The Work Within | A Christian Mental Health Podcast

Watershed Initiative
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Mental Health

The Work Within explores the intersection of mental health, faith, and everyday life, helping people find greater connection and wholeness.  Hosted by John Lin, The Work Within is a Christian mental health podcast featuring conversations with licensed therapists about anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, leadership pressure, church hurt, and the struggles we all carry but seldom say out loud. The Work Within is clinically informed, biblically grounded, and deeply practical. If you want to live and lead more authentically, fully, and faithfully, this podcast is for you. New episodes released bi-weekly. Meet Your Hosts & Expert Contributors Our conversations are led by a diverse team of clinical and ministry leaders: John Lin – Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds Foundation Bringing a background in pastoral ministry and nonprofit leadership to the intersection of faith and mental health.Dieula Previlon, LPC-S – Founder, ElevateHer International A licensed professional counselor supervisor and ordained minister specializing in trauma recovery and purposeful flourishing.Laura Harrison, LPC-S – Executive Director, The WELD Group Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor specializing in chronic stress, trauma, and relational healing.Dr. Ly Tran, LPC-S – Founder and Executive Director, The WELD Group Offering two decades of expertise spanning pastoral ministry, mental health, and organizational leadership.Paul McMullen, LPC – Founder, WellSpring Process Groups A licensed counselor and coach supporting Christian leaders through group process and ministry-informed practice. The Work Within is a podcast of the Watershed Initiative, a group of Christian therapists committed to providing clinically excellent, trustworthy mental health resources for the local church. Learn more and explore listener resources at: watershedinitiative.com/workwithin

  1. 4d ago

    Why Church Hurt Hurts So Much: Navigating the Beauty and the Mess

    If you’ve ever been hurt by the church, you know the pain is disorienting, deeply personal, and can leave you feeling spiritually orphaned. How can a place meant to offer refuge often become the source of our deepest wounds?    In this episode of The Work Within, host John Lin sits down with licensed Christian therapists Dieula Previlon, LPC-S, and Paul McMullen, LPC, to grapple with the dual reality of the church—a community that can save your life in one season and wound you in the next.    Dieula opens up about how a Haitian immigrant church held her together as a child, yet felt unsafe when facing an unplanned pregnancy as a young adult. Paul reflects on growing up in a church culture with no room for doubt, and leading in spaces where leaders weren’t allowed to struggle. Together, they share stories of love for the church, while grappling honestly with disappointments.  In this episode, we explore: Why church hurt often feels like direct betrayal by GodHow church trauma mirrors disorganized attachmentWhere to draw the line between ordinary church conflict and religious traumaWhat happens when an anxious church system protects itself instead of its peopleReimagining faith and community for those who left the church, but never left God   Whether you’ve been wounded by a church, are deconstructing your faith, or are a ministry leader wanting to create a safer space, this conversation offers clinical wisdom and real hope. Chapters 00:00 The Church Is Beautiful and Messy 03:54 How an Immigrant Church Became a Safe Place 06:42 When Church Feels Like Family 09:06 What Therapists Hear About Church Hurt 09:56 God’s Love Has No Limits. Does the Church’s? 13:09 When There’s No Room for Doubt 16:57 Why People Are Leaving Church 19:15 Black Women and Feeling Spiritually Orphaned 23:35 The Anxious Church: Protecting Itself Over People 26:47 Why Church Hurt Cuts Deeper 30:10 Church Trauma and Disorganized Attachment 33:03 Church Hurt vs. Church Trauma: Where’s the Line? 35:35 Power, Silence, and Religious Trauma 39:59 Healing From Church Trauma 40:38 Left the Church, Not God 42:56 Jesus Knows What Betrayal Feels Like 45:27 Why Healing Happens in Community 46:57 Don’t Give Up on the Church 49:27 Doing the Work Within Your Church Hosts John Lin: Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds FoundationDieula Previlon, LPC-S: Founder of ElevateHer International Ministries, Licensed Professional Counselor and Ordained Minister.  Paul McMullen, LPC: Founder of WellSpring Process Groups, Licensed Professional CounselorResources and Therapy Discount Visit the show page for the free companion guide and other helpful articles.  www.watershedinitiative.com/why-church-hurt-hurts-so-much-ep21 Looking for a clinically trained Christian therapist? We’d love to help.  🎁 Special Offer: Mention "The Work Within" for 10% off your first 5 sessions (New, Self-Pay clients).  📞 Call/Text: 214-414-0378

