A podcast for helpers and advocates in various industries looking to make mental health and wellbeing a normal part of every-day work life. Every episode will feature stories with company workers from all corners of the org chart looking to make boots-on-the-ground impact.
Ep. 19: Out to the Field / Communication & Mining - Stephen Dummit / Tradewinds Leadership
The construction mental health movement has been building up for years. The industry with the highest suicide rate though- mining - is still working to build momentum.
That's where the efforts from mental health advocate and trainer Stephen Dummit come in to play. Stephen is using his voice to empower the construction mental health movement out on the west coast, but he's also infusing that same passion into the mining industry.
Give our chat a listen as we explore better methods of communication for field workers and how authenticity is the key to breaking stigma in hard-to-reach industries.
29 May 2026
Ep. 18: Statewide Suicide Prevention - Tony Coder / Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation
For 21 years, the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation has worked to provide resources across Ohio with one mission in mind: saving lives through suicide prevention. In recent years, they’ve expanded that outreach to include blue-collar industries, construction included.
Tony Coder is a friend, mentor, and a statewide leader helping guide that mission forward as CEO of OSPF. He has a big heart for people who are struggling — supporting families who have experienced loss while also working directly with legislators to help shape suicide prevention policy across Ohio.
Tony and I instantly connected a few years ago over coffee, and if you listen to our episode, you’ll quickly understand why we did.
17 Apr 2026
Ep. 17: Large Scale Programs - Bryan Shields & Israel Avila / North Coast States Carpenters Union
On this episode, I sit down with Bryan Shields and Israel Avila, two of the driving forces behind the mental health program for the North Coast Carpenters Union—a program that supports more than 50,000 workers and their families.We dig into their personal journeys into mental health advocacy, what pushed them to step into this work, and how they’ve built something that operates at a truly massive scale. From boots-on-the-ground conversations to system-wide impact, Bryan and Israel share what it takes to reach thousands of workers in an industry that hasn’t always made space for these conversations—and how they’re changing that, one job site at a time.
6 Mar 2026
Ep. 16: Men's Mental Health & The Clinical Space - Jake Ross / The Ross Wellness Group LLC
I believe advocacy is the bridge between at-risk workforces and the clinical services that can provide deeper care. I also believe authenticity and vulnerability are essential elements to helping men, in particular, connect with clinicians.
In this episode, I sit down with Jake Ross, who is on a mission to revolutionize men’s mental health by helping the clinical world connect with at-risk populations in new ways by incorporating those elements.
We talk about his story, the gaps he sees between clinicians and the people who need them most, and his vision for developing a new language the clinical world can use to reach more men.
16 Jan 2026
Ep. 15: The Next Generation of Construction - Matt Demosky / Ohio Construction Academy
Matt Demosky of Ohio Construction Academy discusses bridging the gap for Gen Z to enter the construction trades by providing education and career paths in this interview with Paul Lawson.
12 Dec 2025
Ep. 14 - Language Access in Construction - Loretta Mulberry / LM Consulting Services LLC
Loretta Mulberry of LM Consulting Services discusses language access in the construction industry with Paul Lawson, emphasizing improved communication, enhanced safety, and inclusive workplaces in this interview.
31 Oct 2025
Ep. 13 - Prioritize People - Scott McGohan / One Morning & McGohan Brabender
Scott McGohan, founder of One Morning, discusses leading with love and vulnerability as powerful business strategies that prioritize people's well-being, in this interview with Paul Lawson.
Kabri Lehrman-Schmid discusses allyship and psychological safety on construction job sites, highlighting the impact of a kinder industry on workforce challenges in this interview with Paul Lawson.
14 Sept 2025
Ep. 11 - Different Paths, Shared Purpose - Melissa Doman; The Workplace Mental Health Method & Benj Gershman; O.A.R.
Host Paul Lawson interviews mental health advocate Melissa Doman and O.A.R. musician Benj Gershman about shared workplace mental health advocacy across diverse industries.
29 Aug 2025
Ep. 10: Mental Health in Construction Safety - Johel Woodliff / Miles-McClellan Construction
Paul Lawson interviews Johel Woodliff, Director of Safety at Miles-McClellan Construction, about integrating mental health into construction safety to help workers thrive.
15 Aug 2025
Ep. 9 - Kara McCaffrey / Houck
Host Paul Lawson interviews Houck's Chief Wellness Officer Kara McCaffrey about employee wellbeing and mental health advocacy's impact on family life.
11 Jul 2025
Ep.8 - Dino Tripodis / Man Therapy
Dino Tripodis, filmmaker and mental health advocate, discusses his work with Man Therapy and how humor can address serious issues in an interview with Paul Lawson.
13 Jun 2025
Ep. 7 - Brian Finck / General Foreman; Mid-City Electric Co.
General Foreman Brian Finck shares his 25 years of experience in the electrical contracting industry and discusses his passion for mental health advocacy and modeling a culture of care for future leaders, in this interview with Paul Lawson.
30 May 2025
Ep. 6 - Melissa Doman / The Workplace Mental Health Method
Melissa Doman M.A. discusses her Workplace Mental Health Method and making mental health conversations easier in blue-collar industries like construction in an interview with Paul Lawson.
9 May 2025
Paul Lawson Chats: Ep.5 - Cal Beyer / SAFE Project
If you’ve been part of the wellbeing movement in construction, chances are you’ve come across Cal Beyer’s work—or at least felt its impact. Cal is the Director of SAFE Workplaces at SAFE Project, a national nonprofit that focuses on naloxone education and raising awareness about the opioid crisis. Over the years, he’s teamed up with all kinds of organizations and people in the wellbeing space, working to shine a light on the importance of building a culture of care in the construction industry.
25 Apr 2025
Ep. 4 - Rob McKinney / SALUS & My Steady Mind
Rob McKinney is a jack-of-all-trades tech, safety, and mental health advocate working for Canadian safety outfit, SALUS. He also has been a co-host on the ConTech Crew Podcast and trainer for My Steady Mind.
In this episode, you'll hear about Rob's story and how he landed in mental health advocacy, and how the life "scars" we carry can serve to connect us.
As a bonus, you'll also cringe at my awful tattoo idea and thank me for never getting it.
11 Apr 2025
Ep. 3 - Sonya Bohmann / Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention
Sonya Bohmann is the Executive Director of Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP), a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing easy-to-use resources to help the construction industry program around suicide prevention. In this episode, Sonya shares the story around how her desire to help the industry came from small signs peppered through her life. As a Philadelphia native, she also shares a controversial, hot take on the Philly Cheese Steak.
28 Mar 2025
Ep. 2 - Asma Bayunus / Jordan Foster Construction
Asma Bayunus is the EHS Operations Manager for Jordan Foster Construction in Austin, Texas. Fresh off of winning the mid-size contractor award at the annual Working Minds Summit for her efforts building a comprehensive wellbeing program for the company, Asma jumps on the podcast to share how her upbringing and life experiences provided the background for her desire to help others in the construction industry.
14 Mar 2025
Ep. 1 - Ryan Dew / Mid-City Electric Co.
Mid-City Electric Co. is a full-service electrical contractor in Westerville, Ohio that has stepped up to genuinely make wellbeing a priority for its office and field staff. Ryan Dew, Senior Vice President, tells the story of how the company has taken these steps and how it has impacted his life personally and professionally.
Who has been a guest on Paul Lawson Chats: A Podcast For Helpers
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Matt Demosky
Loretta Mulberry
Scott McGohan
Kabri Lehrman-Schmid
Melissa Doman
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 5 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
11
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
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