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
Season Two ReCap; What Did You Miss?
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Today I review Season 2 as I prepare to launch Season 3 in a few weeks. There are certainly some great life lessons and tools to take away - and wonderful connections.
HERE IS THE LINK to The Podcast itself
Here is a list of the CONVERSATIONS with corresponding episode and release date to help. I am not detailing the Rabbit Hole episodes here, but I DO recap them in this podcast episode:
Episode 1 - June 6 - Dr Joshua Black - Grief Dreams Specialist
Episode 3 - June 20 Jamie Fabroa - a daughter who lost father & healer/advocate
Episode 5 - July 4 - Rebecca Jax - sister who lost brother - healer
Episode 7 - July 25 - Victoria Moore - wife who lost husband
Episode 9 - August 8 - Jennifer Ciotta (J India) - trauma & attempt survivor. Podcaster and enlightened healer
Episode 11 - August 22 - Linzi Meaden - sister who lost brother. Author, advocate and healer
Episode 13 - Sept 6 - Imogen Carn - daughter who lost mother. Podcaster and connector
Episode 14 - Sept 19 - Sharon Ehlers - lost best friend and significant ex - reiki healer
Episode 16 - Oct 3- Suzanne Howes - mother who lost son - coach and advocate
Episode 18 - Oct 18 - Laura Dove - friend/ex who lost friend/ex - art therapist
Episode 21 - Nov 7 - Vickie Stram - mother who lost son
You can also find all things The Leftover Pieces: on my WEBSITE
Or on MY INSTAGRAM BIO
My first two books (in the Survival series of Life After Suicide Loss) are out. Let me help you survive so that you may find Hope and eventually even start to heal.
A Survival Guide; Facing Life After Suicide Loss
AND
The Story of Your Survival; A Guided Journal to Navigate These Dark, Stormy Days
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My website "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is LIVE and that means my 2 x/mo FREE SUPPORT GROUP is available and much more will be coming in the months ahead leading into 2022
The website will be at www.theleftoverpieces.com (naturally, right?)
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with suicidal thoughts PLEASE reach out:
The National Suicide Lifeline is there for you
IN a crisis you can also TEXT--->
TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA
in Canada TEXT 686868
in the UK TEXT 85258
And Grievers, I am always here. You can find me at The Leftover Pieces
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
🔗 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.