Droste’s Transition: From Grizzly Bear to Therapist, Embracing Mental Health Advocacy
Grizzly Bear’s versatile musician Ed Droste has made a notable career transition, now embracing the role of an associate therapist. Characterizing this as “the next phase of my journey,” his private practice caters to both virtual and in-person counseling for adults and teenagers within the Los Feliz locality in Los Angeles. Droste took to Instagram to extend an invitation: “Should you know anyone in California seeking therapy, kindly share my contact information.” He included, “My psychology today profile is linked in my bio, or you can contact me through my supervisor’s website at www.laurenmarimon.com. Your support is greatly appreciated!”
While it’s been half a dozen years since Grizzly Bear’s last album release, “Painted Ruins,” in 2017, Ed Droste has remained connected to the realm of music. Following this, he collaborated on several tracks by fellow artists, including “For the Sky” by Haerts and “Morning Starship” by Morrissey. However, in 2020, Droste disclosed on the podcast Lunch Therapy that he opted to depart from Grizzly Bear in order to pursue graduate studies in psychology.
“Mental well-being has always intrigued me deeply. There was a delicate equilibrium between touring and maintaining your composure,” Droste shared on Lunch Therapy. He further expounded, “The rigors of band life wore me down. I grew so weary of it, and my appreciation for it dwindled. Studying psychology represents a refreshing change. Another incentive behind my decision to step away from the music industry indefinitely—or perhaps to make a return, never say never—stemmed from my weariness of tying my achievements and career to the public’s perceptions and reactions. I managed to cope with it for the most part, but it became a burden.”
Droste has recently participated in a candid conversation about his experiences as a gay individual within the indie rock domain. This occurred as part of Pitchfork’s feature titled “The Secret Gay History of Indie Rock.” For more insights into Grizzly Bear’s impact, delve into “The 200 Most Important Artists of Pitchfork’s First 25 Years.”
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