Lisa Sugarman on Grieving Her Father Twice and Rewriting the Story

What happens when the story you've believed for 35 years turns out to be incomplete?

When Lisa Sugarman was ten, she was told her father died of a heart attack. But decades later, one unexpected question revealed a long-held secret that shifted everything. In this open and emotionally honest conversation, Lisa and I explore what it means to grieve someone twice, how silence can shape our stories, and the power of finally speaking the truth out loud.

You’ll hear how she:

• Moved through deep grief and anger after learning her father died by suicide
• Found clarity by reframing her beliefs about mental illness
• Channeled her story into service and created a safe space for others to heal

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Lisa Sugarman is an author, a nationally syndicated columnist, a 3x survivor of suicide loss, and a mental health advocate. She serves as a storyteller with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a crisis counselor with The Trevor Project, and the founder of The HelpHUB, a free and inclusive online platform offering mental health resources, tools, and crisis support. Lisa is the cohost of The Survivors Podcast, a facilitator for Safe Place support groups at Samaritans Southcoast in Boston, and a contributor to the Mental Health Television Network (MHTN). Her writing has appeared in outlets such as Healthline Parenthood, Psychology Today, Thrive Global, The Washington Post, and TODAY Parents. She is also the author of How To Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids And Be Ok With It, Untying Parent Anxiety, and LIFE: It Is What It Is.

Lisa lives and writes just north of Boston. You can connect with her at TheHelpHUB.co.

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The Life Shift Podcast shares real, honest conversations about the pivotal moments that transform lives. Host Matt Gilhooly invites guests to explore the life-changing events, unexpected challenges, and personal awakenings that have shaped who they are today. 

Through candid storytelling, listeners discover powerful journeys of identity, resilience, grief, healing, and growth. If you’re drawn to personal growth stories, inspired by how people rebuild after loss, or fascinated by the quiet moments that spark profound change, The Life Shift offers heartfelt insight and inspiration. New episodes every Tuesday.

Listen in and find connection in the stories that make us who we are.

For more information, please visit: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com