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
What to Watch (or Not); When Grief Insomnia Hits
We regularly find suicide as a subject matter on TV and in film these days...or at least more than we used to.... but being surprised by the plot or content is NOT always good. I like to try and give you a heads up when I can, so I am going to dive down the rabbit hole to talk about my current thoughts because I always have a list AND there is always new things coming out OR new ones being discovered...AND because I always go in and out of battles with 'grief insomnia' since losing Alex in 2016., the list needs to be long! As I said last year (in a Sept 2022 episode), when we watch movies with a theme toward suicide, grief or death, 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 just some of the current choices out there. Be sure to also check out the other 3 episodes from past seasons (or earlier this one).
Season 1 Ep 17 -What Am I Watching (aka binging)
Season 2 Ep 17 - To Watch or Not to Watch
Season 4 Ep 8 - Movies, Series & Documentaries; About Suicide Loss & Grief
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHICH ONES YOU HAVE SEEN AND YOUR TAKE ON THEM - from ANY of the episodes! Or others you would recommend watching - or not! 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. My heart and thoughts are always with you. The shows/movies that I discuss are not linked, You will have to search them to see where they might currently be available or streaming. - it changes too much to keep up): I am listing them as I discussed them in the episode.
Yes - For Distraction / Entertainment (not grief related, a new topic for me):
The Lost Kitchen
Somebody Feed Phil
Beach Cottage Chronicles
Wednesday
Stranger Things
Road Runner (documentary/biography & it straddles the next category for sure)
Probably (for Most) on Subject of Grief &/or Suicide:
Mare Of Easttown
Unstable
Those Left Behind
Aftersun
Proceed With Real Caution - No for Many:
The Discovery
A Man Called Otto
Super Mario Movie (Link Here to Post About)
Coming Soon (with new seasons) or Worth a Second Mention (from my earlier episode this season):
The Bear - new season coming.
Reservation Dogs -new season coming
Scattering CJ
Surviving Death And... MORE
My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" support central - MY HUB - and that means my different SUPPORT GROUP Options are available. ALSO, my first two books (tools I am creating for you!) in the "Facing Life After Suicide" series are available on AmazonIf 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 USAin Canada TEXT 686868 - in the UK TEXT 85258