The Wayfarer’s Journey
A Doctor's Memoir of Exile and Meaning
Release Date: September 2025
OVERVIEW
Born amid the ashes of the Spanish Civil War and raised under the heavy shadow of Franco’s dictatorship, Vincent Abad learned early that questioning authority was both dangerous and necessary to awaken the soul. Even as a child, he carried a quiet flame of resistance—a yearning for truth, justice, and the freedom to live with integrity. That inner fire became his compass, leading him across borders, languages, and cultures in search of meaning and belonging.
The Wayfarer’s Journey traces the arc of a physician forged in exile—a psychiatrist whose moral clarity and humanistic vision shaped his path through five countries on two continents. From the alleys of Valencia to the locked wards of psychiatric hospitals in Spain, Switzerland, England, Canada, and the United States, Dr. Abad bore witness to suffering in its many forms. He came to believe that healing requires more than diagnoses or pills—it demands presence, humility, and the courage to see the person behind the symptom.
At Yale, he founded the institution’s first bilingual and bicultural mental health clinic for Latinos, championing a model of care rooted in cultural respect and compassion. Yet this memoir is far more than a record of professional milestones. It is a lyrical meditation on medicine, exile, and the human condition—a reflection on the invisible threads that bind identity, memory, and moral choice.
With philosophical depth and poetic precision, Dr. Abad asks the questions too often left unspoken: When does science betray the soul it vowed to serve? What does it mean to truly care for another human being? And how, in a fractured and noisy world, do we remain faithful to the values that sustain our shared humanity?
Intimate yet universal, The Wayfarer’s Journey is a testament to resilience, conscience, and the enduring search for wholeness. It speaks to seekers, healers, and all those who, at some point in life, have felt called to walk a different path—one guided not by fear or conformity, but by love, truth, and the longing to live a meaningful life.
Praise for Dr. Vincent Abad’s Work
"It is with deep admiration and heartfelt gratitude that I endorse The Wayfarer’s Journey to all who walk alongside the most vulnerable among us, and to one extraordinary man who has led that journey with unwavering compassion: Dr. Vincent Abad.
When I first met Dr. Abad, Caridad Center had no formal mental health program. We recognized the need but lacked the structure, resources, and leadership to bring it to life. Through his tireless vision, dedication, and fierce commitment to serving the underserved, Dr. Abad built a mental health program that now serves thousands in our community, restoring dignity, hope, and healing to those who had long been forgotten.
This memoir reflects the courage and conviction Dr. Abad has demonstrated throughout his life, from a war torn childhood to a career devoted to mercy. His story is not only a testament to resilience but also a call to action for all of us in the fields of care, justice, and service.
Knowing Dr. Abad has been one of the greatest honors of my life. His legacy lives not just in words but in the lives he has touched—and continues to touch—with wisdom, kindness, and a boundless heart."
—Connie Berry, Founder, Caridad Center, Boynton Beach, Florida
"I’ve had the privilege of knowing Dr. Vincent Abad for over a decade, both as a compassionate physician and a thoughtful human being. He treated my mother during her struggle with dementia, and through that deeply personal connection, I came to admire not only his clinical skill but also his profound humanity.
Over the years, our conversations have often turned to philosophy, history, and the deeper questions of life. In The Wayfarer’s Journey, Dr. Abad brings that same depth and insight to the page. His memoir is not just a chronicle of an extraordinary life shaped by exile, service, and moral clarity; it is a meditation on what it means to be truly human in a world often shaped by fear and forgetting.
Dr. Abad writes with the quiet force of someone who has lived, listened, and learned. This book will resonate with anyone who has wrestled with identity, injustice, or the enduring hope of healing. It is a rare gift—a memoir that both challenges and uplifts, that reveals as much about the reader as it does about the author. I recommend it without reservation."
—Ray Leon, Co-CEO of Outpace Systems, Inc.
"It has been my great privilege to know Dr. Vincent Abad for many years, through both professional collaboration and personal friendship. We've cared for mutual patients and exchanged ideas across disciplines, and throughout that time, I’ve come to admire not only his clinical skill but also the depth of his humanity. Dr. Abad is a physician of uncommon dedication, with a clear moral compass and a profound respect for the people he serves.
Beyond medicine, our friendship has grown through countless conversations about history, immigration, politics, and the many forces that shape the human experience. These exchanges have always left me with a sense of gratitude and reflection. Dr. Abad is a thoughtful and engaged citizen of the world, someone who brings wisdom, empathy, and insight to every interaction.
In The Wayfarer’s Journey, he brings those same qualities to the page. This memoir offers a rare and honest portrait of a life shaped by movement across countries, roles, and ideas and the meaning he has found along the way. It is a story that will resonate with anyone who has wrestled with identity, purpose, or the cost of exile. I am honored to support this work and the man behind it."
—Dr. Leon Poveda, Community Health Center, Florida Atlantic University
"As a compassionate healthcare provider, I found The Wayfarer’s Journey to be a profoundly moving and necessary read. This memoir is more than a story of exile and healing—it’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of compassionate care. Through the lens of personal struggle and professional dedication, the author invites us into a journey that is both intimate and universal.
What makes this book so inspiring is its honest reflection on what it means to serve others while navigating one’s own pain. It challenges us—as caregivers, leaders, and fellow humans—to listen more deeply, to lead with empathy, and to never lose sight of the meaning behind our work. The narrative is beautifully written, rich with insight, and grounded in a deep understanding of the emotional and ethical complexities of healthcare.
This memoir is a call to action for all of us in the healing professions: to be better listeners, more present providers, and more courageous advocates for those we serve. It reminded me why I chose this path and renewed my commitment to walk it with compassion and purpose."
—Cameron Duncan, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, CNE, FAANP
Eminent Dean of the School of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University
Excerpt from The Wayfarer’s Journey: A Doctor’s Memoir of Exile and Meaning
The Scars That Never Healed
There are wounds that time cannot heal. They cling to the soul like shadows, refusing to loosen their grip. The Spanish Civil War left invisible scars—deep, silent fissures—that continued to bleed long after the gunfire ceased. I was born beneath that lingering shadow.
When the bombs finally fell silent in April 1939, Spain did not find peace. It simply stepped into a different kind of war: one without bullets but no less merciless. The Republic was crushed, and the country fell beneath the iron hand of Francisco Franco, who declared himself Caudillo by the grace of God. Freedom itself was dismantled: political parties were banned, unions dissolved, newspapers reduced to obedient echoes of the regime. Life became colonized by fear.