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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 getting 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. You can always schedule a time to chat about being a guest from my main website.
[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
Blackbird; A Mother's Reflection on Grief, Loss & Life After Suicide; Betsy Thibaut Stephenson
Welcome today fellow griever. I appreciate you, I see you and thank you so much for listening and if you can, please ---Support the show
Today, I release a recent conversation with Betsy Thibaut Stephenson to talk about her son Charlie who was a smart, witty, reserved, and was (silently) living with being 'unmotivated' & being depressed. Despite doing what seemed like all of the right things, Charlie, a rising senior in college, died by suicide in July of 2022 at only 21 years old. It was shocking and devastating -- and they are learning to live with it, to carry with it!
"Betsy Thibaut Stephenson lives in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband and labrador retrievers. When she isn't visiting her grown daughters in North Carolina and South Carolina, she is helping public affairs clients tell their story to policymakers and the media. Blackbird is her first book."
There are SO many take aways from this mom-to-mom heart-to-heart....
Here's a few of the highlights of our conversation include:
- How they responded as a family when Charlie reached out when he spoke out about his thoughts of self-harm from the first time.
- The trips to see him after he opened up-- and the letter she wrote him, that he carried with him & was found in his backpack after he was gone.
- The letters he wrote and left behind (not a suicide note, per se, but insight of sorts) & what those told his family & how they 'helped' them understand more
- The shock of his death-- and how they spoke 'the open truth' from the beginning.
- ALL of the 'signs; she gets from him now... why bringing him into 'everything" helps and makes it lighter somehow. (I love this part!)
- It's OK to be 'selfish' in your grief
- Why the title "Blackbird" for the book --- you HAVE TO HEAR THIS--- stuff you can NOT make up here people!??
- What IS Stuck Song Syndrome (OMG --- there's a name for it!!) LO-FI people -- LO-FI is the answer.... who knew?
There is SOOO much to this incredible chat that I think you will love --- I hope you will get this book and curl up
@blackbirdbetsy21 on Instagram
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My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.
I hope you will consider SUBMITTING A POEM OR LETTER to my NEW ANTHOLOGY PROJECT --- a book called "Because They Are Loved" SEE ALL OF THE DETAILS HERE!!
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