  2. Sep 15 ·  Bonus

    Episode Highlight: Why Human Therapists Matter More Than Ever in the Age of AI

    Can artificial intelligence ever replace the therapist in the room? In this clip from The Work Within, clinicians Laura Harrison, LPC-S and Ly Tran, LPC-S talk with host John Lin about what makes human-to-human connection irreplaceable in the healing process. Laura explains why she can "feel the ability to read... body language" so much more clearly in person than on a screen - and why AI "will never have a heartbeat." Ly builds on that, naming the human condition - brokenness, inadequacy, loss - as something that can only be understood and healed within relationship. John ties it to a phrase from his own church, "soul-to-soul connection," calling it the "irreducible minimum of healing" that no technology can replicate. The conversation closes on spiritual discernment: the sense, as Ly puts it, that "the Spirit is speaking to my heart" in a session, pointing to exactly the right word for a client in that moment. Chapter Titles 00:09 - Why In-Person Therapy Feels Different 01:09 - "It Will Never Have a Heartbeat" 01:42 - The Human Condition Can't Be Simulated 03:01 - The Irreducible Minimum of Healing 04:17 - What AI Can't Discern 05:11 - "The Spirit Is Speaking to My Heart" Hosts John Lin: Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds FoundationLaura Harrison, LPC-S: Executive Director, WELD Group, Licensed Professional CounselorDr. Ly Tran, LPC-S: Founder and Lead Executive Director of The WELD Group, Licensed Professional Counselor Resources  Visit the show page for the free companion guide and other helpful articles.  https://watershedinitiative.com/episode/can-ai-be-your-therapist If you’re looking for a clinically trained Christian therapist, we'd love to help.  🎁 THERAPY DISCOUNT: Mention "The Work Within" for 10% off your first 5 sessions (New, Self-Pay). Call/Text 214-414-0378.  Connect Follow: Instagram | Facebook Contact: info@watershedinitiative.com

  3. Sep 1

    Can AI Be Your Therapist? Two Christian Counselors Answer

    In this episode of The Work Within, host John Lin sits down with licensed professional counselors Laura Harrison, LPC-S and Ly Tran, LPC-S—two clinicians who use AI daily—to ask two questions: What new anxieties is an AI world creating? How is AI changing the way people engage with mental health care? In a survey of about 1,800 U.S. adults, 35% said they use an AI tool for mental health support at least once a week. 28% said they see their therapist less because of it (Ueda et al, 2026). Ly asked his clients and found the same. AI is here to stay, so how do we engage wisely and responsibly? In this conversation: Clinical Benefits vs. Limits: Where AI genuinely helps (2 AM panic attacks, session homework) vs. where it can struggle (reading nonverbal body language, catching hard pauses, and holding six weeks of your story in view).What The Fear Is Actually About: Job anxiety, identity, and whether it is even responsible to have kids right now.Relational & Spiritual Discernment: Why wounds formed in human connection require human connection to heal, and why algorithmic averages can never replace the Holy Spirit's prompting.How To Use It Responsibly. Loop in your therapist, ask for summaries, and watch for the 2 a.m. loop.Grounded Hope: How Ecclesiastes ("nothing new under the sun") and C.S. Lewis’s essay “On Living in an Atomic Age” guide us to stay present and do sensible, human things. Chapters 00:00 – Exhausted by AI, or Fascinated? Probably Both 01:33 – Meet the Hosts: Two Therapists Who Use AI Daily 05:13 – The Stat: 35% of Adults Use AI for Mental Health Weekly 07:40 – The Upside: 2 A.M. Access and Better Therapy Homework 09:57 – Will AI Replace Therapists? 12:26 – Body Language, Energy, and Never Having a Heartbeat 13:54 – Why Relational Wounds Demand Relational Healing 15:13 – Algorithmic Averages vs. Spiritual Discernment 20:21 – Don’t Underestimate What’s Coming 23:29 – A Therapist’s Guide to Using AI Responsibly 28:25 – Three Guardrails, and Tech Boundaries for Kids 30:25 – AI Anxiety: Jobs, Identity, and Our Kids’ Future 35:08 – A Christian Response to AI Fear 38:21 – Staying Grounded When the Future Moves Fast 40:35 – Ecclesiastes 1:9: Nothing New Under the Sun 41:04 – C.S. Lewis on Living With Fear 42:45 – Doing Sensible, Human Things Hosts John Lin: Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds FoundationLaura Harrison, LPC-S: Executive Director, WELD Group, Licensed Professional CounselorDr. Ly Tran, LPC-S: Founder and Lead Executive Director of The WELD Group, Licensed Professional Counselor Resources  Visit the show page for the free Companion Guide and other resources.  https://watershedinitiative.com/episode/can-ai-be-your-therapist If you’re looking for a clinically trained Christian therapist, we'd love to help.  🎁 Mention "The Work Within" for 10% off your first 5 sessions (New, Self-Pay). Call/Text 214-414-0378.  Connect Instagram | Facebook info@watershedinitiative.com

