Matthew has been a counselor in private practice since 2014. He is a Washington State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). He has an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Walden University and an M.A. in Transpersonal Psychology with a focus on ecopsychology from Naropa University. He is credentialed under the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute as a Somatic Experiencing Professional (SEP). He is a certified HeartMath Institute Professional (HMIP) and as a National Certified Counselor (NCC). He has worked as an instructor for Fairhaven College and a therapeutic behavioral health clinical associate for Alaska Crossings wilderness therapy program. Since 1998 he has been studying or teaching Chinese martial arts as a way of transforming violence. Matthew invested 5 years apprenticing and coaching in postural alignment therapy. For 4 years, Matthew co-created the Boys Explorers Club, a long term, outdoor youth mentoring program. He is a graduate of the Kamana Naturalist Training program and is trained as a rite of passage guide with various organizations. He is a Vipassana meditation practitioner since 2008. Matthew is a co-winner of Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center's Peacebuilder Award, as well as the author of A Place-Based Guide to Wonder.