%20(1080%20x%201080%20px).png)
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.
💜
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 Dealer Larry Carlat; Rob's Space in the Heart
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Today I share a recent chat with Larry Carlat. He is a writer, author, a retired editor, a grief coach -- and the bereaved father of Rob, his son who died by suicide. This is life after suicide in a packed-full-of lived-experience-wisdom and hope-filled conversation.
One of the chapters in his book "A Space in the Heart" is called The Soul Knows When It's Time to Go...and you can listen to us discuss this, and synchronicities, and our kids being connected to other parents (deceased) kids, and hopelessness and hopefulness and So. Much. More!!! Oh .... and we both lean into CHOICES as a big part of this journey, especially after year one.
His book is an incredible read and an even better 'helper' as a way to make it through, day by day, 'poco a poco' as I now say...
In the book he breaks it down like this:
Part One - is The End of Your Life (as you know it)
Part Two -- is The Middle (moving through grief)
Part Three - is The beginning (of creating this new life)
He reads several parts of this incredible book including one called "We are Extraordinary Parents" (versus extra ordinary) and do stay until the end and hear "Parts of You" and "A Little Reminder" at the end.... which isn't the actual end...you will want to read it over and over but go get it!
A Space in the Heart Book; A Survival Guide for Grieving Parents his book
Grief for Guys 1:1 Coaching for Men
__________________________________________________________________________
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
__________________________________________________________________________
💜 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
🔗 Stay connected: Join my email community for weekly support, resources, and honest conversations.
🛠 Start here: Explore website for suicide loss resources for early grief, family support, and next steps.
🤝 For moms: One-on-one grief coaching for mothers navigating life after child loss.
📞 Need support right now? If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988 (U.S. & Canada), or text HOME to 741741.