Toronto’s Leading Eastern Medicine Decolonizing Mental Health Professional

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Meet Matt

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Are you under your life, not above it? Are you suffering from chronic health issues or emotional turbulence that keep you from finding a stable footing in life – to bring about your vision of the life you want to create – even if just a life free from pain? You’ve come to the right place, Matt’s been through it all, let him share his Inspired Warrior story with you…


So who is this Matt guy, anyways?

Matt Walton (R.TCMP, R.Ac) has been making maps to health since he first learned the word ‘depression’. Always recognizing the value in recording his steps, paths, and relentless pursuits of what really worked towards healthy mind and healthy body… so he might someday help others. This inner voice knew that life was meant to be lived to its fullest both in the celebration of life, and in leaving an impact for future generations.

Trusting that this process of integration was a blessing in disguise, Matt knew his experiences and skills were meant to be shared with others, so that others don’t have to spend so long in the dark – spending years looking for the path – before even beginning to walk it. It didn’t take long for Matt to realize that ‘disease’, like health, is wholistic; that his mental and emotional well-being depended on his physical and vice-versa. And so began his Spiral Journey, learning that there is no silver bullet, with ‘every little bit helps’ becoming his mantra. Every step he has taken since another tool in his toolbox towards helping others to whole health & celebration.

A Spiral Journey Begins

Matt was an extremely imaginative youth (over-imaginative may be more appropriate here, but inspired by Calvin & Hobbes, he doesn’t believe in that idea) who spent most of his years outdoors with friends, both people and nature. He is the ‘big brother’ of his beloved sister Julia, the youngest of his 3 siblings. Julia lives with Down Syndrome and has been one of the greatest motivators in his life. Julia has taught him endless innocence, compassion, and protection – qualities Matt tries to embody each and every day.

Matt’s awakening to the “spiritual” side of things began unusually early. Growing up in very rural Ontario, Matt was never far from nature, and began noticing patterns, (what he calls “whispers”) and special encounters with the wildlife in his Ontario and literal backyard. This lead naturally to exploring the world’s indigenous/pagan traditions in early high school; while expressing his insights through writing, art and film direction winning him “Best Director” in the Kitchener-Waterloo “Charlie Awards”.

Through a series of powerful personal insights this then naturally lead to an equally deep and transformative exploration of meditation, Kundalini tantra practices, Buddhism, as well as Jungian depth psychology in his later high school years. Here is also became a highly active participant, educator & organizer in the Ontario Festival circuit where he participated in the iDance Toronto protests.

Journey Inwards

After his first move from home, from a tiny rural village to downtown Toronto, Matt’s journey into medicine truly began. Deeply called to the Tibetan tradition, which fuses Buddhism with the pre-Buddhist indigenous “Bon” tradition, Matt apprenticed with two Tibetan Amchis (Tibetan doctors) for several years, where his Amchis could tell what he had eaten the previous week – by simply feeling his pulse. Matt attended numerous Tibetan “Empowerment” ceremonies (his most significant being Green Tara, White Tara and two Medicine Buddha rituals). Actively involved in the Shambhala Warrior community of Toronto (specifically the teachings of Pema Chodron), Matt received Level IV Warrior Meditation Training, as well as numerous other retreat trainings offered by the community. Matt also participated in the Kalachakra Initiation, the highest Tibetan Empowerment, offered by the Dalai Lama himself in 2004. During this time frame Matt apprenticed weekly in Daoist & Tibetan Inner Kung Fu/Qi Gong Practices.

Journey Outwards

His deep respect for traditional/native cultures then took him to the jungles and ruins of Central America in 2005, where for almost half a year he bicycled well over 1000km across the landscapes of Yucatan, Belize & Guatemala. His intention: to extract fact from fiction from the pre-2012 “Mayanism” fad popular in the festival scene, by learning directly from the Mayans themselves, rather than participate in continued colonization he was witnessing among spiritually minded settlers. Here he also did extensive volunteering, while witnessing the destruction of rainforests & indigenous communities, specifically in Guatemala, due to Canadian mining companies. This path then led back to a re-analysis of his own spiritual roots, further awakening him to the power of indigenous plant medicines, as he “formalized” his pursuit of decolonization and debunking “New Age” misinformation.

