Hello and welcome to Open Stance.
I am your host,Tracey Hiete Smith, and in this episode I am joined by Trinea Gonczar.
Trinea is a former elite gymnast from Lansing, Michigan where she trained under 2012 Gold Medal Olympic Women's Gymnastics coach John Geddert. (Geddert was charged in 2018 on multiple criminal charges including sex trafficking and first degree criminal sexual assault involving a minors. Geddert died by suicide in 2021 shortly after being charged with felony crimes)
In 2018, the world watched in anguish, as Trinea stood in court and delivered a heart wrenching Victim Impact Statement to her abuser, the former renowned USA Olympic gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar. Her statement went global within hours.
Trinea was 37 years old when she first confronted the realization that she too was one of hundreds of victims of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of her perpetrator Larry Nassar. It has been recognized that Trinea is one the earliest victims enduring an estimated 800 “treatments” beginning at 6 years old.
Since the trial, Trinea has joined forces with the Avalon Healing Center in Michigan, as the Director of Development, where she focuses on bringing national awareness to the comprehensive services available to victims of sexual assault and abuse.
http://avalonhealing.org
Trinea features in the HBO documentary At The Heart of Gold: Inside The USA Gymnastics Scandal, in 2022 is a guest on the Dr. Phil Show and Trinea was honored in 2018 at the ESPYS- one of hundreds of brave survivors-receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Trinea was named one of Glamour Magazines 2018 Women of the Year and also has been featured in an NPR produced podcast called “BELIEVED”. Additionally, Trinea features in the books “The Girls” by Abigail Pesta and “Start By Believing: Larry Nassar’s Crimes, The Institutions that Enabled Him, and the Brave Women Who Stopped a Monster” by John Barr and Dan Murphy.
In this episode, Trinea takes us on a deeply personal and intimate journey into her life after the trial, when the international media frenzy dies down and life returns to routine. What happens next for Trinea when she is left to cope with her truth as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse? This is an exceptionally raw and emotional conversation in which Trinea shares the very human side of her trauma from childhood sexual abuse. She confronts her truths when coping with the immense emotions of guilt and shame and talks about Finding Time to Heal in the throes of family life, pregnancy, motherhood and career. Trinea opens up about the self destructive, “Band Aid fix” behaviors which can present in a survivor’s life when trauma is unresolved. We hear from Trinea about the impact on her marriage and intimacy issues after assault and listen to her encouraging and profound belief in the power of connection to help heal.
I am so sorry Trinea for the childhood abuse you have suffered. I am so inspired and so proud of your determination to push through your own pain in order to help support and protect others. And without doubt, your voice and your ability to share your experiences- in the midst of your own healing- is helping thousands. Thank You.
It is my honor and privilege, to welcome this beautiful human and fierce advocate for survivors, Trinea Gonczar to Open Stance.
http://avalonhealing.org