  4. Aug 18 ·  Bonus

    Episode Highlight: Waking Up With Your Head on Fire

    In this clip from Episode 19, "Be Anxious for Nothing…But How?" Dieula describes waking up most mornings already anxious with a sense that the world is about to fall apart. You might think the first thing she does is reach for her Bible or get on her knees to pray. Instead, Dieula gets moving. Then she’s able to have her quiet time.  She traces some of that anxiety to her story: growing up the child of immigrants, familiar with fear and scarcity that started long before her. Naming it hasn't made it disappear, but it's changed how she responds to it. Dieula Previlon, Paul McMullen, and John Lin talk about what it looks like to take the body seriously as part of spiritual practice - not instead of prayer, but as the thing that makes prayer possible. Listen to the full conversation here: https://watershedinitiative.com/theworkwithin Chapters 00:09 My Head Is on Fire 1:15 Quiet Time Is Loud Time 2:07 Cool as a Cucumber? Not Exactly 2:21 Anxiety I Inherited 3:39 Courage Over Catastrophe 4:07 The Body Knows What to Do   Hosts  Dieula Previlon, LPC-S: Founder of ElevateHer International Ministries, Licensed Professional Counselor and Ordained Minister.  Paul McMullen, LPC: Founder of WellSpring Process Groups, Licensed Professional CounselorJohn Lin: Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds Foundation Ready to do the work? We’d love to help. 🎁 THERAPY DISCOUNT: Mention "The Work Within" for 10% off your first 5 sessions (New, Self-Pay). Call/Text 214-414-0378.  Connect Subscribe & Review: Apple | Spotify | YouTube Follow: Instagram | Facebook Contact: info@watershedinitiative.com

  5. Aug 4

    Be Anxious for Nothing...But How? (A Toolkit to Manage Anxiety)

    The verse from Philippians 4 sounds so simple: "Be anxious for nothing." But living it is another story. In this episode of The Work Within, host John Lin sits down with licensed professional counselors Dieula Previlon, LPC-S, and Paul McMullen, LPC, to discuss how we can't eliminate anxiety, but we can manage it far better. Together they get real about their own anxiety, unpack why "just push through it" backfires, and name the "pseudo-regulators" like scrolling and alcohol we reach for without thinking twice. They explore how an anxious leader shapes a whole team, why the body often has to settle before the soul can pray, and how trauma makes anxiety understandable, not a personal failure. Along the way they reread Philippians 4 in full context — rejoicing, presence, and refocused attention. Whether you carry acute anxiety or a hum of background worry, it offers language, compassion, and a usable toolkit. Key Takeaways The Spectrum of Anxiety: It shows up in many ways — from career and financial fears to daily worries about family or morning routines.The Danger of Pseudo-Regulators: We default to reactive habits like scrolling, nicotine, or alcohol to calm the nervous system without addressing root causes.The Body Connection: Movement can settle a high-alert nervous system — a somatic bridge before mental or spiritual reflection.Rethinking Philippians 4: More than a high-pressure command, it's a relational invitation to experience God's presence. Chapters 00:00  Introduction: Philippians 4 and the Reality of Anxiety 02:29  Honest Confessions: What's Making Us Anxious Today? 05:55  Is Anxiety Really That Serious? The Hidden Costs 07:16  Speeding Up & Pseudo-Regulators: How Anxiety Drives Behavior 12:17  Overfunctioning vs. Underfunctioning: Anxiety in Leadership & Systems 18:17  Why Ignoring It and Overworking Don't Fix the Problem 21:08  When the Threats Are Real: Anxiety, Trauma & Under-Resourced Communities 27:30  Developing Awareness & Somatic Regulation 34:42  Reclaiming Philippians 4: Community, Prayer & God's Presence 40:32  Building Your Personal Anxiety Toolkit 41:21  Encouragement & Final Thoughts Hosts John Lin: Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds FoundationPaul McMullen, LPC: Founder of WellSpring Process Groups, Licensed Professional CounselorDieula Previlon, LPC-S: Founder of ElevateHer International Ministries, Licensed Professional Counselor and Ordained Minister.   Resources  If you’re looking for a clinically trained Christian therapist, we'd love to help.  🎁 THERAPY DISCOUNT: Mention "The Work Within" for 10% off your first 5 sessions (New, Self-Pay). Call/Text 214-414-0378.  Connect Subscribe & Review: Apple | Spotify | YouTube Follow: Instagram | Facebook Contact: info@watershedinitiative.com

