).png)
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
Life After Suicide Loss: Rebuilding from Ruins—Bricks, Not Blueprints
There’s no master plan in suicide bereavement—just small bricks that actually hold.
Journal prompt: "A way to honor them by honoring me is…"
There’s no master plan—just weather and small bricks. Today is about doable over dazzling so the house you’re rebuilding can actually stand.
A Flicker (Hope) — Small done beats big imagined
Finish one tiny thing: rinse the mug, move bills to one stack, crack a window, light a candle. Finished equals a warmer room. Warmth counts.
To Rebuild (Healing) — Brick-of-the-Day (≤10 minutes)
- Pick a lane: Body · Home · Admin · Connection. Choose one tiny task.
- When/Then: “When it’s 10:30, then I’ll start the dishwasher.”
- Remove friction: set a 7–10 min timer, put items within reach, begin.
If activation > 6/10, pause, long exhale, pick a lighter brick. Finishing small is the win.
Take a Step (Becoming) — Value → micro-move
Choose a value (steady, truthful, kind, creative, brave, present). Translate to today’s micro-move:
Steady: add a daily 10-minute “Brick” block to your calendar.
Kind: schedule-send a two-sentence check-in to a fellow griever.
Creative: lay out one tool you’ll use tonight.
Brave: message to join/host a small grief-friendly meetup this month.
Choose-your-energy menu:
- Hollow (low): Drink a full glass of water and change your socks. Done.
- Healing (medium): Do one Brick-of-the-Day task with a timer. Stop when it dings. Name it out loud.
- Becoming (higher): Write one sentence for the week (e.g., “Fewer yeses, earlier exits”). Put it where you’ll see it.
Just for Today:
Rebuilding isn’t moving on—it’s creating enough structure to carry love and loss at the same time. Ten honest minutes today beats another day of waiting for perfect conditions. The house you’re making is lived-in, not staged; every small brick is proof you’re still here, still building.
One gentle breath. Keep what serves; leave the rest. I’ll see you tomorrow. 💜
__________________________________________________________________________
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE
💜 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.