Matthew Goodman, Ph.D. on Mindful Leadership and Letting Go of Control

This week's episode features Matthew Goodman, Ph.D.

Matthew Goodman, Ph.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY32423), consultant, speaker, and mindfulness teacher. He is Founder of The Middle Way Consulting, where he supports organizations with wellness, team-building, and communication skills through purposeful play (including improv!), awareness-based practices (e.g., deep listening), and behavioral science principles. Dr. Goodman was previously Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, where he provided clinical care, teaching, and supervision within the psychiatry residency program. He has expertise in mindfulness-based interventions and has taught mindfulness to children and adults in hospitals, clinics, schools, and to the general public for 10+ years, in addition to authoring several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on mindfulness and creating a documentary film on “the dark night of the soul” phenomenon in the context of meditation. His Zen-prov! classes create a nonjudgmental space for people to practice mindfulness, self-compassion, and other Zen principles such as “not knowing” through fun and interactive improv exercises.

During this episode we discuss…

• His improv origin story
• When he noticed the shift in himself after starting an improv practice
• Internal changes versus external changes
• Parallel life pursuing psychology studies and improv comedy
• Why he lived in Alaska
• Psychology, improv, and mindfulness
• What’s going on in the mind when improvising
• Control - wanting it and relinquishing control
• Improv showing how much we rely on control and better enabling us to let go of it
• What improv has enabled him to do because of improv
• His year at a Zen Buddhist monastery
• The documentary he made
• Improv as an outward mindfulness practice
• The struggle to be present
• How he brings improv into his work as a psychologist
• Mary’s good questions
• The importance of learning to listen and be present with people
• The opportunity for hospital settings to benefit from improvisational principles
• What the world might be like if everyone practiced improv
• Improv exercises that help us practice letting go
• The future of leadership

From Matt, when asked how improv has improved his life offstage, “Creating more present-moment awareness. Confidence in taking risks and speaking what's on my mind/heart. More joy, spontaneity, and flexibility. Taking myself less seriously. Connection to others ”

Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn Instagram @matthewgoodmanphd

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