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The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations
You have found a podcast about surviving life after a suicide loss, which is nothing short of devastating, leaving you not knowing how to begin picking up the leftover pieces of your shattered heart. The host, Melissa Bottorff-Arey, who lost her 21-year-old son Alex to suicide on August 7, 2016, speaks to this from her own experiences. You will hear her have honest, hard conversations with other loss survivors, healers, and mental health experts on the podcast. She also produces shorter, solo episodes where she shares her own thoughts & experiences in this journey (thus far). She explores relevant topics and asks the hard questions. Nothing is 'off limit' as she delves into all areas of this grief, such as trauma, hope, healing, self-care, legacy & stigma. Melissa believes we learn to live alongside our grief, not get over it. We can make a difference only through authentic, meaningful connections and mindful choices. For a supporter or educator, these conversations hold nuggets of awareness and shine a spotlight on suicide and grief honestly and unapologetically. As a suicide loss griever, one can find the comfort of a community and hope for a little brighter tomorrow. Melissa wants to help others, like herself, go from surviving to finding a life with meaning, maybe even happiness, amid their own leftover pieces.
[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
Life After Suicide Loss; A Friend-to-Friend Round Table Discussion
Today you are getting the much-anticipated, long promised (& finally here)- friends roundtable episode! And it was so. worth. the. wait!
After loss it feels like (publicly) there is so much that is centered around the immediate family and friends often seem 'forgotten' or definitely might feel unseen in their grief. It's really important to me to give them a voice because their loss was NOT small or inconsequential, at all! It was so very relevant and important in their lives!
Today I talk with three amazing humans who all lost a dear friend to suicide. A fourth friend who couldn't join, is represented by submitting answers to the talking points and I read these answers to Intermingle his answers in between the other's answers.
We here from Christian Murillo & Branislav Tadic from North Kansas City, Missouri here in the States and also from Oakley Mengel from Elkford, British Columbia, Canada. Brock Lorenzen (also from NKC) submitted his answers (and I read them for him in his absence).
Christian, Brock and Branislav lost their friend (my son) Alex and Oakley lost her dear, best friend Donavon.
This conversation is a joy and heartbreaking all at once, but it is so very, very powerful and I am SO THANKFUL that we had this time!
Some of the things we speak to are:
- How the loss of their friends affected their life - at the time of loss & now
- Do you ever receive signs from spirit?
- Were you treated 'differently' as "just" a friend?
- And they offer GREAT encouragement for surviving and thriving after this loss while you still carry them forward with you in life
- And so much more ...
Such an IMPACTFUL & AMAZING conversation - like me, I think that you will take a WHOLE lot from this! It was a REAL GIFT FOR ME!!
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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