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
Deciphering the Words People Use; Untangling Acceptance
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In this episode, I go down the rabbit hole to discuss the concept of acceptance, or acceptable, as it pertains to our loss. Words can be so very tricky.
I am anxious to know your feelings after you listen to this episode. Do you agree? Have you encountered this with others wondering why you can’t “accept” your loss? Is your loss acceptable to you?
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I launched Season 5 last week with a very exciting first episode directly from the book launch Zoom event for the latest legacy book “Because They Lived; Stories & Memories of Amazing Kids Lost to Suicide. As Told by the Moms They Left Behind” (Volume 3) and TWO Down the Rabbit Hole episodes as well. If you haven’t listened, you should when you have time!
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Remember to look for me again WEEKLY with a mixture of longer conversational episodes and the shorter solo down the rabbit hole episodes, roundtables and more.... I have missed you friends and am glad to be back!
You can look for me again WEEKLY with a mixture of longer conversational episodes and the shorter solo down the rabbit hole episodes, roundtables and more.... I will drop episodes between Sunday night & Monday night but the best way to know a new one is out, is still to subscribe to be notified from you podcast platform.
THANK YOU for listening to this episode. It means the world!
Check out ALL of my books including the lastet legacy book (and there's more on the way!) -- CLICK HERE!!
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
Click to Send a Text or Voicemail to Melissa
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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
Support After Suicide Loss
If you are grieving after suicide loss, you do not have to carry this alone.
Visit The Leftover Pieces for podcast episodes, grief support, resources, and ways to connect with Melissa’s work: https://theleftoverpieces.com
or Join Melissa’s email list: https://theleftoverpieces.com/join
If you someone you love is in immediate crisis or may be in danger, please call or text 988 in the United States. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line