Matthew S. Goodman, Ph.D. is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. His clinical and research interests lie at the intersection of mental and physical health. Dr. Goodman is trained in health psychology and has expertise in Primary Care-Behavioral Health Integration. He is Board Certified in Biofeedback. His research focuses on the relationship between central and autonomic nervous system functioning, and how practices such as meditation and biofeedback facilitate cognitive, emotional, and physiological homeostasis. Dr. Goodman provides training and consultation to USC faculty and organizations on mindfulness, self-compassion, and other stress-reduction practices.
Dr. Goodman is Director of the documentary film, “On the Path: Meditation, Spirituality, and the Dark Night of the Soul,” which examines adverse experiences associated with meditation. He hopes to create more dialogue around the challenges, or “dark night,” sometimes elicited through contemplative practice and the role this plays in personal and societal transformation. The film can be viewed for free here: https://vimeo.com/482172141