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The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations
This podcast focuses on surviving life after a suicide loss, an experience that can be devastating and leave you feeling lost as you try to pick up the pieces of your shattered heart. The host, Melissa Bottorff-Arey, lost her 21-year-old son, Alex, to suicide on August 7, 2016, and brings (& often shares) her insights from her personal journey.
In each episode, Melissa engages in honest and challenging conversations with other survivors of loss, healers, and mental health experts. She also produces shorter solo episodes where she reflects on her own thoughts and experiences thus far. The podcast covers a wide range of relevant topics and addresses difficult questions. Melissa explores all aspects of grief, including trauma, hope, healing, self-care, legacy, and stigma. She believes that we learn to live alongside our grief rather than get ing over it. Actual change comes through authentic, meaningful connections and mindful choices.
For supporters or educators, these conversations provide valuable insights and shine a light on suicide and grief genuinely and unapologetically. Listeners who are grieving a suicide loss can find comfort in the community and hope for a better tomorrow. Melissa aims to help others, like herself, transition from merely surviving to discovering a life filled with meaning and, potentially, even happiness amid the leftover pieces around you.
[Please NOTE: This podcast is for only relational, informational, and entertainment purposes. It candidly and openly discusses sensitive and sometimes activating topics. There will be no in-depth or graphic descriptions of the method, but merely the possible mention of suicide, murder, rape, and the like. Be guided and care for yourself accordingly. Also, Melissa is not a doctor or licensed therapist, and nothing on this podcast should be taken in place of, or as, medical/mental health advice or recommendations.]
The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations
Suicide by Firearm; Two Survivors United for Change
Today, I sit down with two survivors left behind after losing their loved ones to suicide. Debbie lost her father Don 12 years ago, and Adrianna's brother Luc died in May of 2017 - both died by suicide with a firearm. These ladies are both a part of the "Everytown for Gun Safety" organization - although in different roles and capacities. Their stories are meaningful and deserve an attentive listen.
Today we discuss:
- Sibling AND Parent Suicide Loss
- Advocacy for Gun Safety as it relates to suicides
- Gun Safety initiatives, ERPO's, Education and more being done to help reduce death by firearm
- Why working with other survivors like yourself, finding a COMMUNITY, is helpful in healing
You can find "EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY" HERE
to Volunteer (if you are not a survivor) Text - READY to 64433
Want to GET INVOLVED? FIND SUPPORT? Text SURVIVOR to 64433
their SURVIVORS NETWORK HERE
Debbie Weir (She/Hers, Washington DC) - Debbie is the Chief Mission Officer at Everytown for Gun Safety. She works to ensure that those in the gun violence prevention movement, whether volunteers, survivors of gun violence, or her colleagues, have a better understanding of trauma and the different (and less obvious) forms it can take. Debbie is in leadership for the organization as well as the Survivor Team and is a great representative for us. She also identifies as a survivor of gun violence - she lost her father to firearm suicide.
Adriana Pentz (She/Hers, Sleepy Hollow, NY): Adriana is a Fellow with the Everytown Survivor Network. Adriana's brother, Luc-John, took his life with a gun on May 23rd, 2017, in Wallingford, CT. Adriana is a volunteer on the community outreach committee of the Moms Demand Action chapter in Westchester.
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My website "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is LIVE and that means my different SUPPORT SPACE Options are available and much more will be coming in 2022
My first two books in the "Facing Life After Suicide" series are available on Amazon
The website will be at www.theleftoverpieces.com
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with suicidal thoughts PLEASE reach out:
The National Suicide Lifeline is there for you
IN a crisis you can also TEXT--->
TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA
in Canada TEXT 686868
in the UK TEXT 85258
And Grievers, I am always here. You can find me at The Leftover Pieces