Ep 48.  From Trauma to TEDx: How Cristina P. Simmons Turned Grief, Cancer & Infidelity Into a Platform That Heals Other Women

Ep 48. From Trauma to TEDx: How Cristina P. Simmons Turned Grief, Cancer & Infidelity Into a Platform That Heals Other Women

From MOMMAS WHO LEAD by Laura Caroffino

April 30, 2026 · 1h 3m · Season 3 · Episode 48

About this episode

Cristina P. Simmons shares her journey of overcoming trauma and how she helps other women heal.

What does it look like to walk through the fire — and come out restored? In this powerful episode of Mommas Who Lead, host Laura Caroffino sits down with bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and trauma-informed occupational therapist Cristina P. Simmons to talk about the kind of resilience most people never show the world. Cristina opens up about losing four children to a rare genetic syndrome, surviving a tumor in her femur that nearly cost her a leg, navigating infidelity in her marriage, and raising a son on the autism spectrum — all while battling severe anxiety and functioning depression from unprocessed trauma. But this isn't just a story of survival. It's a story of restoration. In this episode, you'll hear: * What "functioning depression" actually feels like from the inside — and why so many moms are living it without knowing it * How Cristina went back to school for her master's degree at 39 — in the middle of all of it * The miracle Christmas night phone call that changed everything * Why people-pleasing costs you more than you think — including yourself * How unhealed wounds become patterns in your leadership, your parenting, and your marriage * The 3 things every mom…

People in this episode

Host: Laura Caroffino

Guest: Cristina P. Simmons

Topics covered

  • resilience
  • trauma
  • self-care
  • parenting
  • mental health
  • leadership

Keywords

  • trauma
  • resilience
  • functioning depression
  • self-care
  • parenting
  • mental health
  • TEDx

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Soul Story Collective

Books & works: Eat Your Feelings

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