Nathan Soltau has a simple but powerful message: You matter.

The 31-year-old Becker resident recently published his first book—something he never imagined doing. 

“I never really enjoyed reading,” he admits. 

But his story, and the purpose behind it, drove him to write From Depression & Suicidal Thoughts to Purpose.

The book chronicles Soltau’s journey through grief, mental health struggles, and ultimately, healing, following the death of his father by suicide on September 25, 2017. His father had battled anxiety and depression for years—challenges Soltau says he’s faced himself since middle school.

That changed in 2019, when, on a particularly difficult day shortly after what would have been his father’s 58th birthday, Soltau experienced what he calls a life-altering moment.

“I was watching a documentary about Junior Seau, the Hall-of-Fame NFL linebacker who also died by suicide,” Soltau recalls. “At the very end of it, all the sadness just went away in the blink of an eye. As the credits rolled, I had a vision of myself standing on a stage, telling my story. Right then and there, I knew this was what I was meant to do.”

That moment of clarity led Soltau to an even deeper realization—one he hopes readers take to heart: there is purpose in pain.

“There’s a reason I had to go through all this suffering,” he said. “These events happened in order for me to shed light on not only what my dad went through, but on what’s going on around us. It’s much bigger than my dad; it’s much bigger than myself.”

While the book addresses depression and suicidal thoughts, Soltau says readers are resonating most with the parts about social anxiety—a struggle he knows well.

“I’ve dealt with it most of my life,” he said. “A lot of people isolate themselves because of social anxiety, and that’s when you get in trouble with your own thoughts.”

Though his Christian faith plays an important role in his journey, Soltau believes his message applies universally. At its core, he says, it’s about empathy and communication.

“We need to get back to loving each other,” he said. “Nowadays, we’re all involved in our phones and we don’t know how to communicate with each other. It’s tough to gauge how somebody is doing over a text message.”

Soltau hopes his story can open up conversations about mental health in communities everywhere. He has plans to launch a podcast and YouTube channel where he’ll interview people from all walks of life who have faced depression, suicide, or trauma.

“I want to talk with people from all backgrounds,” he said. “Because this isn’t siloed—it happens everywhere.”

Soltau’s message is clear: no matter what you’re going through, your life has value. 

“You matter,” he says. “And you’re not alone.”

From Depression & Suicidal Thoughts to Purpose is available on Amazon. For bulk orders, email info@nathansoltauyoumatterllc.com. More information can be found at nathansoltauyoumatterllc.com.