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
What to Say; What Not to Say (TO Suicide Loss Grievers or AS a Griever in Response)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
SUCH a complicated topic... BUT it comes up ALL of the time in conversations with other suicide loss grievers. People say all sorts of things to grievers - especially about suicide loss.
THIS IS HARD. Right?
How would we respond to someone in our position before we know what we do now? I know that's asking a lot to have you think about that BUT I do it because ultimately I want us all to have great support from the people that love us - and yes, sometimes they say the wrong thing. (and sometimes they are the wrong people) ? Remember to first care for yourself and your mental wellness, but then when you can, give some grace to the ones that DO come forward and at least see us - because so many do not.
Today I cover -
- The top 9 most common things that myself and fellow grievers hear - not only in the early days but ongoing.
- How we can respond while creating less stress and anxiety for ourselves
- How sometimes we can bring awareness and teach
- How to go about knowing how to respond to these situations for yourself
- Plus some news about a 2023 Moms Grief retreat in Mexico and more. ..
Don't forget to visit MY WEBSITE www.theleftoverpieces.com
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My website "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central - MY HUB - and that means my different SUPPORT GROUP Options are available and much more will be coming in 2022 and 2023 "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You"
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
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 at The Leftover Pieces
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