In this episode of the Bountifull Podcast, I’m joined by Carylynn Larson, an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and mental health advocate, for a deeply important conversation about mental health in the workplace, stigma, leadership, and what it really means to create environments where people can thrive.

Carylynn shares her own personal journey with an eating disorder and reflects on how that experience shaped both her life and her work. We talk about the reality that mental health is not binary — it exists on a spectrum from thriving to despair — and how many people are quietly struggling while trying to appear “fine.” We also explore why work can so often become a place where people feel pressure to perform rather than a place that supports people, not just performance.

A big part of this conversation centres on the idea of healing communities — not in a fluffy or abstract sense, but in the practical, everyday ways we can show up for each other with care, listening, vulnerability, and courage. We also unpack burnout, emotional detachment, shame, and the kinds of environments that can either support us or slowly wear us down. We also explore how to navigate difficult conversations with candour and care, particularly when there are power dynamics at play, and how to raise concerns without being dismissed or labelled as “difficult.”

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

• Why mental health is not binary — and how most of us move between thriving, coping, and quietly struggling
• What burnout and emotional detachment can really look like at work — especially in people who appear “fine” on the surface
• How workplace culture shapes wellbeing — and why some environments support us while others slowly wear us down
• Why stigma and shame keep so many people silent — even when help is available
• What “healing community” actually means — and why care and accountability need to go hand in hand
• How to notice when someone might be struggling — and what genuine support can look like in practice
• How to have difficult conversations with candour and care — without avoiding the hard stuff
• What to consider when there are power imbalances at work — and how to raise concerns thoughtfully
• Why listening, vulnerability, and small moments of care matter more than we think
• How the way we show up affects the people around us — for better or worse

Chapters

00:00 – Why mental health at work matters more than we think
02:14 – Carylynn’s background in organizational psychology and leadership
07:39 – Her personal mental health journey and lived experience with an eating disorder
14:42 – The current state of mental health in the workplace
16:12 – Why mental health exists on a spectrum, not as a binary
20:23 – What workplace care actually looks like in practice
27:30 – How to raise concerns without being labelled “difficult”
31:07 – Dynamic leadership and supporting people differently at different times
33:42 – Stigma, shame, and why people often don’t ask for help
44:11 – What Carylynn means by “healing communities”
53:09 – Small ways leaders can create more human workplaces
56:08 – How to be a bridge for someone who might be struggling
57:59 – A powerful story about noticing, support, and what can change when people care
1:06:17 – Quickfire questions
1:08:51 – Final reflections on the impact we have on each other

Guest Bio

Carylynn Larson is an organizational psychologist, executive coach, speaker, and mental health advocate focused on leadership, workplace culture, and wellbeing. She is also the founder of Rock Recovery, a nonprofit supporting people recovering from eating disorders and body image struggles. Her work is shaped by both professional expertise and lived experience.

www.carylynn-kemp-larson.info/

About Bountifull Podcast

Bountifull is a personal growth and wellbeing podcast exploring joyful, meaningful living through conversations on psychology, resilience, science, and practical wisdom.

www.bountifullworld.com/