Halcyon is a word rooted in peace and clarity. Originally from ancient Greek mythology, it referred to a mythical bird believed to calm the seas during winter. Today, it evokes a state of calm, balance, and emotional stillness — a time when everything feels right and grounded

That’s what we bring to workplaces. We believe that investing in staff wellbeing isn't just the right thing to do—it’s also the smart thing. Organizations perform better when their people are supported, safe, and seen.

We exist to support the mental wellness of the people who hold our organizations together — often quietly, and often under immense pressure. Our work is grounded in compassion, lived experience, and a deep understanding that real change doesn’t happen through policy alone — it starts with people.

“Before I started Halcyon, I worked as a hostage negotiator in the prison service in England. I know exactly what it feels like to be in critically intense, high-stakes situations — where every decision matters and the pressure is relentless. Later, working alongside first responders, I saw the same story play out again and again: incredible people doing incredibly hard jobs with little to no support for their own mental wellbeing. I watched my colleagues struggle in silence. I’ve felt burnt out myself. I’ve sat on meetings, where “support” meant filling out some extra paperwork. We needed more so I started thinking.

And it’s not just in emergency services. I’ve seen the same burnout and overwhelm in social work, in fast-paced corporate offices — anywhere the pressure piles up and the people are expected to carry it quietly.

What made me furious — and still does — is how normalized it all is. People are sent off on stress leave with no real help. There’s no training on how to actually manage the emotional weight of the job. No tools. No prevention. Just silence, until it’s too late.

That’s why I started Halcyon.

Because I know how it feels when there’s no support. Because I believe we can do better. Because staff wellbeing isn’t a luxury — it’s essential. We give tools built from research, studies and real life experience. Tools that actually help.

When companies invest in wellbeing, everyone benefits: morale improves, sick time drops, productivity rises, and most importantly, people carry those positive effects into their lives beyond work.”

Founded by Zita Karolyi, a mental health educator and workplace wellness facilitator, Halcyon was born from a deep understanding of the unique pressures that staff face—especially in high-stress sectors like corrections, healthcare, and frontline services. With years of experience supporting staff in high-pressure environments, Zita saw the long-term impact of untreated stress, emotional fatigue, and stigma around mental health that can erode even the strongest teams..

What started as a passion for resilience-building grew into a mission: to equip teams and leaders with the tools they need to create trauma-aware, human-centred workplaces — especially in sectors where the emotional toll is rarely acknowledged.