The Work Within

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 con...

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 eve...

Have you ever caught yourself doing or saying something — and suddenly realized: I've become my parents?! That unsettling moment is where this conversation begins. In Ep 17 of The Work Within podcast, John Lin is joined by therapists Ly Tran (LPC-S) and Dieula Previlon (LPC-S) to explore one of the most universal and consequential dynamics in human life: the patterns we inherit from our families,...

This is a clip from Episode 16, “What Makes a Healthy Leader?” Listen to the full conversation here: https://watershedinitiative.com/theworkwithin If being a healthy leader were easy, every leader would be one. In this clip, special guest, Shannon Pugh, and host John Lin discuss the obstacles that get in the way:  1) Self-awareness is hard. You have to understand your own motivations and the uniqu...

What actually makes someone a healthy leader? You already know it’s not charisma, competence, or how many people you lead. In the latest from The Work Within podcast, host John Lin is joined by Paul McMullen, LPC, and Shannon Pugh, Care and Mobilization Pastor at Irving Bible Church, to explore a question many leaders avoid, but eventually have to face: What’s happening inside of you as you lead?...

Have you ever said “yes” but really wanted to say “no”? Have you ever seen a boundary “weaponized” against someone? Have you ever wondered what makes for healthy boundaries?  Boundaries are tricky and often misunderstood. In this episode of The Work Within podcast, host John Lin sits down with licensed therapists Ly Tran and Laura Harrison to discuss how to adopt boundaries that protect us from re...

“That was traumatic.” The word “trauma” gets thrown around a lot these days. But what does it actually mean for our daily lives, our relationships, and our faith? In this episode of The Work Within podcast, host John Lin talks with licensed therapist Paul McMullen and trauma specialist Jenny Wang to unpack the surprising truth: trauma isn’t just the "bad stuff" that happens to us; it’s the disconn...

Ever feel like you’re on the losing side of the battle for your mind? René Descartes famously said, "I think, therefore I am," but what happens when intrusive thoughts start robbing us of joy and peace? What do we do when we can’t stop ruminating about a “what-if” or a past wound? In this episode of The Work Within podcast , host John Lin is joined by therapists Laura Harrison and Paul McMullen to...

When it comes to food and our bodies, we live in extremes: minimizing our bodies (“it doesn’t really matter”) or obsessing over them (“it’s all I think about”). In Episode 12 of The Work Within, John Lin and Dieula Previlon, LPC-S, are joined by Calvin Burns, LPC (Director of Lifeologie Austin) to explore the deeper question beneath our habits: What if our relationship with food and our bodies is...

Talking politics often stirs up strong emotions, which is why conversations with people who hold very different views can quickly become difficult. Many relationships have been strained—or even broken—over political disagreements. In this episode of The Work Within podcast, Laura Harrison, Ly Tran, and John Lin explore how to navigate political conversations from two key perspectives: how to respo...

There’s an epidemic of loneliness, and it’s literally killing us. Loneliness is as harmful to your health as smoking or alcoholism. In this important conversation, John Lin, Laura Harrison, and Ly Tran discuss the urgency of connection and community in fostering wellbeing. They explore the ever-present impact of our devices on relationships, why loneliness hits harder among men, and when practicin...

Spiritual practices needn’t stir up feelings of guilt, boredom, or frustration. Instead, they can truly help us connect with the Living God, enabling us to discover joy and peace in our hectic, demanding lives. But how? In the first episode of 2026, John Lin and Paul McMullen discuss fresh ways to approach practices that contribute to greater connection and wellbeing. They explore honestly the str...

In the final episode of 2025, John Lin talks with therapists, Dieula Previlon and Paul McMullen, about the most common reasons people seek therapy. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by life, disappointed or wounded by relationships, beset by unspoken grief, entangled by addictions, they want you to know that you are not alone and why it’s a good thing you’re not unique! They talk about how to know w...

A lot of folks wax eloquently about love, but actually loving people is really hard. The Apostle Paul asserted that “the greatest of these is love” yet how many of us would say that we are great - or even good - at loving others? Laura Harrison, Ly Tran, and John Lin have a far-reaching conversation about how we can become more loving persons. Going beyond do's and don'ts, they look at the impact...

Bad days happen. But that's never an excuse for bad behavior. In this episode of the Work Within, Ly Tran, Laura Harrison, and John Lin talk about the typical ways we cope with stressful days and how to learn healthier ways of navigating crappy circumstances and the negative emotions that come for the ride. This practical episode explores how to access hard feelings without letting them overwhelm...

Is your life over-scheduled, overworked, overtired? What is driving that and more importantly, what does it take to shift into a different gear? In this episode of the Work Within, Dieula, Paul, and John discuss the aspects of our life in motion. Are we just hustling or are we living in chronic overdrive? They dive deep into the aspects of what causes an overdriven life, if we are running our live...

Ever show up to a party, meeting, or conversation, and think to yourself, “I like that version of me that showed up”? Ever show up to a party, meeting, or conversation, and think, “I really don’t like that version of me that showed up”? If you’ve ever felt conflicted and confused about the varying ways you show up in life, welcome to the club! Join John Lin, Laura Harrison, and Paul McMullen as th...

“I enjoy getting into conflict” said no one ever. And yet, conflict is inevitable. In this episode of The Work Within podcast, John Lin, Ly Tran, and Dieula Previlon talk about new ways to think about and engage with conflict that will empower you to show up differently when things get heated in your relationships. If you’re tired of the way conflict is playing out in your life and ready for a cha...

Yours may be small or giant, piercing or quiet, but we all have one. In the second inaugural episode of The Work Within podcast, hosts John Lin, Laura Harrison, and Paul McMullen confront the inner critic that resides within all of us. They discuss personal experiences with their inner critics, the impact of these negative voices on relationships, and the origins of such critical thoughts. The con...

In this inaugural episode of The Work Within podcast, we tackle a small but mighty four-letter word: PAIN. With compassion and nuance, hosts John Lin, Dieula Previlon, and Ly Tran explore the complex relationship between pain and personal growth. This episode delves into types of pain, various coping mechanisms, the importance of community in healing, the pitfalls of spiritual bypass, and the urge...