually earn my license as a therapist. 

What I’m Like Outside of Peer Support

Nature is my happy place, and I enjoy hiking and/or camping and cannot resist getting into natural bodies of water. I also spend time on various community organizing projects. I really enjoy moving my body and feeling alive in it, so you might also find me working out, playing basketball, doing Muay Thai, and dancing with abandon. I enjoy cooking for others, playing board games, and occasionally noodling on my guitar.