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
Dads Grief Matters; David James of The Peyton Heart Project
Today I release an impactful conversation that I had recently with Peyton James' dad - David. Peyton was an incredible young man who died by suicide in 2014 and while his dad will feel his absence for the rest of his life, he takes some comfort in spreading the ripple effects of Peyton's life with hope through the legacy foundation started in his sons' name - The Peyton Heart Project. You should ALL take a look and consider getting involved at the link below-- they make it super easy!!
Among other things we discuss stigma, mental health in schools, organ donorship and how dads grief matters - deeply - and yet often feel forgotten or like they have nowhere to turn to find support. We also discuss how suicide loss is different. This dad has definitely leaned into his pain to find purpose. This is one for everyone to listen to!
READ MORE HERE on the Peyton Heart WEBSITE
At the Peyton Heart Project, our mission is to raise global awareness about suicide, bullying, and to help end the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
We’re doing this through our campaign of distributing small, knitted and crocheted hearts with inspirational messages in locations where we hope they’ll be easily found. To date, we’ve scattered over 100,000 hearts all across the country and the world.
You can help us spread our message by making hearts and shipping them to us or scattering them yourself, or we’ll gladly ship you a package of hearts that you can use to spread our message. Our project is donor-funded, so we ask that you keep us in mind in your giving plans. Thank you for your generous support. We couldn’t do it without you.
"David is the father of The Peyton Heart Project’s namesake, Peyton James. After losing Peyton to suicide in 2014, David set out to raise awareness of mental health issues and suicide so that other families wouldn't feel the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. Knowing that education is the key to prevention, David has lobbied for laws in his home state of Texas that require educators to be trained yearly in suicide awareness. He also speaks at various events using Peyton’s story to help others. He resides in the Texas Hill Country with his wife Lisa, daughter Emmalee, and two corgis Earl and Zelda."
Again --- Find all of the great things they do HERE
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My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.
PS....The Legacy Writing Project in 2024 has finished. Volume 5 is out in the world ...GET ON THE LIST NOW for the SINGLE DATE start for 2025
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 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada