The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations
Suicide loss changes everything. The Leftover Pieces® Podcast explores life after suicide through honest conversations with survivors, experts, and grieving parents learning to live forward after unimaginable loss. Parents, partners, siblings, and friends share what it means to keep living when the world has been forever changed.
Hosted by Melissa Bottorff-Arey, whose 21-year-old son Alex died by suicide in 2016, the show blends intimate conversations with survivors, healers, and mental health professionals with short solo reflections you can actually use. Together we explore child loss, trauma and nervous-system care, anniversaries and seasons, stigma, faith and meaning, legacy, and the everyday practices that help make life livable again.
At its heart, this podcast is about learning to live forward after loss. We never move on from the people we love, but we can learn to carry the grief differently. This road can feel incredibly lonely—but you are not alone here.
For supporters, educators, and professionals, these conversations also offer insight into the realities of suicide grief and what genuine, non-fixing support can look like.
If you’d like to share your story or expertise, you can request to be a guest through Melissa’s website.
💜
Content Note
This podcast speaks candidly about grief and suicide loss and may feel activating for some listeners. We avoid graphic descriptions and discussion of suicide methods. Please care for yourself as needed. Melissa is not a doctor or licensed therapist, and nothing shared here should be considered medical or mental-health advice.
The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations
Trauma Induced Creativity; Why Helping Helps Us
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In today's "Down the Rabbit Hole" episode in life after a suicide loss, I talk about why helping helps - you know, why 'getting involved' or writing or painting - HELPS. I go into a lot of things here but the resulting message all ties back to why DOING or HELPING actually helps us move forward and heal!
I have included a few links of 'places & spaces' that you may wish to look at in order to get involved.
- AFSP - Volunteer (many ways to get involved)
- Peyton Heart Project A global project created to help end suicide and bullying and the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
- Active Minds changing the conversation about mental health
- HicksStrong Supporting Heros (helping raise funds and awareness so they can provide therapy to veterans and enlisted military struggling with mental health)
- Everytown for Gun Safety (leading organization that promotes gun safety and support after suicide by firearm)
There are SO MANY place we can find to put our energy - our creativity! Let me know if I can help plug you in based on your interests or passions.
I have also included one of which takes you to the signing up space to get started in our very own "Picking up the Pieces" Community HERE. It's in the beginning phase so dive on in now and help to make it exactly what you need!
_______________________________________________
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
Go DIRECTLY to my SUPPORT page here where yo9u will find ALL of the ways to connect and find support
My first two books (tools I am creating for you!) in the "Facing Life After Suicide" series are available on Amazon
The website again is at www.theleftoverpieces.com
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with suicidal t
__________________________________________________________________________
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE
💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts.
🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement.
🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope.
🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here.
🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here.
📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741.