Interview with Marc Dickerson, PRGlife.org, May 2026 newsletter
From Silence to Voice: How Sandra Baldwin Turned Trauma Into Truth
Sandra Baldwin’s story is one of survival, honesty, healing, and courage. As the author of Seldom Spoken, Sandra shares a life journey shaped by childhood hardship, painful trauma, years of silence, and the difficult but powerful process of finding her voice.
Sandra grew up in the Roanoke, Virginia area. Her early childhood was far from ordinary. After her father left when she was very young, Sandra was raised by her mother, who eventually returned to the mountains of Virginia. There, Sandra experienced a rugged, simple, and challenging childhood. Her family lived in a cabin without television or a telephone, and she often walked long distances to school. In some ways, the mountains gave her strength. In other ways, the poverty and isolation made her feel different from other children.
One of the most painful memories from her childhood came in fourth grade, when a charitable organization brought clothes, coats, and shoes to her in front of her classmates. What may have been intended as kindness became a public moment of embarrassment. Sandra remembers how deeply it affected her self-esteem. Those early experiences of poverty, shame, and feeling different followed her into her teen years.
As Sandra grew older, she continued to face hard seasons. She moved schools, struggled with acceptance, and became a mother at a young age. Still, she showed determination. Even after being judged and ostracized by others, she buckled down academically and graduated sixth in her class. That part of her story reveals something important: pain may shape a person, but it does not have to destroy their ability to move forward.
The title of Sandra’s book, Seldom Spoken, carries deep meaning. For many years, the most painful parts of her life were not easy to talk about. After surviving a violent sexual assault as a young adult, Sandra found herself forced to keep going. She had to finish school, work, face police interviews, go through the court process, and testify. Yet emotionally, she was broken. Talking about what happened was difficult. Feelings rose quickly. The experience became something she rarely spoke about.
That silence came at a cost.
Sandra explained that when trauma is not voiced, it can fester. For years, she made decisions by “putting out fires” rather than truly governing her own life. Her trauma affected her relationships, her family, her choices, and her sense of self. Like many survivors, she carried not only the pain of what happened, but also the weight of shame, confusion, and negative thoughts that repeated in her mind.
But her story did not end there.
Sandra eventually reached a turning point. She got away from destructive patterns. She stopped smoking, stopped drinking, got clean, returned to full-time work, and began rebuilding her life step by step. She bought a small farm, reconnected with her love of horses, began creating art, received counseling, and slowly started to reclaim joy.
One important part of her healing was learning how to challenge the negative thoughts in her mind. She described an image she used: an imaginary sieve. The harmful thoughts would pass through and be flushed away, while the good and true thoughts would remain. She reminded herself that she was a good mother. She reminded herself that what happened to her was bad, but it did not define who she was. Healing did not happen quickly. It took time, repetition, support, honesty, and intentional work.
Faith also became part of Sandra’s journey. Through conversations with Sid, who later became a major part of her life, she began exploring Christianity and spirituality. That spiritual foundation helped her continue moving toward healing, meaning, and peace.
Today, Sandra has found joy in new ways. Horses once brought her great happiness. Now, she and Sid enjoy “iron horses” — e-bikes — and continue exploring trails they love. They travel, spend time in their RV, create, reflect, and live with a greater sense of freedom.
Sandra’s message to others, especially young people facing trauma, is honest and important: there is no magic fix. Trauma has its own timeline. It often moves through a grief process, and every person’s healing journey is different. But one thing is necessary — honesty. Sandra said that she lost many years telling herself stories that were not true. Her advice is to be honest with yourself, learn where you are in the process, and begin putting words to what happened.
That is the heart of Seldom Spoken. Sandra wants people to find their voice. She wants readers to understand that trauma has a beginning, a middle, and an aftermath. Healing begins when a person is willing to look honestly at what happened, how it affected them, and what steps can help them move toward resolution.
Within the PRG framework, Sandra’s story is a powerful reminder of alignment. Her Priorities had to be restored. Her Roles — as a mother, survivor, writer, believer, and person seeking peace — had to be understood with honesty. Her Goals had to shift from simply surviving to healing, creating, speaking, and living with purpose.
Sandra Baldwin’s story reminds us that silence can protect pain for a season, but voice can begin the process of healing. Her life is proof that trauma does not get the final word. With honesty, faith, support, time, and courage, a person can move from silence to voice — and from survival toward joy.
Marc Dickerson
Priorities, Roles, and Goals
www.prglife.org
