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The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations
Suicide loss changes everything. The Leftover Pieces® Podcast explores life after suicide through honest conversations with survivors, experts, and grieving parents learning to live forward after unimaginable loss. Parents, partners, siblings, and friends share what it means to keep living when the world has been forever changed.
Hosted by Melissa Bottorff-Arey, whose 21-year-old son Alex died by suicide in 2016, the show blends intimate conversations with survivors, healers, and mental health professionals with short solo reflections you can actually use. Together we explore child loss, trauma and nervous-system care, anniversaries and seasons, stigma, faith and meaning, legacy, and the everyday practices that help make life livable again.
At its heart, this podcast is about learning to live forward after loss. We never move on from the people we love, but we can learn to carry the grief differently. This road can feel incredibly lonely—but you are not alone here.
For supporters, educators, and professionals, these conversations also offer insight into the realities of suicide grief and what genuine, non-fixing support can look like.
If you’d like to share your story or expertise, you can request to be a guest through Melissa’s website.
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Content Note
This podcast speaks candidly about grief and suicide loss and may feel activating for some listeners. We avoid graphic descriptions and discussion of suicide methods. Please care for yourself as needed. Melissa is not a doctor or licensed therapist, and nothing shared here should be considered medical or mental-health advice.
The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations
Hope, Healing & Connection; Julie Halpert of Garrett’s Space
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Today, in talking about life after suicide loss, I am releasing a recent chat with Julie Halpert - Garrett's mom, journalist, and co-founder of Garrett's Space. Tragically, Garrett died by suicide at 23 years old in 2017...He was incredibly bright, loved & talented. And Garrett struggled with his mental health on and off for years. These things came together as the inspiration for the work of Garrett's Space - a suicide prevention nonprofit.
They were about to 'break ground' at our recording on the physical facility near Ann Arbor, Michigan. This upcoming facility, along with the programs that Garrett's Space has been holding, is a beacon of hope for those struggling with their mental health.
Garrett's Space has been holding programs (online with monthly social gatherings) for young people to support their mental health. The upcoming 10,000-square-foot residential center, along with the 2000-square-foot creativity studio, is a testament to the incredible support of the community. The whole point, as Julie emphasizes, is to create a very homelike atmosphere. They are even working with a leading-class architect specializing in trauma-informed design, and they will. They also plan to offer this on a sliding scale; there'll be a service fee, but it should be available for anyone regardless of their ability to pay. The whole community has really rallied around this, and it is an incredible asset for the whole area there in Michigan.
This is an incredible episode, and it was my honor to have this conversation with Julie. Learn a bit more, and find the links below.
"Julie Halpert is an award-winning journalist, writing articles for dozens of widely read media outlets, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, covering many topics. She also teaches an environmental journalism course at the University of Michigan. She is the co-founder with her husband, Scott, of Garrett's Space, a suicide prevention nonprofit."
Be sure to go to their website below, and don't miss the incredible video of Garrett while you are there!
The Dinner Party (her daughter's community connection & mental health forward endeavor)
And, yes, we spoke about the SIBLING SUPPORT group in my community (click the link to find all support groups I have, including for moms and siblings -- spousal group in the planning)
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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 OR FUTURE PROJECTS
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
Click to Send a Text or Voicemail to Melissa
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The Leftover Pieces is Support for Life After Suicide Loss. Click links below
🎙 Leave me a message: Share a question, your story, or your person’s name for a future episode → theleftoverpieces.com/voicemail
Support After Suicide Loss
If you are grieving after suicide loss, you do not have to carry this alone.
Visit The Leftover Pieces for podcast episodes, grief support, resources, and ways to connect with Melissa’s work: https://theleftoverpieces.com
or Join Melissa’s email list: https://theleftoverpieces.com/join
If you someone you love is in immediate crisis or may be in danger, please call or text 988 in the United States. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line