YouTube Channel
Welcome to The Survivors on YouTube — where real conversations about survival, healing, and hope come to life.
Here, you’ll find powerful episodes, behind-the-scenes moments, and special video content that dive deeper into the stories we share on The Survivors Podcast. Hosted by Lisa Sugarman and Natasha J. Layton, each video explores how we—and others—have lived through the unthinkable and found our way forward.
From suicide loss and trauma to resilience, recovery, and the everyday work of healing, our channel is a safe space to listen, learn, and connect. These aren’t just stories—they’re lifelines.
So, watch, subscribe, and join us as we keep changing the way we talk about survival and mental health, one conversation at a time.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out for help now. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If you’re outside the U.S., visit findahelpline.com for international hotlines.
Mental Health Awareness Month: When Awareness Isn't Enough
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In this heartfelt episode, Lisa and Natasha explore the realities of mental health, the stigma around seeking help, and practical ways to support those in crisis. They share personal stories, debu...
When Mother's Day Hurts: No Contact, Trauma, and Reclaiming Joy
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In this week's episode of The Survivors, Natasha & Lisa explore the complex emotions of Mother's Day — one celebrating a close relationship with her mother, the other navigating no contact after a...
Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide Loss — Lisa's New Book Drops Everywhere
*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 ( https://a.co/d/0e9adfuS) (Familius Books). Lisa reveals learning decade...
When Grief Rewires You: Surviving After the Unthinkable
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In this episode Lisa & Natasha talk about how grief permanently rewires who we are — how loss changes identity, priorities, and relationships. The hosts share personal stories of multiple suicide ...
Surviving the Scale: From 300+ Pounds to a New Life
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In this episode, Natasha shares her journey from severe obesity to losing over 100 pounds, examining how childhood trauma, medications, stress, and coping behaviors shaped her body and mental heal...
Saved by Chance: One Son’s Story After the Marine Electric Disaster
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In this episode, Lisa's lifelong friend Caleb Powers recounts losing his father in the 1983 sinking of the SS Marine Electric—a tragedy he narrowly escaped—how that loss fueled teenage drinking an...
The Night the SS Marine Electric Sank: A Survivor's Story
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In this episode, Lisa speaks with her lifelong friend Caleb Powers as he tells, for the first time publicly, the story of the SS Marine Electric sinking on February 12, 1983 and his father being l...
I Thought My Dad Died of a Heart Attack — The Truth Changed Everything
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In Part 2 of their deeply emotional conversation with her mother Sandy, Lisa and her mom reflect on a story their family carried quietly for decades. Together, they revisit the painful moment when...
The Secret He Left Behind: My Mom Finally Speaks
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary When Lisa was 10 her mother told her her father had died of a heart attack; 35 years later she discovered the truth — he died by suicide. In this episode Lisa and Natasha sit down with Lisa's 87-y...