About

Aalia Al-BarwaniMD · DABFM · DABOM

A double board-certified physician in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine, based in Houston, Texas, and the founder of Albidaya Wellness.

Dr. Aalia Al-Barwani, MD, double board-certified physician in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine, Houston, Texas

What her work rests on

Lasting change doesn’t come from forcing yourself to be different.

It comes from understanding yourself more deeply, and learning how to work with your body rather than against it.

The work

She works with women who are doing everything right and still feel stuck.

Dr. Aalia works with high-performing women who are tired of doing all the right things yet still feel stuck, overwhelmed and out of sync with their bodies, struggling to follow through despite knowing exactly what to do.

Over the course of her medical career she kept noticing the same pattern. The women she worked with were intelligent, capable and deeply motivated. Traditional approaches to weight loss and health were not addressing the deeper drivers underneath: stress, emotional eating, burnout and inconsistency.

That realization sent her back into training, this time outside medicine.

She pursued advanced training in Obesity Medicine through the American Board of Obesity Medicine, alongside certifications in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and mind-body coaching. Her work now integrates evidence-based medicine, behavioral science and subconscious patterning to support change at the level of identity rather than willpower.

Today she helps women understand why change feels hard, and how to create enough internal safety for healthier habits to take root. Rather than relying on restriction or rigid plans, her approach focuses on nervous system regulation, emotional awareness and self-trust.

Clients often report improvements in sleep, energy and emotional regulation, a changed relationship with food, and more calm and clarity day to day. The work resonates most with women who carry a lot of responsibility for other people, are used to pushing through, and are ready for something steadier.

Training and background

The path that got her here

  1. Weill Cornell Medicine

    Graduated with distinction.

  2. University of Connecticut

    Family Medicine residency, serving as Chief Resident in her final year.

  3. American Board of Obesity Medicine

    Advanced training and certification as a Diplomate, making her double board-certified.

  4. Neuro-Linguistic Programming and mind-body coaching

    Certification outside conventional medicine, to reach the drivers that clinical care was missing.

  5. Six Senses, Visiting Expert Practitioner

    Bringing an integrative mind-body approach into luxury wellness settings.

  6. What’s Up, Doc? on Muslim Network TV

    Creator and host, translating medical and wellness topics for a broader audience.

  7. Albidaya Wellness

    Founder. Albidaya means “the beginning.”

Credentials

Board certifications and training

MDWeill Cornell Medicine, graduated with distinction
DABFMDiplomate, American Board of Family Medicine
DABOMDiplomate, American Board of Obesity Medicine
NLPCertified Neuro-Linguistic Programming practitioner
Mind-BodyCertified mind-body coach
Six SensesVisiting Expert Practitioner
American Board of Obesity Medicine Certified Diplomate Yes Supply certified coach and practitioner in NLP, hypnosis, EFT and time techniques

Featured in

Where her work has appeared

Parade Woman’s World VICE VoyageDallas The Wellnest ShoutOut HTX Beyond Type 2
Dr. Aalia Al-Barwani working with a small group of women in a mind-body session

Outside the clinic

Curiosity about people, on and off the job

When she is not working with clients, Dr. Aalia spends time outdoors, travels, and explores new cultures and cuisines.

Those experiences keep shaping how she sees the women she works with, and her appreciation for how differently each one is put together.

Work with her

Two ways in

Coaching · Worldwide

Mindset and emotional eating coaching

For women who have done every diet and still cannot stop eating at 9pm. Mindset work, emotional eating, NLP and nervous system regulation. No medication involved.

Explore coaching
Medical · Texas only

Medical weight wellness

Physician-led care including medication where appropriate, lipedema evaluation, and support before and after bariatric surgery.

Explore medical care

Information on this page is educational and does not constitute medical advice or establish a physician-patient relationship. Medical services are available to Texas residents only. Coaching is available worldwide.