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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
A Daughter's Love; Life After the Suicide Loss of Her Mum
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Click to Send a Text or Voicemail to Melissa
Today I turn the microphone Caro's direction as she sits on the other side of the interview for a change. Many of you know Caro Brookings from her semi-yearly Interview Series. Twice a year Caro holds these amazing speaker series where you can hear 20+ suicide loss experts share their experiences and knowledge. I have been privileged to be a guest speaker all 4 times plus the upcoming one next week, Nov 6-10, 2023.
In her words: "After my Mum took her life in 2013, I quickly realized that there isn't enough support out there for suicide loss survivors.
I struggled with complex grief, including feelings of guilt. After trying every healing strategy under the sun, I finally found the one which works when I learned all about refuting thoughts and rewiring the brain.
I am now a Certified NeuroCoach and grief coach. I use brain based, science backed methods, as well as drawing from my vast experience, to support my clients find inner peace and even joy again - for good."
Today we get personal in Caro's loss journey. Losing a parent to suicide is a complicated loss of a lifetime that changes a child permanently.
This conversation was a joy to have. I enjoyed getting to know more about Caro's personal journey & I think you will also.
Some of the things Caro & I speak to are:
- How the loss of her Mum to suicide impacted her life
- What did her 'timeline' look like?
- What she discovered that changed so she could heal her trauma
- How she parents her children & talks about her mum to them
- And so much more...
Register for the FREE "Navigating Conversations After Suicide Loss "Interview Series HERE
AND
HERE are ALL of the other ways to find Caro
facebook.com/suicidebereavementcoaching
instagram.com/suicidebereavementcoaching
facebook.com/groups/healingaftersuicideloss
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PS....LAST SESSION of the Legacy Writing Project for 2023 began August 16 BUT you can get on the wait list for the February 7, 2024, group NOW!!
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.
The latest Legacy projects are NOW published BOOKS -- GET THEM HERE!!!
ALSO, my first two books (tools I have created for you!) in the "Facing Life After Suicide" series are available on Amazon
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with suicidal thoughts PLEASE reach out:
CALL 988 OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA
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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.