Episodes

  • E10: The Distant Shore

    E10: The Distant Shore
    Jul 7 2026
    The series finale of Girl Overboard is a profoundly emotional exploration of the immediate and long-term aftermath of Sierra’s death. It begins with a poignant poem by Donna Ashworth, setting the stage for a narrative that reframes grief not as something to "move on" from, but as a companion to "move with".

    Reece recounts her return to college just a week after losing Sierra, describing the surreal experience of trying to resume "normal" life while in a state of shock and dissociation. Pat reflects on the isolation of experiencing grief as a man. Reece and her family look back on the nine years since Sierra’s passing, reflecting on how grief has transformed from a monster into a lifelong companion. Karen shares the incredible origin story of Hope Street, the recovery residence she founded in Sierra's honor. We hear about the beautiful legacy of healing that now lives within its walls.

    It's more than a conclusion; it’s the "starting of an adventure", a phrase Sierra herself used to describe the unpredictability and beauty of life.


    Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of substance use and death.

    Connect with Girl Overboard:
    • Website: www.girloverboardpod.com
    • Instagram: @girloverboardpod
    • Substack: girloverboard.substack.com - written bonus content released weekly!
    • Email: girloverboardpod@gmail.com
    • Listen & Review: If you find Sierra's story meaningful, please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
    Resources & Support:
    For information on substance use disorder, treatment options, and family support, visit www.girloverboardpod.com. If you’re in an immediate crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline.

    Credits:
    Co-created by Reece and Karen Carman. Produced and Engineered by Reece Carman. Associate Producer: Megan Sanchez.
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    29 mins
  • E9: March 12th, 2017

    E9: March 12th, 2017
    Jul 7 2026
    Episode 9 is a raw exploration of the day the Carman family’s world stood still. We hear the harrowing details of Sierra’s final night at the recovery residence, the frantic efforts to understand what had happened, and the agonizing realization that their worst fear had come true.

    Through the voices of Sierra’s sister, parents, and closest friends, this episode captures the initial, numbing shock of loss and the slow, painful process of piecing together a life without her. From the physical weight of sorrow to the small, inexplicable “God moments” that offered a glimmer of hope, we explore the concept of endurance in the face of the unthinkable.

    As the family prepares for the series finale, they reflect on the lessons learned through their loss and the enduring power of Sierra’s memory. It is a testament to the fact that while grief never fully disappears, we can learn to carry it with grace and purpose.

    Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of substance use, overdose, and death.

    Connect with Girl Overboard:
    • Website: www.girloverboardpod.com
    • Instagram: @girloverboardpod
    • Substack: girloverboard.substack.com - written bonus content released weekly!
    • Email: girloverboardpod@gmail.com
    • Listen & Review: If you find Sierra's story meaningful, please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
    Resources & Support:
    For information on substance use disorder, treatment options, and family support, visit www.girloverboardpod.com. If you’re in an immediate crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline.

    Credits:
    Co-created by Reece and Karen Carman. Produced and Engineered by Reece Carman. Associate Producer: Megan Sanchez.
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    33 mins
  • E8: We're All In The Boat

    E8: We're All In The Boat
    Jul 7 2026
    In late 2017, the Carman family found themselves back together for a rare, bittersweet Christmas in Austin. While the holiday was filled with laughter and the joy of a long-awaited reunion, the cracks in Sierra’s recovery were already beginning to show. From a simple "family sculpture" exercise that exposed a deep sense of isolation to the physical toll that signaled her body was under immense stress, the warning signs were there—even if they were too painful to fully acknowledge.

    This episode explores the dark side of recovery, specifically the vulnerability to abusive relationships and the "secondary" diseases, like bulimia, that can take hold when substances are removed. We hear the harrowing story of Sierra’s escape from a dangerous situation and the agonizing realization for her parents that, despite their best efforts, they couldn't always be there to shield her.

    Through tears and honest reflection, Reece and her parents navigate the difficult territory of regret: the moments they missed, the calls they didn't make, and the enduring power of a family bond that persists even when the boat feels tattered and worn.

    Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of substance use, eating disorders, and domestic abuse.

    Link to video

    Connect with Girl Overboard:
    • Website: www.girloverboardpod.com
    • Instagram: @girloverboardpod
    • Substack: girloverboard.substack.com - written bonus content released weekly!
    • Email: girloverboardpod@gmail.com
    • Listen & Review: If you find Sierra's story meaningful, please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
    Resources & Support:
    For information on substance use disorder, treatment options, and family support, visit www.girloverboardpod.com. If you’re in an immediate crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline.

    Credits:
    Co-created by Reece and Karen Carman. Produced and Engineered by Reece Carman. Associate Producer: Megan Sanchez.
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    48 mins
  • E7: Hopeful Glimmers And Money For Pills

    E7: Hopeful Glimmers And Money For Pills
    Jun 30 2026
    Episode 7 picks up in the winter of 2015, a time when a fresh sense of hope buoyed Sierra and her family. Sierra had decided to return to treatment on her own terms, and for a fleeting moment, the weight of addiction seemed to lift. Reece and Karen reflect on that hopeful Christmas and a rare, joyful afternoon at the mall—a glimpse of the "old Sierra" that remains a cherished memory.

    But as the winter turned to spring, that hope was tested by the brutal reality of relapse. Through Sierra’s own heartbreaking journal entries, we hear her internal war: the desperate desire to be a role model for her sister, the crushing shame of feeling "unfixable", and the terrifying realization that she hadn’t yet hit bottom.

    This episode also dives into the medical complexities of recovery. Reece speaks with William Moyers, VP at the Hazelden Foundation and NY Times best-selling author, to explore the life-saving potential and the social stigma of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT). We hear the harrowing story of Sierra’s physical rejection of Suboxone and the impossible choice her parents faced when they realized that, sometimes, supporting an addict means watching them fall.

    From a trip to Texas to a father’s tearful blessing for his daughter, Episode 7 is a raw look at a family’s tireless effort to save the person they love.

    Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of substance use.

    Connect with Girl Overboard:
    • Website: www.girloverboardpod.com
    • Instagram: @girloverboardpod
    • Substack: girloverboard.substack.com - written bonus content released weekly!
    • Email: girloverboardpod@gmail.com
    • Listen & Review: If you find Sierra's story meaningful, please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
    Resources & Support:
    For information on substance use disorder, treatment options, and family support, visit www.girloverboardpod.com. If you’re in an immediate crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline.

    Credits:
    Co-created by Reece and Karen Carman. Produced and Engineered by Reece Carman. Associate Producer: Megan Sanchez.
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    27 mins
  • E6: Three Friends In Portland

    E6: Three Friends In Portland
    Jun 30 2026
    In this episode, Sierra leaves treatment and moves to Portland with two friends (Jonathan and Andrew), a move that quickly goes awry, leading her to move in with her grandma. What follows is a painful chapter: relapse, the discovery of heroin use, seizures, and a family trying to keep it all together.

    Reece and Karen sit down with Jonathan and Andrew to piece together Sierra’s time in Portland, the red flags, and the chaotic cleanup of a room full of drug paraphernalia. On the drive home, Karen keeps spotting rainbows—small, fragile signs of hope amid grief and confusion. This episode examines how families try to respond to relapse and the complicated mix of love, guilt, and hope that follows.

    Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of substance use.

    Connect with Girl Overboard:
    • Website: www.girloverboardpod.com
    • Instagram: @girloverboardpod
    • Substack: girloverboard.substack.com - written bonus content released weekly!
    • Email: girloverboardpod@gmail.com
    • Listen & Review: If you find Sierra's story meaningful, please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
    Resources & Support:
    For information on substance use disorder, treatment options, and family support, visit www.girloverboardpod.com/resources. If you’re in an immediate crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline.

    Credits:
    Co-created by Reece and Karen Carman. Produced and Engineered by Reece Carman. Associate Producer: Megan Sanchez.
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    39 mins
  • E5: A Blurry And Horrible Night

    E5: A Blurry And Horrible Night
    Jun 23 2026
    In the early morning hours of Christmas Eve 2014, the Carman family’s world was turned upside down. Cousin Maddy recounts how a holiday party turned into a life-altering emergency as Sierra faced a near-fatal overdose.

