Disclosed herein are embodiments of a compound that inhibits c-Abl tyrosine kinase (also referred to herein as “c-Abl”). The compound embodiments described herein are novel c-Abl inhibitors that can bind to c-Abl at an allosteric site and inhibit its activity in various pathways. The compound embodiments also are capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and therefore are useful in inhibiting c-Abl activity as it affects pathways and/or proteins in the brain. The compound embodiments described herein are effective therapeutic agents for treating diseases involving c-Abl, such as cancers, motor neuron diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of methods for making and using the c-Abl inhibitory compound embodiments.