About the Calm Editorial Team
We’re a crew of Calm-ish writers, editors and real-life humans committed to helping you (and ourselves) navigate the messy reality of living in the real world.
Our evidence-based, clinically reviewed, human-centered articles are designed to support your mental health and wellbeing.
And while we can’t swerve all of life’s curveballs for you, we can equip you with the tips, tricks, and tools you need to optimize your sleep, navigate stress & anxiety, and deepen your relationships.
💙 Want to know why the heck you keep waking up at 3am? We got you.
💙 Need to figure out how to stop being a people-pleasing perfectionist? We’re here for it.
💙 Feeling anxious for no reason? We have tips.
💙 Think you have brain rot? Ready for a dopamine detox? Curious about what cortisol face even is? Look no further.
TL;DR — we’re right here in the trenches with you battling the same challenges, chaos, complications, and confusions of life. We all deserve a medal, actually.
The humans behind the Calm Editorial Team
Marion Maclaine - Editorial Lead
Marion’s wonderful bio courtesy of Pete
Marion’s wonderful bio courtesy of Pete
Marion’s wonderful bio courtesy of Pete
Marion’s wonderful bio courtesy of Pete
Marion’s wonderful bio courtesy of Pete
Rachel Lyle - Editor
Rachel Lyle is a writer, editor, and Certified Mindfulness Teacher (CMT-P) with big dreams of making mindfulness and wellbeing more accessible to everyone. After dealing with anxiety for most of her life, mindfulness and meditation were a literal life-changer, and she felt called to study and share them with others.
With her friends, she’s as known for her meditation and self-care recommendations as she is for her “best-places-to-get-a-chocolate-chip-cookie” and “new-smutty-romance-you-need-to-read” recommendations. Because, #balance.
💙 My mental health go-to: Get outside. Walk, hike, or sit in my hammock talking to the squirrels. Whatever it takes.
💙 My fave self-care trick: I’m a big fan of journaling. If I write out all my thoughts and feelings in the morning, it helps me start the day with less anxiety. If I dump all my worries or to-do lists in a journal before bed, it helps me sleep better. Win/win!
💙 I feel least calm when: I’m trying something new — it can be hard for a perfectionist. But I’m working on not letting “perfect be the enemy of good.” And remembering that excitement and anxiety can feel kinda similar, and without all the pressure to get something right, I really love learning.
Erin Shaw Clancy - Editor
Erin Shaw Clancy is a writer and editor who loves covering topics like mental health, relationships, and personal growth. Struggling with anxiety during her college years spurred her interest in bettering her mental health, and she loves helping others improve their own.
In her spare time, she moonlights as a rom-com novelist. You can often find her awake in the middle of the night, jotting down story ideas in her notes app.
💙 My mental health go-to: Ever the fan of a defined practice, the 4-7-8 breathing technique and the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique are my go-tos. 4-7-8 is an absolute game changer for stress and the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique has literally staved off a panic attack.
💙 My fave self-care trick: I love going on a gratitude walk when I’m feeling down or low. Sometimes that means a hike in the mountains, other times a stroll on the beach. But I literally count my blessings as I walk and I feel so much better.
💙 I feel least calm when: I’m pulled in too many directions. But this has taught me to settle down by single-tasking. I remind myself I don’t have to do it all at once (spoiler: I still want to!) and I tackle my to-dos one at a time. It’s a work in progress but I’m proud of myself when I put this trick to use.
Gina Hepburn - Editor
Gina Hepburn is a writer and editor who covers mental health, parenting, and the daily juggle of trying to do it all. Her interest in mental health deepened after becoming a mom and seeing how many of us are quietly struggling to hold it together.
She’s grateful to do work that meets people where they are—especially on the tough days—and is drawn to honest conversations, creative connection, and the stories that help us make sense of it all.
💙 My mental health go-to: Meditation and journaling. Both help me slow down and actually hear what’s going on underneath — stress, overwhelm, or sometimes just “I need a snack and a nap.” That clarity makes it easier to know what I need and actually make a change, even if it’s a small one.
💙 My fave sleep trick: Calm’s Sleep Stories! I’m especially partial to anything Regency-era — The Hidden Waltz and the Jane Austen series are basically my lullaby playlist.
