Ellen Jackson, Founder & Psychologist, B.Comm, M.App.Sc

Hi, I'm Ellen. My passion is helping communities and organisations grow stronger and more connected. For over 20 years, I've supported people at all levels—from individuals to teams and leaders—to create positive change in their social and professional environments.

My focus is on three key areas:

  1. Community leadership: I design development initiatives that inspire and unite people to create change for a common cause.

  2. Capacity building: I help organisations and communities unlock their full potential by teaching the human behaviour skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

  3. Fostering human connections: I believe that strong relationships and networks are the foundation for meaningful change, so I work to strengthen the social fabric within and between organisations.

Community Catalyst

Change Strategist

My work extends to various settings, including social impact initiatives, philanthropy, and efforts to build resilient communities. My ultimate goal is to empower people and organisations to find their purpose and make a real difference in the world.

If you’re looking for a strategic thought partner to help you navigate interpersonal dynamics, foster a thriving culture, and design people-centered strategies that drive positive change in your community, organisation or project, let’s talk.

How I work…

I work on a retainer basis:

  • We begin by discussing your project and specific needs to determine the scope of our collaboration.

  • Based on our initial consultation, I will create a tailored retainer proposal that outlines the services, deliverables, and fees for your unique project.

  • Our retainer model ensures flexibility and scalability, adapting to your evolving needs and providing ongoing support throughout the project.

  • We maintain open lines of communication and provide regular progress updates to ensure transparency and alignment with your goals.

  • Working on a retainer basis allows us to develop a long-term partnership, fostering trust and understanding to achieve the best outcomes for your project.

The Messy Middle

My Substack Newsletter

Featured
The 2025 Purpose Odyssey
The 2025 Purpose Odyssey

What drives people to dedicate their time, energy and resources, often at personal cost or risk, to assist others in crisis? What motivates and catalyses communities in this way? (And what might organisations learn from it?)

Read More →
Embracing Antifragility for 2025
Embracing Antifragility for 2025

As 2024 draws to a close, it’s time for a little year-in-review. Contrived? Maybe, but there’s excellent evidence for the benefits of reflection for all types of learning and performance, and I’ve had a big year of learning.

Since leaving employed life in February, I’ve spent 10 months listening, exploring, reading, teaching, collaborating, sharing, and ideating at the intersection of positive psychology, community leadership, systems thinking and social impact. It's been a year of transformation - so it's been wildly uncomfortable.

It wasn’t the year I planned….

Read More →
Why everything you know about motivation is wrong
Why everything you know about motivation is wrong

Motivation is the desire to do something.

It's as simple as that.

But it's not simple. Anyone who's ever tried to motivate themselves to develop a new habit, start an exercise regime, change their diet or even learn a new skill knows that motivation is not a simple thing. From a psychological point of view, it's far more complex than most of us anticipate - or want.

One cause of this complexity is the unhelpful beliefs that many of us hold about motivation. Here are the Top 5.

Read More →

LEARNING = LIFE

YOU'LL NEVER BE BORED WHEN YOU TRY SOMETHING NEW. THERE'S REALLY NO LIMIT TO WHAT YOU CAN DO - Dr. Seuss

The Potential Psychology Podcast

“Ellen always chooses guests who are knowledgeable and entertaining and her interview style is warm and friendly, which brings out their best.”
— Tracey, podcast listener
“The kind of podcast where you go back to episode one and listen to every single show.”
— Meesy, podcast listener