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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
Grief After Suicide: Regulate First—Nervous System Basics You’ll Use
Tiny regulation beats big resolve; two minutes can calm a body carrying suicide loss.
Journal prompt: “One thing my body asked for (and what I did)…”
Small regulation beats big resolve. Today is about tools you’ll actually use in under two minutes.
A Flicker (Hope) — Your body gives you clues
Jaw unclenches after a slower exhale. Shoulders drop when you step outside. A tiny shift is still a shift—keep it.
To Rebuild (Healing) — 3 quick resets (pick one)
Orienting (60–90s): Look around and name 5 things you see, 3 you hear, 1 you feel on your skin.
3-3-6 breath (60s): Inhale 3 • hold 3 • exhale 6. Repeat 5 times.
Warm/Cold contrast (30–60s): Warm drink or cool splash on wrists/face → slow exhale.
Take a Step (Becoming) — Pre-game your transitions
Choose one daily transition (wake-up, commute, post-work). Pair it with a 60–90 second reset above. Put it on your calendar as “Regulate first.”
Choose-your-energy menu:
- Hollow (low): 3-3-6 breath for one minute. Stop there.
- Healing (medium): Do orienting + a long exhale before your next task.
- Becoming (higher): Attach a reset to two transitions today (e.g., before email, before sleep).
Food for Thought:
Regulation isn’t about becoming calm; it’s about becoming capable. When your body feels a little safer, choices return. You don’t need perfect peace to move—just enough steadiness to take the next honest inch. That counts, every time.
Exhale. Keep what serves you; leave the rest. I’ll be here again tomorrow. 💜
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💜 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.