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The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations
Suicide loss changes everything. This show is about life after suicide—real talk and practical support for grief after suicide: parents, partners, siblings, and friends finding their footing again. Each week, we explore what helps in suicide bereavement so you can keep going with honesty and hope.
Hosted by Melissa Bottorff-Arey, whose 21-year-old son, Alex, died by suicide in 2016, the podcast blends intimate conversations with survivors, healers, and mental health experts with short solo “Daily Nugget” episodes you can actually use. We cover child loss, trauma and nervous-system care, anniversaries and seasons, stigma, faith and meaning, legacy, and the everyday practices that make life livable again. You’ll hear grounded tools, language that honors your person, and the reminder that you are not broken—you are grieving.
For supporters and educators, these episodes offer insight into the realities of suicide grief and what genuine, non-fixing support looks like. If you’d like to share your story or expertise, you can request to be a guest via my website. 💜
Content Note
This podcast speaks candidly about difficult experiences and may feel activating. We avoid method details and graphic description. Please care for yourself as needed. I’m not a doctor or licensed therapist; nothing here is medical or mental-health advice.
The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations
Erin Blechman's Unexpected Journey; Reflections After Losing My Son to Suicide
Today I share my conversation with fellow (suicide loss) bereaved mom, author & speaker Erin Blechman. We discuss her incredible son Max, life after suicide loss of a child and her book My Unexpected Journey: Reflections After Losing My Son to Suicide. Everyone will have a takeaway from this one.....& Erin & I share so many of the same realities...including that hope does come back AND that time alone does not ‘fix’ anything (it’s what we do with that time that matters)!
In her own words:
"The loss of my Max has been devastating," shares Erin, " and it put me on the path to become an author, speaker, and certified Grief Educator. My goal is to elevate the conversation...and to help other bereaved parents deal with the loss of their own beloved child...In my book, 'My Unexpected Journey: Reflections After Losing My Son to Suicide', I chronicle the eighteen months following the devastating loss of my beloved son, Max to suicide after his long battle with mental illness. I offer grief support to bereaved parents through online groups and community talks that seek to build greater understanding of mental illness, suicide, loss and grief. I live part-time in both Pennsylvania and Florida with her husband, Bill and Max’s dog, Emmylou".
Today, Erin & I discuss:
- Her unexpected turn into complicated grief & her journey in the 4 years since
- Who was Max? Does she signs?... and some favorite memories
- When she first felt the 'nudge' to help others - her path to becoming a grief advocate, educator & resource to others like herself.
- The vantage point that the book was written from & her intentions & hopes for the book.
- Grief Illiteracy - why is it so profound AND how do we change it?
- Where does she go now from here...?
GET HER BOOK HERE -- "My Unexpected Journey: Reflections After Losing My Son to Suicide"
Follow Erin on:
Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
and on her WEBSITE
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My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.
For a way to leave a Legacy for your chi
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💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts.
🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement.
🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope.
🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here.
🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here.
📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741.