People who hit “play” on Calm’s Matthew McConaughey-narrated sleep story aren’t thinking about tackling mental health issues like depression or anxiety; they just want to fall asleep. Yet, Calm Health, the clinical arm of the Calm meditation and sleep app, is turning bedtime content into a gateway for mental health care, providing a stigma-free entry point for employees.

“Calm launched with meditation, but sleep stories made the brand a household name,”  Chris Mosunic, the chief clinical officer at Calm, said during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Boston Benefits conference. 

Calm has managed to build brand affinity faster than it could hire celebrities to narrate dreamy tales, and U.S. users now make up 60% of its user base. However, use of its clinical programs delivered through Calm Health remains in the single digits. 

“Why is engagement in mental health tools so low, even when the brand recognition is sky-high?” Rebecca Knight, the event’s moderator and a Harvard Business Review contributor, asked. 

Mosunic points to visibility, discoverability, and stigma. “Employees don’t even know what’s available. They make snap judgments. And some demographics—Gen X males, for example—still shy away from saying they need help,” he said.

That’s why Calm Health’s entry strategy leverages sleep: “It lowers the stigma. You can admit you can’t sleep without anyone batting an eye,” Mosunic said. 

According to a JAMA Network Open Study, digital tools increase therapy use among individuals already in care, but are barely used by underserved communities. 

Mosunic says Calm Health’s mission is to build clinical programs authored by psychologists who specialize in specific populations, and animate them with voices that resonate. “If you tell a nurse on a 12-hour shift to take a 30-minute walk, they’ll tune out. But if you speak their language, you’ve got a chance,” Mosunic said. 

Messaging matters when it comes to support. Your HR team might be well-versed in data privacy and compliance, but they might not be as adept at balancing protection with personalization, especially under Epic’s EMR firewall. “Employees don’t trust health plans or employers,” Mosunic said. “You need messaging that’s cool, not creepy.” 

This means hyper-targeting employees without overstepping boundaries. For example, an individualized email suggesting a sleep-based intervention for someone flagged with high blood pressure feels empathetic. Sending email blasts that employees should take advantage of their mental health benefits doesn’t.

Looking Ahead: From Algorithms to Outcomes

Mosunic zeroed in on safety over hype when asked what role AI will play in redefining workplace mental illness. “We’re focused on closed-loop systems—algorithms trained and constantly evaluated against clinical outcomes, not open-ended chatbots pulling from the wild web,” He said. 

Mosunic says every personalization engine must pass clinician review before it’s rolled out, ensuring the solution is effective. 

Calm’s Chief Clinical Officer reflected on the parallels between physical and mental health as the conversation closed. “If your knee hurts, you see an orthopedist, not a dermatologist,” he said. Similarly, mental health requires a network of specialized, interconnected solutions.

Calm Health views other digital mental health platforms as referral partners, not competitors. It aims to create a world where clinical notes flow seamlessly from self-guided modules into teletherapy and then in-person care as needed. “Look for vendors that play well with others—digital, in-person, and physical institutions alike.”

The next frontier in employee mental health isn’t about flashy features, but creating ecosystems that make every intervention feel personal, safe, and stigma-free, says Mosunic.

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Calm, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. 

Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.

(Photos by Rick Friedman for From Day One)