💙 I feel least calm when: Everyone’s talking at once, the pasta’s boiling over, and someone’s lost their math homework. That’s usually my cue to take a breath and remind myself it’s okay for life to look a little messy.
Lesley Messer - Editor
Lesley Messer is a writer and editor who’s passionate about helping people better understand themselves and the world around them. That’s why she’s especially drawn to stories about mental health, women’s health and wellness, and the everyday balancing act we’re all trying to strike.
If she’s not at her computer, she’s probably making a pot of Cincinnati chili (IYKYK), daydreaming about travel, or, most likely, begging her children not to take off their shoes in the car. (They never listen.)
💙 My mental health go-to: Taking breaks. Sometimes a change of scenery—even if it's just a quick walk around the block—is all I need to reset.
💙 My secret sleep trick: Visualization. When I can’t sleep, I picture myself walking around somewhere peaceful. When I’m anxious, I imagine everything working out just the way I hope it will. It sounds woo, but it helps!
💙 I feel least calm when: Things feel uncertain. I’m learning to go with the flow, but, as the saying goes — I’d rather know what time the flow starts, when it ends, and what I can expect to be doing during the flow.
Tim Zientek - Editor
Tim Zientek is a writer and editor who’s addicted to high adrenaline activities like skydiving and bungee jumping but is utterly terrified of saying goodbye to someone and then finding out that they’re both going in the same direction.
As someone who’s actively trying to sleep more and stress less, he selfishly loves covering any topics that focus on better sleep health and stress management. He's also never met a self-help book he didn’t love, and he frequently and unironically quotes Brene Brown while losing during a game of Scattergories.
💙 My mental health go-to: An extended phone call with a friend while walking around my neighborhood.
💙 My secret sleep trick: Sleeping with a folded t-shirt over my eyes. It blocks out the sun, improves my overall sleep quality, and makes me look really cool, too.
💙 I feel least calm when: I wake up in the middle of the night and kinda sorta have to pee, but know that if I get up, I won’t be able to fall back asleep. Note to self: less liquids in the hours right before bed.
Nikhita Mahani - Editor
Nikhita Mahtani is a wellness editor and writer who’s spent the better part of a decade trying to turn her overthinking into a career. She’s passionate about mental health, burnout recovery, and emotional resilience, mostly because she’s trying to figure it all out too.
When she’s not at her computer, she’s spinning (literally on a bike, not just in her head), talking to her dog like he’s a person, and romanticizing her life one oat milk latte at a time.
💙 My mental health go-to: Someone once told me when you hate everyone, just take a nap. I wish I could do that every single time, but when I’m overwhelmed, I remember to just pause and do nothing for 10 seconds. It always brings me back to the present moment, and reminds me that things are never as bad as the voices in my head have me believe.
💙 My fave self-care trick: A warm shower in total silence—no podcast, no playlist—just water, steam, and pretending like I’m in a moody indie film. And honestly, I get my best ideas in there, too.
💙 I feel least calm when: People say, “Let’s just play it by ear.” No. I need a plan, an exit strategy, and maybe a Google Doc. But then I also try to remind myself that I can’t always control everything (even though I definitely try!).
Kaitlyn McQuin - Editor
Kaitlyn McQuin is a writer and editor and covers topics ranging from relationships to mental health and the best tagline for a tight five standup set (although that stays in her notes app for now). For 33 years, she’s been asking herself this one, important question: How do I get paid the big bucks to simply be myself?
When she’s not writing, she’s likely sipping on her third iced coffee, kissing her dog’s nose over and over again, or wandering around somewhere outside while listening to a dark and twisty audiobook.
💙 My mental health go-to: My morning walks with my dog (and solo) are sacred to me. They start my day off on the right foot and really change the game for my brain that loves to run a mile a minute.
💙 My fave self-care/sleep trick: I swear my 21 pound rescue dog cuddling up next to me helps me sleep better. Plus, an eye mask. I wear one almost every night to block out the light and help me ease into relaxation.
💙 I feel least calm when: My email and text notifications are constantly going off. I usually mute most of my notifications, because the intense spike in blood pressure I experience when I hear a ding cannot be normal.
Calm in the Press
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*#1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation: Sensor Tower - Q2 2024 Performance Analysis: Top 5 Wellness Apps in the US, July 2024
**3M 5-star reviews: Based on Apple App Store (via Apple Connect) and Google Play Store (via Google Console) from 2013-2025.