  6. Jul 21 ·  Bonus

    Episode Highlight: Loving a Perfectionist - Compassion, Boundaries, and New Pathways

    This clip from Episode 18, “Perfection Is Overrated” asks the question: How do you love someone who never feels like they’re enough? Host John Lin talks with licensed professional counselors Laura Harrison and Paul McMullen about how to care well for the perfectionists in our lives—whether that person is a spouse, a child, or a close friend. Listen to the full conversation here: https://watershedinitiative.com/theworkwithin The conversation explores the vital difference between an inward perfectionist, who needs deep compassion because they are already beating themselves up, and an outward perfectionist, who requires firm boundaries to protect your own well-being. Paul and Laura share insightful, brain-based strategies for helping perfectionists form new neural pathways through repeated, explicit acceptance. The highlight concludes with a grounding reminder from Henri Nouwen: the ultimate antidote to the trap of perfectionism and self-rejection is remembering that our core identity is simply being the "beloved". Chapters 0:00 – Loving the Perfectionist in Your Life — John poses the question on how to best support and care for family members or friends dealing with perfectionism. 0:35 – Inward vs. Outward Perfectionism & Boundaries — Laura breaks down the difference between those who beat themselves up and those who force others to be perfect, emphasizing the need for targeted compassion or firm boundaries. 1:57 – Rewiring the Brain with Explicit Acceptance — Paul discusses how consistently affirming your love and presence helps dig new, healthier neural pathways for a perfectionist who may not believe it at first. 2:43 – Generational Patterns and Mental Exit Ramps — Laura explains the generational nature of perfectionism and how to gently guide the brain toward new, flexible possibilities. 3:47 – Overcoming Self-Rejection as the "Beloved" — John closes the discussion with a powerful quote from Henri Nouwen on rejecting self-rejection and finding freedom in our core truth.   Hosts  John Lin: Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds FoundationLaura Harrison, LPC-S: Executive Director, WELD Group, Licensed Professional CounselorPaul McMullen, LPC: Founder of WellSpring Process Groups, Licensed Professional Counselor Ready to do the work? We’d love to help. 🎁 THERAPY DISCOUNT: Mention "The Work Within" for 10% off your first 5 sessions (New, Self-Pay). Call/Text 214-414-0378.  Connect Subscribe & Review: Apple | Spotify | YouTube Follow: Instagram | Facebook Contact: info@watershedinitiative.com

  7. Jul 7

    Being Perfect Is Overrated (Good News for Perfectionists)

    This episode of The Work Within podcast explores what really drives perfectionism — and it isn't high standards. As Brené Brown puts it, perfectionism isn't about striving to be your best; it's a shield we carry to minimize the pain of blame, judgment, and shame. Host John Lin sits down with licensed therapists Laura Harrison (LPC-S) and Paul McMullen (LPC) for an honest, witty, and liberating conversation about making peace with our inner critics. If you're a recovering perfectionist, raising one, or married to one, there's a way toward greater freedom, courage, and connection. In this conversation: The Different Masks of Perfectionism: From Laura's hilarious confession of being a "procrastinating perfectionist" to Paul's insights on "role-based perfectionism," where we hide our struggles behind professional or spiritual titles.Excellence vs. Perfectionism: The critical difference between trying your best and having an existential fear of failure.The Under-the-Hood Drivers: Why perfectionism often acts as a self-protective coping mechanism rooted in childhood or family stories.The Faith Tension: How to navigate Christian environments that foster a "workspace" mentality, and how to shift from a performance-driven "good self" to a grace-centered "loved self."Rewiring the Brain: Practical exit ramps to loosen the grip of perfectionism through vulnerable community, secure relationships, and continuous grace. Chapters 00:00 Brené Brown on Perfectionism (Intro) 02:36 What Perfectionism Looks Like in Our Lives 06:25 When Perfectionism Keeps Us from Taking Risks 07:42 Striving for Excellence vs. Perfectionism 10:52 What's Underneath the Drive to Be Perfect 14:31 The "Good Self" vs. the "Loved Self" 17:54 Family Roots: Proving a Parent Wrong 19:29 Perfectionism as a Coping Mechanism 20:34 Faith and the Tension of "Be Perfect" 28:21 Loosening the Grip: Vulnerability and Safe Community 33:21 Being Loved in Your Failure 35:13 Caring for the Perfectionists in Your Life 36:40 Building New Neural Pathways 38:29 Closing: Henri Nouwen on Being the Beloved Hosts John Lin: Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds FoundationLaura Harrison, LPC-S: Executive Director, WELD Group, Licensed Professional CounselorPaul McMullen, LPC: Founder of WellSpring Process Groups, Licensed Professional Counselor Resources  If you’re looking for a clinically trained Christian therapist, we'd love to help.  🎁 THERAPY DISCOUNT: Mention "The Work Within" for 10% off your first 5 sessions (New, Self-Pay). Call/Text 214-414-0378.  Connect Subscribe & Review: Apple | Spotify | YouTube Follow: Instagram | Facebook Contact: info@watershedinitiative.com

