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.
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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
The Words in Life After Suicide; Do You Say Angelversary or Death Day?
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Today I go down the rabbit hole to discuss the words we choose, and why, and how do we even ever become more comfortable with talking about this and saying or choosing the words that we are OK with?
You will hear me discuss:
- The words we choose to refer to their birthday and the day they died.
- Why we choose these words.
- Is there a right or wrong thing to say?
- How to grow forward in this area -- and our grief
- Why knowledge = power
- and more ...
And speaking of the trauma... do you need to start your trauma healing journey? I have created a good place to start ...FIND my "Growth in Grief; Healing our Mind, Body & Spirit" COURSE INFO HERE
and for reading the show notes, I have a GIFT for you
So.....
CLICK HERE to GET $50 off now. Thank you for listening and learning and growing with me. I appreciate you. AOT :)
Also see the links below to check out all of the NEW things happening here at the Leftover Pieces. Talk soon! - Melissa
PS....LAST SESSION of the Legacy Writing Project for 2023 starting August 16 (sign ups close at week 2 Aug 23 ) BUT you can get on the wait list for january anytime!
For a way to leave a Legacy of your child - GO HERE
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My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" support central - MY HUB - and that means my different SUPPORT GROUP Options are available. I work to meet the needs of the three main things all moms say they need after the loss of their child by suicide - resources (at the time of loss and beyond), a community of connection that 'gets it' and a way to ensure that their child leaves an enduring legacy in this world!
For resources go to my Resource Page HERE
For Community, go t my Support Page HERE where you will find ALL of the ways to connect and find support.
The latest Legacy project is NOW published as a BOOK -- GET IT HERE!!!
ALSO, my first two books (tools I have created for you!) in the "F
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💜 The Leftover Pieces is support for life after suicide loss. Click links below
🎙 Leave me a message: Share a question, your story, or your person’s name for a future episode → theleftoverpieces.com/voicemail
🔗 Stay connected: Join my email community for weekly support, resources, and honest conversations.
🛠 Start here: Explore website for suicide loss resources for early grief, family support, and next steps.
🤝 For moms: One-on-one grief coaching for mothers navigating life after child loss.
📞 Need support right now? If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988 (U.S. & Canada), or text HOME to 741741.