
Becoming the Headliner of Your Own Healing Story
In this episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel and Amber sit down with Tracy Smaldino, a burn survivor, trauma survivor, author, keynote speaker, podcast host, and founder of Trauma Rock Stars™. 🎸 Tracy shares her journey as the sole survivor of a fatal car accident that left her with severe burns as a child, and how she carried her trauma in silence for many years before beginning to lean into healing. Together, Rachel, Amber, and Tracy talk about the lasting impact of trauma, the challenges burn survivors can face with summer heat, and what it means to find your voice when you are finally ready to share your story. Tracy also shares how meditation, music, and her years in the music industry shaped the creation of Trauma Rock Stars™—a platform that frames healing like a concert, from the sound check to the headliner moment. 🎵 Her message is a powerful reminder that trauma does not define us, and every survivor has a Rock Star inside them. #BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories ⭐️ Enjoyed the show? Tell us by leaving a 5-star review and sharing on social media using #GirlswithGrafts and tagging Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors! Meet Our Guest Tracy Smaldino is a trauma survivor, author, keynote speaker, podcast host, and the founder of Trauma Rock Stars™ — a platform built on the belief that your trauma doesn’t define you, it refines you. Tracy’s story begins as the sole survivor of a fatal car accident that left her with severe burns as a child — and, years later, a survivor of sexual assault. For years she carried her trauma in silence. When she finally leaned into her healing journey, everything changed. She turned her pain into purpose and Trauma Rock Stars™ was born. As a burn survivor, Tracy brings a deeply personal understanding to her work — and an unshakeable belief that every person has a Rock Star inside them. Sometimes they just need someone to hand them the mic. Links Visit Tracy’s website: https://traumarockstars.com/ Listen to Trauma Rock Stars: https://traumarockstars.com/#podcast Listen to TRAUMA ROCK STAR Songs that Saved Us: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0mQfkVQtw1eB1eNSsD9ZQy Watch our episode “The Science of Staying Cool: Dr. Craig Crandall and the Burn Survivor Heat Risk Calculator:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eB-KLHqD4o Share your story with our Virtual Open Mic: https://www.phoenix-society.org/open-mic-submission Podcast Sponsor Today’s podcast is powered by Buses by the Beach! Buses by the Beach is a community of VW bus enthusiasts based in West Michigan. They come together to camp, host amazing events, and raise funds to support Phoenix Society. And mark your calendars for the Bus Boo 2026, happening October 2nd - 4th in Dorr, Michigan. Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at info@phoenix-society.org .
















