Center for Healthy Minds | 625 W. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703-2637
Matt Hirshberg
Scientist, Center for Healthy Minds
Matt’s program of research seeks to understand the competencies that are most essential to healthy development and how these competencies can be systematically strengthened, particularly through in-person and mobile health meditation-based interventions. His research has focused on adolescents, college undergraduates, teachers and other school system employees, and now includes healthcare providers in Mexico. As a former middle school teacher who believes in the transformative potential of education for the individual and society, Matt hopes his research will inform a more holistic, equitable, and compassionate vision for educational systems.
Education
Ph.D., Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Madison
M.Ed., Lesley University
What does well-being mean to me?
"A permeating sense of okayness accompanied by the subtle joy of simply being able to experience (e.g., thoughts, emotions, sensations and the like)."
Related Studies
Developing a Program to Learn and Measure Well-Being at Scale
In collaboration with Healthy Minds Innovations, this project strives to learn how to teach and measure well-being to scale
Educator Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting educators’ lives and whether a mindfulness-based program buffers against the negative effects of stress.
Center researchers are investigating possible ways to prevent teacher burnout in the classroom.
Student Flourishing During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Determining whether there are protective effects of learning well-being skills on stress during crises.
The Student Flourishing Initiative
Center for Healthy Minds researchers, along with partners at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Virginia, are creating and studying the impact of a well-being curriculum for college freshman.