Waleed Sami is a first year assistant professor in the psychology department and focuses on the mental health counseling graduate program. His research interests examine how social and political determinants function as barriers and facilitators of health, mental health and equity. Within this framework, the goal is to examine systemic contributors to health and well-being such as political economy, income inequality, religious affiliation/culture (specifically in the Muslim-American community), and family/relational dynamics (specifically the developmental role of rough and tumble play in aggression).

Waleed Sami received his BS from VCU, his MA from Wake Forest University, and his PhD from VCU.

Psychopathology- Fall, 2022

Sami, W. Y., & Jeter, C. (2021). The political economy and inequality’s impact on mental health. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 43(3), 212–227. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.43.3.04

Sami, W. Y., Waters, J. M., Liadis, A., Lambert, A., & Conley, A. H. (2021). Disenchantment, buffering, and spiritual reductionism: A pedagogy of secularism for counseling and psychotherapy. Religions, 12(8), 612. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12080612

Sami, Y. W. & Lambert, A. (2022): Antisemitism and islamophobia: History and best practices. Developing Anti-Racist Practices in the Helping Professions: Inclusive Theory, Pedagogy, and Application. Palgrave MacMillan.