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
To Watch or Not to Watch; Suicide as Subject Matter on Screen
We regularly find suicide as a subject matter on TV and in film these days. But since suicide is such a pervading theme in this life we now live, the question remains - to watch or not? Does the content activate you or help you? Since the reasons these films, or shows, are made can be so diverse - to educate, to cause fear or shock or disgust, or even to provoke or bring about change and awareness - so are our reasons for choosing, or not choosing, to watch them.
Today, I explore and discuss some of the current choices out there (though there are way to many for one episode) AND I will give MY opinion on whether I have watched it and how it affected me, or if I haven't watched it, if I plan to, and why? I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHICH ONES YOU HAVE SEEN AND YOUR TAKE!
I will also disclaim this episode as I do all others - take that which serves you and leave the rest. We are all on a very individual journey, and at different spaces inside of each journey, so know that I do understand that completely. I only hope some of what I share will be of help sometimes. My heart and thoughts are always with you.
The shows/movies that I discuss (or mention) are (they are not linked, you will have to search):
- Nine Perfect Strangers (Mini series - one of the themes)
- Evelyn (documentary)
- Audrie & Daisy (documentary)
- 13 Reasons Why; Beyond the Reasons
- A Star is Born (not theme, just in the final scene)
- A Million Little Things (tv series - underlying or initial theme)
- Bird Box
- Archie's Final Project (aka My Suicide)
- Perks of Being a Wallflower
- Girl Interrupted
- The Haunting of Hill House (just some imagery)
- All the Bright Place (theme but also how grief and trauma are handles and change)
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My brand NEW website "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is LIVE and that means my 2 x/mo FREE SUPPORT GROUP is available (it begins Oct 2) AND my first coaching options are available. The first (3 month) group is planned to begin NOVEMBER 3 and there will be a new group begin every 10 weeks after. There will be limited spots in each group so let me know if you want on the notify list! These groups will be one part community, one part discovery/growth. I believe these two things are intertwined for us in the earlier stages of grief especially.
Interested? Please DM me on Instagram or email me at anytime melissa@theleftoverpieces.com
The website will be at www.theleftoverpieces.com (naturally, right?)
Please reach out to me if you know of someone that I should talk to or if you yourself would like to have a conversation around the suicide loss and grief space. Instagram is probably still the best way to contact me or directly through email. I am already scheduling people into this FALL so it's not too soon to reach out!
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 on at The Leftover Pieces