Matthew Goodman, Ph.D.

Matthew Goodman, PhD

CCG Consultant

Clinical Psychologist, Meditation Teacher, Author, Facilitator, Trainer

Los Angeles

 
About Matthew

Biography

My deepest value and guiding principle is compassion. At the heart of my work is the desire to see human beings realize our interconnectedness and common humanity. I view the world as a giant organism that mirrors the individual. I believe that we can develop innovative solutions to the world’s problems—economically, socially, politically, and ecologically—by appreciating and applying the biological, psychological, and spiritual principles that govern the evolution and healing of individual organisms.

I am originally from suburban Detroit, Michigan and attended Michigan State University. Prior to beginning graduate school, I lived and practiced for one year in a Zen Buddhist monastery in Los Angeles. I have been a meditation practitioner for 15+ years, but this path has not been all “sunshine and rainbows”; going through my own Dark Night of the Soul, I was inspired to create a documentary film (while in graduate school in in San Diego) on the challenges of meditation and spiritual practice. I graduated with my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and, upon completing internship in Anchorage, Alaska, returned to Los Angeles.

I am currently a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Faculty at USC, and Founder/CEO of The Middle Way Consulting. I enjoy writing, speaking, teaching, and consulting. I am a student of improv comedy and currently teach classes weaving together improv and mindfulness. I am increasingly embodying the Los Angeles archetype as I spend my days drinking overpriced lattes and eating avocado toast.   

About Matthew

Education & Experiences

  • Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY32423, California) – current
  • Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California & Steering Committee Member, USC Center for Mindfulness Science – current
  • Meditation Teacher & Teacher Trainer, The DEN (Los Angeles, Global) – current
  • Founder/CEO, The Middle Way Consulting – current
  • Consultant at Conscious Consulting Group – current
  • Facilitated numerous (10+ years) workshops and classes on stress-reduction (e.g., mindfulness, self-compassion) in hospitals, clinics, schools, and corporate settings.
  • Presenter and panelist at national conferences and events.
  • Author, Simple Stress-Reduction: Easy and Effective Practices for Kids, Teens, and Adults.
  • Author/co-author of multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on mindfulness and mind-body health, Scientific Research
  • Board Certified in Biofeedback – Biofeedback Certification International Alliance.

Fields of Work

  • Wellness Workshops and Consulting – Mindfulness & Stress-Reduction
    • Individual coaching
    • Workshops for teams
    • Building a culture of wellness
    • Retreats
  • Team Development – Using applied improvisation + behavioral science to facilitate presence, communication, collaboration, creativity, psychological safety, and other team skills.   
  • Public Messaging – Working with non-profits, social/political groups, and media on communication strategies that foster positive behavior change (for people and the planet). Example for public speaking
  • Systems and Large-Scale Change – Supporting paradigm shifts in organizations, social and political structures, and collective consciousness.
    • Compassion-centered and pragmatically oriented behavior
    • Bridging social and political divides, depolarization
    • Supporting emergence new collective mythologies (e.g., interconnectedness)
RESSOURCES BY Matthew

read matthew's book

Simple Stress Reduction

Easy and Effective Practices for Kids, Teens, and Adults
Matthew Goodman on the CCG Podcast and Video

Thriving in the Workplace: Wellness from the inside out

Matthew on meditation

on the path