Upon returning, he extended his travels by hitchhiking & backpacking across Northern Ontario with the intention of direct action in Grassy Narrows (due to unfortunate circumstances, he was unable to reach this final destination). His passion to preserve these ecosystems and traditions inspired him to continue working as a social justice and environmental activist. Matt deepened his training in privilege mechanics & anti-oppression, fitting perfectly with his existing disability/minority activist background. He continued training in alternative economic and education models & subcultures working both professionally and volunteering as a community organizer for numerous activist & cultural collectives.

Matt particpated in major anti-Iraq War protests & War Resistor movement, and worked as a graphic designer and campaign coordinator for GlobalAware Independant Media as well highly active in the G20 protests and Occupy movements. He leaned into sustainability & food politics via Food Not Bombs and was featured in a CBC documentary on reclaiming food waste for the underprivileged, while campaigning for Greenpeace and the Rainforest Action Network, as well as attended numerous First Nations events at the Native Canadian Center of Toronto and Dodem Kanonhsa. All while simultaneously working in health food stores and supplement departments – until his lightning-bolt decision to start his TCM training in 2009 – effectively synthesizing his life’s work, into one red carpet.

Continuing the Tradition…

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Matt possesses an intense passion for preserving, reigniting, and translating the world’s traditional medicines in a time when this wisdom has been nearly extinguished by colonialism. The profound inclusive worldview of many of our ancestors is medicine in and of itself, a medicine that is desperately needed in our increasingly fragmented, isolated, and unsustainable society. 

This is why Matt specifically chose The Institute of Traditional Medicine over other purely TCM schools for his training. Its strong emphasis on First Nations + settler relations and comparative analysis of the world’s indigenous medical perspectives (namely Tibetan, Western Herbalism, Ayurveda) were an exact match, intersecting and applying anti-colonialism and ecological preservation to healthcare.

These advanced medical systems truly reflect mind-body integration in the same view as not seeing ourselves as separate from nature – and have refined these incredibly successful techniques and philosophies century after century. It is here where Matt finds his work, clarifying the scientific merit of these timeless traditions. With insight and humour, he advances traditional healthcare while remaining passionately rooted in evidence-based verification & research; inspiring, guiding, empowering, and restoring deep health to his incredible clients.

In his spare time Matt reads (and reads), dances (a whole other trajectory, right there), stays fit, generally deals with his obvious neurodiversity (which he prefers to see as routine side quests), and laughs (and laughs).

Experience & Training

Matt is an insured and licensed member of the College of TCM Practitioners & Acupuncturists, the regulating body of Ontario, Canada, and holds a Diploma of Acupuncture (R.Ac) and an Advanced Practitioner’s Diploma of Eastern Medicine (R.TCMP) from the Institute of Traditional Medicine. His training includes advanced Eastern Herbalism & Clinical Nutrition, Counselling, Qi Gong, and Bodywork applied to areas such as TCM Psychiatry/Mental Health, Pediatrics, Cancer Care, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dermatology, Infectious Disease, and Traumatology.

He has received intensive training by renowned practitioners such as herbalist extraordinaire Dr. Jake Paul Fratkin, winner of the U.S. acupuncturist of the year and teacher of the year (U.S.); ‘Healing with Whole Foods‘ author Paul Pitchford, considered by many to be the ‘bible’ of Western & Eastern integrated nutrition; Lorie Eve Dechar, author of Five Spirits and developer of Alchemical Acupuncture for psychological & spiritual healing; and Kenneth Cohen, North America’s leading Qi Gong master & researcher. Matt is a highly trained 4th level Gokuikaiden/Daoist Inner Qi Gong Master in the Gendai Tradition since 2004 and is deeply researched in advanced modern nutrition and the mental-emotional health activism field where he finds his greatest passions.

Today, Matt applies his endless search for the roots to the concerns we face today, from the issues of society as a whole, to the wholeness of your health – and is amplifying this message with the launch of the upcoming Inspired Warrior Studio, backed by MaRS Discovery District and a “top 25% worldwide” graduate of the preeminent pre-seed start-up accelerator the Founder Institute. Matt is currently writing four books: the first printed edition of “The Inspired Health Handbook” (found in the shop, above); “Get Your Life Back: A Guide to Inspired Living”; his master untitled thesis on the existential power of Chinese Medicine in treating mental-emotional health conditions from an anti-capitalist framework; and “The Politics of Health Misinformation: The COVID-19 & Climate Change Era”. Matt writes in two medium blogs – his personal Spiral Journeys and open Inspired Warriors Magazine (write for us!); all while nurturing a powerful Facebook Community and LinkedIn networks.

