Matthew Johnstone

Matthew Johnstone is a best-selling author and an advocate for mental health awareness. Drawing on his own experiences with depression, he has developed successful creative educational programs on understanding mental health, and resilience for schools, communities, eHealth and the work place.

Matthew works extensively with corporates as well as leaders in mental health and wellbeing, among them Black Dog Institute, The Golden Door Elysia and Geelong Grammar.

A powerful, highly visual public speaker, he has presented to audiences throughout Australia, New Zealand, UAE, and Europe including Iceland. Matthew Johnstone delivered a keynote to 87 countries at the World Health Organisation in Geneva and has presented to Google in New York. His talks are an inspiring odyssey of hope, resilience, acceptance, the path to happiness and what can be learnt from coming through adversity.

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Matthew Johnstone gained a diploma in Fine Arts before changing course and entering the world of advertising as a creative. He worked for some of the world’s best agencies in Sydney, San Francisco and New York, winning many industry awards along the way.

Since then Matthew has published several books, including books on lateral thinking, mental health and well-being and a kids’ book.

Matthew believes most mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, don’t need to happen. Good mental health is relevant to everyone everywhere and if we can spot the early warning signs, learn the skills on how to communicate effectively, find ways to seek help without fear or consequence and most importantly learn about resilience and how good can come from bad, then we’re half way there.

Matthew is as happy talking to teenagers as he is to the Reserve Bank. There are no graphs or pie charts; his is purely a visual and often humorous speaker who leaves audiences inspired to:

• Communicate more openly and effectively, both at home and work
• Strive towards living more authentically
• Be more mindful and present
• Be inspired to create more purpose in their lives
• Be motivated to work towards what makes them genuinely happy
• Understand that good can come from bad if we’re open to learning from the experience.

Matthew’s clients have included NRL, BHP, Commonwealth Bank, NIB, UNICEF, Queensland Police, Port Waratah Coal Services, The Reserve Bank, Eli Lilly, Investec Bank, The Australian Young Lawyers Association, Broken Hill Writers Festival, The Black Dog Institute Gala Dinner, AGL, Cricket Australia and UNSW Alumni as well as The Royal Institute of the Arts, The Priory Hospital, The School of Life and Lifeline.

His work has been endorsed by Stephen Fry, Edward de Bono, Google and the World Health Organisation.