141 - Spain, Suffering, and Self-Compassion (w / Melissa Parks)

141 - Spain, Suffering, and Self-Compassion (w / Melissa Parks)

From Spain To Go by Daniel Welsch

May 21, 2026 · 43 min

About this episode

An interview with therapist Melissa Parks discussing life as an expat in Spain and themes of self-compassion and identity.

An interview with expat therapist (and therapist for expats) Melissa Parks. Melissa is the author of "A Compassionate Mess: a Therapist, Her Monsters, and a Journey to Self-Acceptance" which comes out in June 2026. She lived in Madrid, Spain, for several years – that's where we met. In this episode we talk about navigating life abroad: moving for love, rebuilding after breakups, finding a sense of home, identity changes when you move abroad, and much more. Get a copy of Melissa's book on Amazon starting June 23, or sign up for her notifications for more information at https://melissaparks.com/memoir/ Hungry? In Spain? Get yourself a food tour in Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla or San Sebastian with my friends at Devour Tours, check out the options at https://expatmadrid.com/devour/ Follow Melissa on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/melissaparksphd/ Or just check out her website for much more. Also, listen to my episode "Finding Happiness Abroad" for further thoughts on feeling at home and life abroad generally. Thanks for listening!

People in this episode

Host: Daniel Welsch

Guest: Melissa Parks

Topics covered

  • expat life
  • self-compassion
  • identity changes
  • navigating life abroad
  • relationships
  • finding home

Keywords

  • expat therapist
  • self-acceptance
  • moving abroad
  • breakups
  • home
  • identity
  • food tour
  • Madrid

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Devour Tours, Amazon, melissaparks.com, Instagram

Books & works: A Compassionate Mess: a Therapist, Her Monsters, and a Journey to Self-Acceptance

Places: Madrid, Spain

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