  8. Jun 16 ·  Bonus

    Episode Highlight: How Family Loyalty Might Be Keeping You Stuck

    This clip from Episode 17, “Help! I’ve Become My Parents!” Highlights the tension of “honoring our parents” and being honest about our experience. Listen to the full conversation here: https://watershedinitiative.com/theworkwithin Being honest about the negative experiences you had with your parents can feel like you’re dishonoring them.  So instead of telling the truth, it’s easier to pretend everything was fine.  But that comes at a cost. Blind loyalty can keep you from telling the truth about unhealthy patterns and painful experiences you went through.  And the reality is, we can’t heal something we’re not willing to acknowledge.  Breaking old patterns and creating new ones for future generations means being willing to do the hard work of staring down the cycles of generational sin and trauma that have been passed on to us. It is possible to honor and be honest about our parents.  Chapters 00:10 — Can You Honor Your Parents and Still Tell the Truth? 01:02 — Why Family Loyalty Keeps People Stuck 03:28 — Holding Honesty and Compassion Together 04:06 — The Jenga Tower of Family of Origin Hosts / Guests  Dieula Previlon, LPC-S: Founder of ElevateHer International Ministries, Licensed Professional Counselor and Ordained Minister Dr. Ly Tran, LPC-S: Founder and Lead Executive Director of The WELD Group, Licensed Professional CounselorJohn Lin, M.Div: Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds Foundation Ready to do the work? We’d love to help. 🎁 THERAPY DISCOUNT: Mention "The Work Within" for 10% off your first 5 sessions (New, Self-Pay). Call/Text 214-414-0378.  Connect Subscribe & Review: Apple | Spotify | YouTube Follow: Instagram | Facebook Contact: info@watershedinitiative.com

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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The Work Within explores the intersection of mental health, faith, and everyday life, helping people find greater connection and wholeness.  Hosted by John Lin, The Work Within is a Christian mental health podcast featuring conversations with licensed therapists about anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, leadership pressure, church hurt, and the struggles we all carry but seldom say out loud. The Work Within is clinically informed, biblically grounded, and deeply practical. If you want to live and lead more authentically, fully, and faithfully, this podcast is for you. New episodes released bi-weekly. Meet Your Hosts & Expert Contributors Our conversations are led by a diverse team of clinical and ministry leaders: John Lin – Director of Partnerships, Watershed Initiative & Executive Director, Sweet Deeds Foundation Bringing a background in pastoral ministry and nonprofit leadership to the intersection of faith and mental health.Dieula Previlon, LPC-S – Founder, ElevateHer International A licensed professional counselor supervisor and ordained minister specializing in trauma recovery and purposeful flourishing.Laura Harrison, LPC-S – Executive Director, The WELD Group Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor specializing in chronic stress, trauma, and relational healing.Dr. Ly Tran, LPC-S – Founder and Executive Director, The WELD Group Offering two decades of expertise spanning pastoral ministry, mental health, and organizational leadership.Paul McMullen, LPC – Founder, WellSpring Process Groups A licensed counselor and coach supporting Christian leaders through group process and ministry-informed practice. The Work Within is a podcast of the Watershed Initiative, a group of Christian therapists committed to providing clinically excellent, trustworthy mental health resources for the local church. Learn more and explore listener resources at: watershedinitiative.com/workwithin

Information

  • Creator
    Watershed Initiative
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Watershed Initiative