Melissa Parks, PhD - Coach for Expats & Entrepreneurs
I'm a former therapist now providing coaching for entrepreneurs and globally mobile clients (expats, digital nomads, ATCKs, etc.).
I'm also the co-founder of the Location Independent Therapists Community, a self-compassion advocate, & soon-to-be author. I've been working in the field of mental health and wellness for almost 20 years now, in the USA, Spain, and the Netherlands. I have my PhD in Clinical and Health Psychology and worked as a therapist for many years. These days I provide coaching to expats and entrepreneurs. I primarily support my clients through transitions, helping them to cultivate resilience, coping skills, and a better understanding and appreciation of themselves and their values. I'm also the co-founder of “Location Independent Therapists," an online community made up of mental health professionals around the globe who are living and working across country lines. We support them in growing their private practice and finding ways to combine their career in mental health with international living. I'm currently writing a memoir that's primarily focused on the decade I lived abroad in Europe. I share about my journey to pursuing therapy myself, and becoming a therapist, making peace with my highly sensitive side, and discovering the power of self-compassion. I'm also the mom to an energetic preschooler who keeps me on my toes so I have a lot of empathy for my clients who are parents themselves. I'm married to a global nomad who I met while living abroad and we speak a version of Spanglish in our house, and keep our love for international living alive with as much travel as we can, staying in touch with friends and family around the globe, and enjoying international foods.
Really excited about this! For years my co-founder, Sonia Jaeger and I have been offering these one off consultations to other mental health professionals interested in becoming location independent therapists. But it was never something we advertised, just something we offered when people emailed us about it. We recently decided it was time to change that and we’re now spreading the word about this offer for mental health professionals who are curious about location independence, but might not want (or be ready) for the entire LIT Community experience.
Long time no see! I've posted in stories a couple of time since returning from my maternity leave, but am only just now taking time for a real post.
What a whirlwind the past 9 months have been since we welcomed our daughter and my son became a big brother! It's been busy and chaotic and more joyous than I could have imagined. 🤩
I've enjoyed the transition from 1-2 children so much more than I did 0-1. I'm not sure if it's because I had 4 years to practice as a mom, or because my husband and I have more practice as a parenting team, or because I started antidepressants for anxiety ...or maybe it's because it took us so long to get our second baby 🤔
BUT whatever the reason is, I'm really enjoying being a mom of 2 and even enjoyed the postpartum and infant stage so much more this time. 🥳
What's been tricky is juggling the demands of work alongside being a mom to two kids. The mental load is heavier, the sleep deprivation is worse, and childcare is more complicated. Because of that it's taken me a bit longer than I wanted to get back into the groove of things with work.
I've really tried to ease in, first by hosting events in the Location Independent Therapists community, then seeing former clients, and I've now opened up my schedule for new clients as well! 📆
You'll likely see some changes with my marketing as I lean back into working with expats and other globally mobile clients (more on that later). 🌎
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Hi there! My name is Melissa Parks and I have my PhD in Clinical and Health Psychology and I’ve been running this page since 2014 providing information and resources to support the expat and international community.
I provide coaching to expats and other international clients living around the globe to help them live joyful and fulfilling lives, wherever in the world life takes them. I lived abroad myself for 10 years in Madrid, Spain, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and repatriated back to my hometown of Seattle (USA) last year. However, because I’m in an intercultural marriage, speak Spanish in my home, and interact with clients, colleagues, friends, and family around the world on a daily basis, I still consider myself a global nomad. I also am fond of saying “once a global nomad, always a global nomad,” because living abroad changes your worldview and identity.
My coaching clients include expats, English teachers teaching abroad, international NGO employees, immigrants, adult Third Culture Kids (TCKs), location independent professionals, digital nomads, diplomats, accompanying spouses, and other internationals whose lives span cultures, countries, languages, and times zones.
In addition to coaching, I also co-facilitate a community for location independent therapists and coaches and teach the evidence-based Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program in the Seattle area. I really think mindfulness and self-compassion are essential skills for navigating the emotional rollercoaster that comes with living a globally mobile life. The MSC program is designed to help you cultivate these resources and learn to treat yourself in the same way you’d treat a loved one.
On this page I share resources related to globally mobile life, how to achieve work-life balance, live a more mindful and intentional life, and create a portable sense of home inside of yourself.
