Depression is the result of our self-expression being pushed down in order to maintain safety. When we suppress our authenticity to appease others, we lose contact with our fierce aliveness. There is nothing wrong with having big feelings, or needing help. Depression is a sign that you have been stifled — and that you need a safe place to finally be real.

Anxiety can show up in social situations, under pressure to perform, or just in the daily experience of life itself. Constant worry is your body's adaptive response to perceived danger — and with the right support, it can change.

Signs you may be struggling with depression or anxiety:

• You overthink and replay interactions with others long after they're over

• You have persistent worries about being judged or seen as different

• You feel a flatness or emptiness that's hard to explain

• You struggle to feel motivated or find pleasure in things you used to enjoy

• You feel anxious about the state of the world — climate, politics, social instability

• You find yourself people-pleasing or shrinking to avoid conflict

• Shame or fear of rejection drives many of your decisions

How I work with depression and anxiety

I'm Noah Eastman, LMFT, based in Berkeley, CA. I specialize in depression and anxiety counseling using a trauma-informed approach that combines somatic therapy and IFS (Internal Family Systems) — two modalities that go deeper than traditional talk therapy.

Rather than just managing symptoms, we work to understand what your depression and anxiety are protecting you from. Often these responses developed for good reasons — they kept you safe at some point in your life. In therapy, we get curious about those parts of you rather than fighting them.

With somatic therapy and IFS, treatment can help you:

• Alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression

• Reconnect with your authentic self and fierce aliveness

• Learn to regulate your nervous system in moments of overwhelm

• Stop overthinking and start trusting your own experience

• Build a relationship with your emotions rather than being ruled by them

You deserve to feel like yourself again

Depression and anxiety are not character flaws — they are signals. Therapy is a space to decode those signals and finally feel at home in yourself.

If you're looking for an anxiety or depression therapist in Berkeley, Oakland, or San Francisco, I'd love to connect. I serve clients throughout the East Bay and offer online therapy throughout California.

Schedule a Free Consultation