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.
Surviving Estrangement: Choosing Yourself Over a Toxic Family
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary Family estrangement is one of the most painful forms of grief because it asks us to mourn people who are still alive. In this deeply personal episode of The Survivors, Lisa and Natasha explore the...
Hot Flashes & Hormones: Real Talk on Surviving Perimenopause & Menopause
Episode Summary This episode of The Survivors dives into surviving perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause through candid personal stories. Lisa and Natasha cover commonly missed symptoms—sleep disruption, brain fog, mood changes, joint pain, urinary changes, and surprising signs like itchy ears...
Invisible Grief: When the World Keeps Spinning After Loss
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In this episode of The Survivors, we explore what it feels like to carry the invisible weight of loss while the rest of the world keeps moving around you. Whether you're grieving the death of a lo...
A Reflection on Pride Month: Coming Out, Living Authentically & Finding Your People
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In this conversation, Lisa and Natasha explore the themes of Pride Month, identity, and authenticity. They talk candidly about the significance of coming out, the essence of pride, and the evoluti...
A Mother’s Loss Part 2 — Finding Purpose After the Unthinkable with Alli Skrbek
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, the loss of a child & substance abuse and may be triggering. Episode Summary In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with suicide loss survivor and mental health advocate Alli Skrbek, we continue exploring what it means to live, parent, grieve, and heal afte...
A Mother's Story Part 1: Alli Skrbek Talks About Her Son's Suicide
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In part one of our two-part conversation with mental health advocate, influencer, and mom Alli Skrbek ( https://www.tiktok.com/@alli_mom?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc) , Alli shares her heartb...
When the Old You Dies: Navigating Identity After Loss
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary This episode of The Survivors explores how major losses and life changes — from suicide and family death to coming out and leaving a polygamous cult — reshape who we are. Hosts share personal stor...
When 'I'm Fine' is a Lie: The Burden of Polite Answers
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering Episode Summary In this episode, Lisa & Natasha explore the dangers of the automatic response "I'm fine," and how trauma reshapes honesty in everyday conversations, and practical ways to ask and answer "How are yo...
Season 4 Recap: Real Stories, Raw Survival
*WARNING: This podcast mentions suicide, sexual abuse & trauma and may be triggering. Episode Summary In the Season 4 Recap, Lisa & Natasha blast through the season’s standout moments — from compound grief to breaking mental health taboos, body-centered trauma, women and suicide, and powerful gues...