Show Notes:

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Inclusive Dad podcast, host AAron welcomes author and coach Ellen Busch for a powerful conversation on resilience, identity, and inclusion. Ellen shares her journey with dyslexia, the barriers she faced in education, and the deep trauma that shaped her path. She reflects on breaking free from societal labels, surviving abuse, and embracing healing through therapy, spirituality, and self-discovery. Together, AAron and Ellen explore what it truly means to honor someone’s humanity, the importance of empathy, and how inclusion begins with small, everyday actions that uplift and respect the uniqueness of each individual.

Key Takeaways:

Challenging Labels – Ellen reveals how early assumptions about dyslexia impacted her identity and self-worth.

Healing Journey – From trauma therapy to CrossFit, Ellen describes how healing can become self-discovery.

Hero’s Journey – Writing her memoir became a way to reclaim her voice and empower others.

Redefining Inclusion – Inclusion means acceptance, respect, and recognizing individual greatness.

Everyday Empathy – Small gestures of kindness create safer, more inclusive spaces for everyone.

About the Guest(s):

Ellen Busch:

Ellen Busch grew up in a loving home—but even love couldn’t protect her from the invisible wounds of trauma. Years later, she found herself with no job, no home, no relationship, and no hope of building the life she once dreamed of. Though she had broken free from an abusive marriage, she was still shackled by the pain of unhealed trauma and the lifelong stigma of dyslexia. It wasn’t until a moment of clarity on a crowded highway that she realized healing wasn’t just necessary—it was possible.

In her memoir, (dis)Empowered, Ellen shares how she began the brave and deliberate journey of healing. With the support of skilled therapists, transformative coaches, and through intense physical and mental training alongside U.S. Navy SEALs, she rebuilt her strength from the inside out. These experiences challenged her limits and reconnected her with the power, purpose, and resilience that had always been within her.

Today, Ellen is a certified life coach, using her hard-won wisdom and lived experience to walk alongside others as they begin their own healing journeys. She helps clients break through limiting beliefs, reclaim their voices, and move from merely surviving to fully thriving. Her story is a testament to what becomes possible when we do the work, face the pain, and step boldly into the life we were meant to live.

Ellen's definition of inclusion:

Inclusion is about acceptance, accepting who somebody is for all of their individual greatness. But it's also about respect and honoring their humanity and just seeing them for who they are.

Connect with Ellen Busch:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenbusch1500/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-busch/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellen.busch.2025/

Website: https://www.ellenbusch.com/

Buy Her Book: https://a.co/d/6G1g7c3

SPAM© Count:

Host:

Yes

Current Guest: 

No

Cumulative Guest Stats:

Yes - 53

No - 78

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