The Survivors Podcast
The Survivors Podcast
Podcast Description
The Survivors Podcast was born out of a serendipitous connection between Gretchen and Lisa—two individuals with powerful, lived experiences in mental health and suicide survival. Gretchen, co-host of the award-winning Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads met Lisa through PodMatch while searching for podcast guests. What was meant to be a short pre-call turned into a two-hour conversation that revealed a shared mission: to change the narrative around suicide, mental illness, and grief.Together, they created The Survivors to bring honest, unfiltered conversations about mental health into the mainstream. This podcast offers a unique dual perspective—one of surviving the loss of loved ones to suicide and the other of surviving one’s mental health challenges.By tackling topics often considered taboo, The Survivors provides a safe, empathetic space where the complexities of mental health, grief, and loss are explored with authenticity and hope. Join Gretchen and Lisa as they break down barriers, challenge stigma, and empower listeners to survive life, death, and everything.Subscribe now and be part of the conversation.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
This podcast covers various critical topics within the realm of mental health, including suicide survival, grief, and stigma. Episodes often focus on personal narratives, such as Lisa’s impactful story of losing three loved ones to suicide and the discussion around how trauma affects individuals, as well as the importance of open dialogues to promote healing and reduce stigma.
Survival isn’t just about staying alive—it’s about finding the strength to rebuild, reclaim, and rise.
That’s the foundation of The Survivors Podcast, where three-time suicide loss survivor, author, crisis counselor, and mental health advocate Lisa Sugarman joins Natasha J. Layton—a multiple suicide attempt and loss survivor, advocate, sexual abuse survivor, and former member of the FLDS polygamy cult—to change the way we talk about suicide, survival, and mental health.
Through raw, unfiltered conversations, Lisa and Natasha explore the realities of surviving trauma, grief, abuse, mental illness, and everything in between—with honesty, hope, and humanity. Their unique perspectives—one shaped by profound loss, the other by unimaginable adversity—create a space where the hardest stories are told with compassion, courage, and vulnerability.
By opening up the conversations we’ve been taught to bury, The Survivors invites listeners into a safe, stigma-free community to reflect, connect, and heal. Together, Lisa and Natasha push past stigma, challenge everything we think we know about survival, and reveal that life after darkness can be filled with meaning, connection, and hope.
Subscribe now and join the conversation about surviving life, death, trauma, and everything in between.
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering.
Episode Summary
In this episode of The Survivors, we celebrate Lisa’s long-awaited book launch, Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide Loss (Familius Books).
Lisa reveals learning decades later that her father died by suicide, and describes how writing the memoir—now featuring her mother’s voice and a built-in resource directory and toolkit—became a healing journey.
Lisa & Natasha discuss grief, stigma, therapy, crisis counseling, and practical supports like 988 and The HelpHUB™, and invite listeners to the launch event on Saturday, May 2 at Shubie’s Marketplace, 16 Atlantic Avenue, Marblehead, MA, while encouraging anyone struggling to seek help and community.
Episode Sponsored by The HelpHUB™
Struggling with your mental health? Feeling lost, overwhelmed, or just alone? Well, you’re not. Welcome to The HelpHUB™—your online destination for mental health resources, treatment options, content, and tools to help meet you exactly where you are in the moment. Visit TheHelpHUB.co to get started.
Takeaways
- Sharing personal stories can help break the taboo around suicide and mental health.
- Understanding that mental illness is an illness like any other fosters compassion and reduces stigma.
- Creating a support network and resources is crucial for survivors of suicide loss.
- Healing is a process that involves revisiting pain, seeking support, and finding hope.
- Open communication within families can strengthen bonds and aid in collective healing.
- Lisa’s upcoming book launch event in Marblehead, MA on May 2.
Chapters
00:00 Book Launch Celebration
01:36 The Journey of Writing a Memoir
03:11 Revisiting Grief and Loss
06:11 Changing Perspectives on Suicide
08:21 Incorporating Family Voices
12:52 The Urgency of Mental Health Awareness
18:18 Healing Through Shared Stories
22:22 Creating Safe Spaces for Conversations
29:25 The Impact of Sharing Experiences
32:02 A Message of Hope and Resources
Mental Health Resources
- If you or someone you know is struggling, please call 988 for help.
- The Survivors Podcast Website – https://thesurvivors.net/
- The HelpHUB™ – Mental health resources, tools, and support networks – https://www.thehelphub.co/
- National Domestic Violence Hotline – Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7223)
- Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide Loss (Familius Books)
Follow & Connect With Us
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_survivors_podcast
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-survivors-podcast
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSurvivorsPodcastChannel
🎵📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesurvivorspodcast
See you next week! In the meantime, keep surviving.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.