She Survived a Car Explosion, Assault & 40 Years of Silence

Content Warning: sexual assault, traumatic injury and deathSome stories are hard to hear… but they’re even harder to live through.In this episode of The Unscripted Woman Podcast, Kelly sits down with Tracy Smaldino, host of the Trauma Rockstars Podcast, to talk about survival, suppressed trauma, and the long road to healing. At just 12 years old, Tracy survived a devastating car accident that left her with severe burns over most of her body, a traumatic brain injury, and months of hospitalization. She was the only survivor. But the trauma didn’t end there.Years later, as a teenager, she experienced another devastating event that she kept secret for decades. She was drugged and gang raped at a high school party.For more than 40 years, Tracy suppressed the pain from these experiences, until meditation, nervous system work, and ultimately MDMA-assisted therapy helped her confront what she had carried for most of her life. In this deeply honest conversation, we discuss:• Surviving a catastrophic burn accident as a child • The long-term impact of unresolved trauma • Why many trauma survivors suppress their experiences for decades • The role of meditation and nervous system regulation in healing • What MDMA-assisted therapy actually looks like • Learning to forgive yourself after years of pain • Turning trauma into purpose and helping others healToday, Tracy uses her voice to help others through her podcast and advocacy work, showing that healing is possible, even after decades of silence.To connect with Tracy:Instagram: @traumarockstarsFacebook: @traumarockstarsTikTok: @traumarockstars email: [email protected] host, Kelly Kingsland, works with successful women at transition points - career shifts, identity changes, empty nest - who are ready to stop outsourcing their power and lead themselves.After decades of living by the rules, the roles, and the relentless expectations placed on women, Kelly walked through her own unraveling: burnout, identity collapse, and the quiet ache of knowing she was meant for more. What she discovered on the other side became the foundation of her work.She is the creator and host of The Unscripted Woman Podcast, where she spotlights real, raw conversations with women who are rewriting the rules and rising on their own terms.Kelly’s mission is simple:to help women stop following the script, and design a life that finally feels like theirs.Kelly can be reached at: radiantfemme.ca www.facebook.com/kelly.m.kingslandIG @kellyradiantfemmeSupport the show