Trauma Propelled Me Into Purpose | Shot. Broken. Chosen. | Ep 204 | The Dear Son, Show

Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

Carlton Young (CY) on PTSD, Fatherhood, and Leading From Clarity | Dear Son Show

On the Dear Son Show, host D Johns talks with guest Carlton Young (CY, “Mr. 8020”) about fatherhood, identity, and healing through faith and self-awareness. CY shares his background growing up in Birmingham, being adopted by his stepfather, and learning discipline and work ethic from a stern but present dad. He explains how trauma—including being shot at Fort Hood, multiple surgeries, lasting numbness, and an unrecovered bullet near his spine—contributed to PTSD, anxiety, and damaged relationships, including the collapse of his first marriage and strain in his second. CY describes confronting “survival scripts,” improving communication, forgiving himself, and renewing his mind through daily time with God. He discusses writing The Discipline to Finish, leading Mindset U, and his goal to impact a million men by helping them lead from clarity, not chaos.

00:00 Surviving the Shooting

00:38 Welcome to Dear Son

01:52 How’s Your Heart

02:19 Communication and Leadership

04:41 Roots and Survival Scripts

07:29 Growing Up Overseas

09:18 A Stern but Present Dad

12:29 Learning to Say I Love You

13:37 Parenting and Hard Feedback