    In this deeply personal episode, the family recalls the harrowing events of that night and the complicated days that followed. From the life-saving role of Narcan to the intense feelings of guilt, anger, and fear that rippled through the family. In this episode, we explore:
    Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of substance use and overdose.

    Connect with Girl Overboard:
    • Website: www.girloverboardpod.com
    • Instagram: @girloverboardpod
    • Substack: girloverboard.substack.com - written bonus content released weekly!
    • Email: girloverboardpod@gmail.com
    • Listen & Review: If you find Sierra's story meaningful, please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
    Resources & Support:
    For information on substance use disorder, treatment options, and family support, visit www.girloverboardpod.com/resources. If you’re in an immediate crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline.

    Credits:
    Co-created by Reece and Karen Carman. Produced and Engineered by Reece Carman. Associate Producer: Megan Sanchez.
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    36 mins
  • E4: We're Going To A Desert Island

    E4: We're Going To A Desert Island
    Jun 23 2026
    This episode follows Sierra into her college years—when “normal” growing pains blur into something far more dangerous. Reece, Karen, and cousin Maddy piece together the moments they missed in real time: the mysterious illnesses, the mailed pills, the intensity that didn’t match what everyone else was going through at 19 or 20.

    Through their memories, we hear Sierra exploring substances in college, how easy it was to explain away warning signs, and how hard it is, years later, not to blame themselves for what they didn’t yet understand.

    This is the story of a family doing their best with the information they had, and the slow, painful realization that love alone can’t cure a disease.

    Trigger Warning:     This episode includes discussion of substance use.

    Connect with Girl Overboard:
    • Website: www.girloverboardpod.com
    • Instagram: @girloverboardpod
    • Substack: girloverboard.substack.com - written bonus content released weekly!
    • Email: girloverboardpod@gmail.com
    • Listen & Review: If you find Sierra's story meaningful, please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
    Resources & Support:
    For information on substance use disorder, treatment options, and family support, visit www.girloverboardpod.com. If you’re in an immediate crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline.

    Credits:
    Co-created by Reece and Karen Carman. Produced and Engineered by Reece Carman. Associate Producer: Megan Sanchez.
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    34 mins
  • E3: A Day In June

    E3: A Day In June
    Jun 16 2026
    In this episode, Reece and Karen are joined by Detective Marcus Goodwater and family counselor Danny to confront the trauma that fundamentally altered the course of Sierra’s life.

    This episode peels back the layers on the physical, emotional, personal, and relational impact of sexual assault. Through Sierra’s own journal entries from 2010, we hear the heartbreaking contrast between her youthful excitement for summer camp and the immediate, shattering aftermath of her abuse. Detective Goodwater provides a rare look into the reality of sex crimes investigations, the complexities of the legal system, and the heavy emotional burden carried by those seeking justice.

    Together, the group discusses the undeniable correlation between trauma and the onset of addiction, exploring why survivors often turn to substance use to "make reality disappear." We also go inside the courtroom to hear about the 2017 trial, and the vierdict's impact on Sierra's family.

    Trigger Warning: This episode contains detailed discussions of sexual assault, substance use, and trauma. This content may be difficult for some listeners. Please prioritize your well-being while listening.

    Resources & Support: If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, help is available. Visit www.girloverboardpod.com/resources for resources, or contact the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.

    Connect with Girl Overboard:
    • Website: www.girloverboardpod.com
    • Instagram: @girloverboardpod Join the conversation on our social media channels as we break the silence on these critical issues.
    • Substack: girloverboard.substack.com - written bonus content released weekly!
    • Email: girloverboardpod@gmail.com
    • Listen & Review: If you find Sierra's story meaningful, please leave us a review and share this episode with someone who may benefit from hearing it.
    Credits: Co-created by Reece and Karen Carman. Produced and Engineered by Reece Carman. Associate Producer: Megan Sanchez.
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    26 mins