45 min
Matthew Goodman, Ph.D. on Mindful Leadership and Letting Go of Control How to Handle Anything
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- Self-Improvement
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
If you liked what you heard, Subscribe, write a review, tell a friend. If you didn’t like what you heard, well, try again next time. Each episode is different and we’re always improving (see what I did there?!)
Visit www.chooseimprove.com for resources and ways to improve in your life and work.
Join us for at chooseimprove.substack.com for weekly improvisations and monthly virtual sessions to practice improvising in your life.
Connect with us on Instagram @chooseimprove and linkedin.chooseimprove.com
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
If you liked what you heard, Subscribe, write a review, tell a friend. If you didn’t like what you heard, well, try again next time. Each episode is different and we’re always improving (see what I did there?!)
Visit www.chooseimprove.com for resources and ways to improve in your life and work.
Join us for at chooseimprove.substack.com for weekly improvisations and monthly virtual sessions to practice improvising in your life.
Connect with us on Instagram @chooseimprove and linkedin.chooseimprove.com
45 min