Upon the launch of the Inspired Warrior Studio, Matt plans to return to his rejuvenated premium Roots to Sky clinical practice within the Studio with a new clinical focus on mental and sexual/relationship health.

Matt has been called a “knowledge keeper”, yet despite his formal training, he roots his experience – not in his extensive education – but by tapping directly into our often-forgotten ability to intuitively perceive our interconnected nature: from the physical, emotional, to environmental (in working with him, you’ll hear his endless analogies) believing that by deeply honouring what life presents us in all its forms, we learn the deep keys to restoring balance on all levels.

Curriculum Vitae

More details on Matt’s LinkedIn page, below

My friends and colleagues have repeatedly heard me say “in another life I would have become either a psychologist, an emergency physician, or an endocrinologist” – instead I deliberately chose the decolonization/anti-capitalist career path for the above reasons.

ADVANCED EASTERN MEDICINE DEGREE & ADDITIONAL TRAINING/CERTIFICATION

  • Tibetan Medicine Apprentice – Dr. Amchi Kunga, Dr. Karma Dolma (2005)
  • Advanced Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner & Acupuncturist – Institute of Traditional Medicine, Regulated CTCMPAO (2011, Registered 2013)
  • HIGHLIGHTS
  • TRAINING SUMMARY
    • PRE-MED: Anatomy & Physiology, Pathophysiology, Biology, Pharmacology, Differential Diagnosis, Clinical Assessment & Physical Examination, Neuroanatomy, etc
    • CHINESE MEDICINE FOUNDATIONS: Comparative Traditional Medicines (Ayurveda, Tibetan, Native American, Classical Western) TCM Foundations & Diagnostics; Chinese Language, Classical Texts & Philosophy; Diagnosis & Evaluation, etc
    • ADVANCED HERBAL MEDICINE: Western Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Traditional Chinese Formulas, Advanced Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Oncology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, etc
    • ADVANCED ACUPUNCTURE: Acupoints, Channel Theory, Japanese Acupuncture, Neuro-Meridian, Techniques, Acupuncture Physical Medicine, etc
    • COUNSELLING: Chinese & Contemporary Psychospiritual, Communication & Anti-Oppression training
    • NUTRITION & BODYWORK: Modern, Traditional Chinese, Medical Qigong, Tuina, etc
    • OVER 1500 HOURS OF CLINICAL TRAINING: On-site clinic, “People With AIDS” (PWA) Off-site internships

BIOMEDICINE & NUTRITION TRAINING

  • Employment at The Big Carrot and Whole Foods, direct training by Udo Erasmus (2007-9)
  • Pre-Med, Advanced Pharmacology – Dr Atenu Nandy, etc (2009)
  • Advanced Western Herbalism: Diane Kent – Ontario Herbalists Association (2009)

MENTAL HEALTH & COACHING TRAINING

  • TCM Mental Health Training Intensives – Lorie Dechar, Lonny Jarrett, many others
  • Anti-Oppression Counselling Training – Ani Mackinnon (2009+)
  • LGBTQ+ Advocacy – Six Degrees Community Acupuncture; People With AIDS
  • Non Violent Communication Comprehensive Training (2010)
  • Intro to Psych – Yale University (Coursera 2020)

EMERGENCY TRAINING & DECOLONIZATION ADVOCACY

MEDITATION & QI GONG CERTIFICATION/TRAINING

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER & EDUCATOR

  • Freespace Collective Om/Solstice Festival (2000+)
  • TRIP/Harm Reduction (2003+)
  • Workshop Educator – Six Degrees, Nexus Health, etc
  • Ayahuasca Facilitator – Mario Restrepo, Mariya Garnet (2 Hosting + Over 10 Participating, 2010-13)
  • Independent Covid-19 Mutual Aid Organizer, Vaccine Advocacy + Debunking Misinformation Campaign (2020+)

ENTREPRENEURSHIP CERTIFICATION

Learn more on Matt’s LinkedIn Profile

Through listening to the whispered teachings of nature herself, to learning from the cultures that preserved these teachings; from mapping the interwoven systems of our beautifully complex biology and psychology, to applying his natural skills in treating and healing his clients – Matt Walton embodies wholism and integration, believing it to be the basic common sense, the absolute foundation of true health… from Roots, to Sky

Matt is your guide towards living your life to its brightest potentials, healing the smallest aches, to the deepest pains. Matt’s clients leave with a sense of connection and purpose… what he calls… an ‘Inspired Warrior Life’.

☯