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Matthew Johnstone
PrintMatthew Johnstone is an author, illustrator, and compelling speaker. Matthew captivates audiences with his warmth, creativity and wit, is highly motivational, while sharing his story driving message of resilience, happiness and well-being.
Speaker Categories
- Community / Social Conscience Speakers
- Health and Wellness Speakers
- Inspirational Keynote Speakers
- Mental Health / RUOK Day Speakers
- Motivational Keynote Speakers
- Overcoming Adversity / Resilience Speakers
- Work / Life Balance Speakers
Testimonials for Matthew Johnstone
The New Zealand Health Quality & Safety Commission invited Matthew to be the keynote speaker at a national symposium in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland. His insights, illustrations and influence enabled the Commission to promote consumer participation and co-design messages nationally. The evaluations from all three symposia provide the evidence to support Matthew’s expertise. He was by far the top presenter. Using humour, design and authenticity he managed to engage, and challenge the audience. We are very grateful to Matthew and can recommend him highly. He is just the ticket for anyone with the desire to open minds, promote health, wellness and resilience.
Linda Gilbert, LLB Senior Policy Advisor Health Quality & Safety Commission
We had 132 MHFA instructors from very state and territory in Australia attend the conference this year. We have received many emails from the conference participants about how much they enjoyed and learnt from your talk and wonderful artwork used in your presentation. Your talk at the conference certainly helped to enthuse the MHFA instructors. Your humour and authenticity kept the audience continually engaged and interested. I would not hesitate to recommend your presentation to any audience. I would love to know that our policy makers, educators and law enforcement officers have been able to hear you talk. My best wishes to you for the wonderful work you are doing.
Betty Kitchener, Director, MHFA Training and Research Program, ORYGEN Research Centre, Centre for Youth Mental Health
As part of a mental health road show, Matt Johnstone spoke to over 500 of our valued clients in 5 cities, over 5 days. His presentation style and content is world class. He captivated the audience with an inspirational and informative story of mental health and personal well-being. We were delighted that he was able to tailor his message to our industry and client demographic. Thanks Matt.
Tim Browne, CommInsure General Manager
Matthew is an inspirational speaker and an equally inspiring person.
His passion for increasing awareness and understanding of mental health issues, building resilience and learning how to stress less is infectious.
He had our audiences not just enthralled but up and sharing their own experiences - something that doesn’t always happen in corporate settings.
Matthew’s honesty and generosity in sharing his own experiences with
mental health issues can only help break down barriers and stigmas and encourage more of these important ‘mentally healthy’ conversations.
His story telling ability both verbally and through his beautiful artworks is utterly engaging and he somehow makes very complex and difficult issues seem simple and entertaining. He shines a light at the end of a dark tunnel many people are stuck in. I highly recommend Matthew for any speaking engagement.
Helen Silver AO Chief General Manager Workers CompensationAllianz Australia Insurance
Fee Range: Up to $5000
Matthew Johnstone's Biography
Matthew Johnstone is an author, illustrator, and compelling speaker. Matthew captivates audiences with his warmth, creativity and wit, is highly motivational, while sharing his story driving message of resilience, happiness and well-being. Matthew is fortunate to work along side some of the best mental health and wellbeing practioners in the field. His speciality is taking evidence based research around complex issues, then turning them into easy to understand and highly accessible imagery, metaphors, strategies and stories.
Matthew Johnstone has written, illustrated and photographed nine books, six of which have been local and international best sellers.
Matthew is a passionate mental health and wellbeing advocate he spends much of his time on the speaking circuit and has done creative consultancy for the Black Dog Institute, The Golden Door Elysia, Geelong Grammar, the government of Norway, CommBank, Sydney Trains and many other major corporates. He develops and delivers illustrated programs, videos and talks on mental health, resilience and wellbeing.
His work has been endorsed by Stephen Fry, Edward de Bono, the World Health Organisation and Google. He was one of 6 finalists in the prestigious 2018 Australia Mental Health Award sponsored by the University of NSW.
Matthew created a video based on I Had a Black Dog for Mental Health Awareness Month, for the World Health Organisation. It is the most viewed video in the history of the World Health Organisation.
Matthew Johnstone is a passionate, well seasoned keynote speaker who has delivered talks all over Australia and the world. He has addressed 87 countries at the World Health Organisation in Geneva on the power of imagery in telegraphing mental health and wellbeing strategies.
He has done book and speaking tours of Iceland and the UK, as well as delivering a series of talks to Google in New York. Whether it’s a keynote, a workshop or a breakout session, Matthew is happiest when he is inspiring others to a live a life fully with wellbeing, meaning and purpose.
Matthew can customise any talk to fit it’s target market. He always has signed books and archival prints as prizes and give aways at his talks. He is always happy to meet and greet delegates or clients, he is also happy to do book signings if requested.
Speaking Topics Include
BEING MENTALLY HEALTHY
Consider this: Australia is the second most prescribed country in the OECD for antidepressants. Mental health issues cost the Australian economy approximately $20 billion a year* - what’s wrong with this picture?
Through powerful imagery Matthew Johnstone explains that a lot of the stress, anxiety, depression and burnout, that many experience, is unnecessary and mostly avoidable. We should look after, and talk about our mental health; like we do our physical health. This is an inspiring, insightful and often humorous look at our mental health, purely designed to kickstart important conversations.
STRESSLESS
Harvard researchers have found that 75 - 90% of visits to the doctor are caused by stress. In the old days stress was vital for fending off a sabre tooth tiger or an invading tribe. It literally helped us ‘fight or flight’. In modern day society a little stress helps us stay focused, do a good job and to turn up, but sadly we’re currently more stressed than ever and too much stress can become harmful. We can’t stop relationship, work, financial or emotional stress-ors but we can certainly change how we respond and deal with those triggers.
This is an inspiring, research/evidence based talk put together with the help of clinical psychologist Dr Michael Player on how we can create more calm within our busy lives.
TOUGH & UP
It’s fair to say that we all set out in life with the hopeful expectation that everything will turn out OK, but life doesn’t always go to plan. It’s not to say that we should look at life with a sense of endless foreboding but more; we should greet each day as an opportunity. It’s about owning problems, not your problems owning you. It’s about acknowledging and accepting what may not be working in your life while putting your energies into what is. Do we stay down or do we get up again? Are we a victim or a survivor? Do we become stuck or do we grow and learn from an experience. The upbeat messages and imagery will resonate long after the talk is over.
HOW TO QUIET YOUR MIND
Being present, being in the moment, being in the NOW - all lovely, easy things to say but trickier to put into practice. This is because we humans aren’t very good at sitting with ourselves, our emotions and what ever might be going on.
If meditation and mindfulness were taught in businesses, schools and on the sporting field you’d see better results, greater productivity, more harmony and greater team dynamics.
With simple meditation and mindfulness practices comes better moods, improved concentration, we can become more engaged with others, less stressed and most importantly be more in the moment.
This is a no nonsense, non cosmic, easy to understand guide to a more mindful and healthier life. Omwards and upwards!