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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
A Chat with A.S. King; Coming Face-to-Face with Those Who Judged
Today I am releasing a conversation that I had recently with Amy King - Grace's mom. Amy also happens to be an incredible writer and award-winning YA author (psst... see down below) But the role she cherishes most in life, is being a mom to her two kiddos... she now bothers, like many of us, from both sides of 'the veil'. Gracie died by suicide in 2018.
Amy's "other" episode _ Season 4 Ep. 3 "Suicide is Normal AND Tragic"
And today, just a few things we chat about are:
- First, she talks about her loss survivor group & how it has influenced her
- Coming face-to-face with a mom who had previously) judged her family - and how hearing her say it out loud - impacted her.
- The myths and realities of 'prevention' & stigma & shame...
- Meaningful conversations everywhere - incl. LGBTQA+ spaces...
- Living in a community where she is still 'targeted' and yet, her resolve is stronger than ever!
- Judgement, safe spaces, Gracie's House, soup and more ...
Speaking our truth, judgement, creating safe spaces & having meaningful dialogue with teens (& others in our community) are key takeaways here. Take good care good you, my friend!
"A.S. King has been called “One of the best Y.A. writers working today” by the New York Times Book Review. King is the author of highly-acclaimed novels including 2021's SW/TCH, 2020 Michael L. Printz Award winner and LA Times Book Prize finalist DIG, 2016's Still Life with Tornado, 2015’s surrealist I Crawl Through It, Glory O'Brien's History of the Future, Reality Boy, the 2012 Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner, Ask the Passengers, Everybody Sees the Ants, 2011 Michael L. Printz Honor Book Please Ignore Vera Dietz among others. She also writes Middle Grade fiction as Amy Sarig King, including Attack of the Black Rectangles. She has edited an anthology of weird stories, The Collectors, which won the Michael L. Printz award in 2024, and will release a new YA novel, Pick the Lock, in fall 2024. In 2022, King received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. In 2023, she accepted the ALAN Award from The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE for her "artistry, courage, and outstanding contributions to the field of adolescent literature." She is a former faculty member of the Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and spends many months of the year traveling the country speaking to high school and university students, educators, and humans who care about the mental health of young people. After a decade living self-sufficiently and teaching literacy to adults in Ireland, she now lives in Pennsylvania."
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My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.
PS....The FIRST SESSION of the Legacy Writing Project in 2024 has finished BUT you can get on the list for the FINAL Group of the year starting August 14 group NOW!!
For a way to leave a Legacy of your child - GO HERE
If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA