An American Trauma. A life of resilience with David Carr

Today I had the unique privilege of speaking with David Carr.

David has written an expose titled, We Can Overcome: An American Trauma

This is riveting, and at times hard to read, and yet also inspiring and empowering. (And I’m not getting paid to say that.)

As a boy, David heard the stories of what his father endured as a boy: Fists appearing like unexpected rain, kicks in the side, and nails in his skin. But Carr’s father never set a hand on him.

The cycle of abuse, however, was not broken: David suffered mental and physical abuse from the people that were supposed to protect him. As an adult, he realizes that his continuing mental anguish was self-inflicted.

In challenging himself to see his life in a new way, David realized that the story of his childhood trauma did not consist of what happened to him, but rather way he responded to what happened.

This realization set the stage for him to embark on a transformative journey—one that began as a terrified child—but has since included him as a mixed martial artist, the vice chairman of The Joyful Child Foundation, as an advocate for children’s rights nationwide, and he David has built two successful international companies. He lives on a Southern California ranch style home with his wife of twenty years and three children.

I loved speaking with David. His strength and courage is pretty palpable, and so too is his recognition and acceptance of his vulnerability.

The Quote

Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential

Winston Churchill

In This Episode

• David’s Expose
• David’s website
• David on Facebook
• David on Instagram
• The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, Ellen Bass,‎ Laura Davis
• Brain Lock, Twentieth Anniversary Edition: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive, Jeffrey M. Schwartz
• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, Bessel van der Kolk M.D.