Hi! I’m Melissa

I’m a writer, former therapist, and coach for expats and globally mobile women. I spent over a decade living abroad in Spain and the Netherlands before returning to the US and and experiencing firsthand the emotional rollercoaster of repatriation that I’ve helped so many clients navigate.

I’m also the co-founder of the Location Independent Therapists (LIT) Community, a supportive space for mental health professionals looking to combine their career with globally mobile life.

My debut memoir, A Compassionate Mess: A Therapist, Her Monsters, and a Journey to Self-Acceptance, publishes June 23, 2026. It’s the story of my decade abroad, starting my career as a therapist while also attending therapy myself, and ultimately finding a home inside myself thanks to the power of self-compassion.

My newsletter is where I continue that conversation — honest reflections on belonging, identity, and life that spans countries and cultures. It’s for those of us surfing the emotional waves of life as a deeply feeling person, and navigating the challenges of self-acceptance in a world that wants us to do just the opposite.

If that sounds like your kind of thing, I’d love to have you join the mailing list. Speak soon!