This is Internal Calms.
A trauma-informed approach to internal communications that reduces workplace anxiety — not adds to it. Less noise, more clarity, so your people can stay focused, connected, and ready for what's next.
explore The approach
Check out the core principles that guide the Internal Calms™ approach to employee communication — and why these ideas are essential for today. Our trauma-informed framework draws from neuroscience, stress response research, and decades of evidence from healthcare, education, and other industries.
Chat with Me
Whether your organization is navigating layoffs, leading through AI disruption, managing socio-political-environmental polycrisis, or simply experiencing the effects of constant change, our Internal Calms employee communications strategies can transform how your people stay connected to what’s going on.
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hi, I’m ELLEN.
I’m a trauma-informed leader, internal communications consultant, and expert storyteller passionate about building clarity and trust in the workplace. With 20 years’ experience across tech, healthcare, and journalism, I help organizations communicate with empathy and intention, creating lasting impact for teams everywhere — even in an era of perpetual uncertainty.
I'm based in Portland, Oregon, and work with organizations nationwide.
why this? why now?
Climate anxiety, layoffs, AI headlines, political division — these aren’t occasional disruptions anymore. They’re the daily soundtrack of work. Employees are showing up with their nervous systems already activated before they even open their laptops.
Yet we’re still communicating like it’s 2019.
The Internal Calms approach works with nervous systems, not against them. It recognizes that stress fundamentally changes how we process information — and designs communications accordingly.
This approach doesn’t eliminate uncertainty — or anxiety. But we can help people stay steady within it by communicating with clarity and humanity — consistently, transparently, and with deep respect for what our people are carrying.