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.
Episodes
318 episodes
Still Here: A New Year’s Eve Reflection
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, & gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 38
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7:21
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Journaling as a Lifeline After Suicide Loss: Reflection, Healing, and Support
In this episode of The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations, I’m joined by Sean Dadashi to explore how journaling can support healing after suicide loss. We talk about why journaling often becomes a lifeline for gr...
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Season 8
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Episode 21
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52:37
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Looking Back Without Judgment: Allowing Space and Grace
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 36
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3:29
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Sunday Softening: Letting the Season Settle
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 35
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2:40
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The Quiet Weekend: Letting Stillness Be Enough
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 34
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3:31
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After the Day: When the Body Finally Exhales
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 33
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3:18
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Christmas Day: Letting the Day Be What It Is
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 32
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3:31
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And the House Held Its Breath:’Twas a Christmas Eve Rebuilding
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 31
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3:59
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The Night Before the Big Days: Letting Anticipation Be What It Is
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 30
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3:59
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A New Week Begins: Letting Meaning Find You in the Quiet
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 28
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3:59
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The Eve of a Holiday Week: Holding Space for What’s Coming, Without Rushing Yourself
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 27
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4:17
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A Saturday to Breathe: Finding Space Amid the Noise of the Season
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 26
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3:10
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Surviving Early Suicide Loss: Honoring Austin’s Legacy Through Art, Horses, and Advocacy
In this episode of The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations, I’m joined by Jacquelyn Dickey, a mother navigating early suicide loss after the death of her son, Austin, who died on April 4, 2025, at the age of 30. A...
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Season 8
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Episode 12
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53:14
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The Courage to Stay Soft: Connection Without Performance
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 25
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4:17
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In the Middle of the Month, In the Middle of Your Grief: A Pause to Notice Yourself
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 24
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4:17
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Let Yourself Be Met: Receiving Care Without Shrinking Yourself
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 23
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3:44
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The Company You Keep: Letting Connection Meet You Where You Are
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! 👉
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Season 8
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Episode 22
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5:02
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Carrying What Matters Forward: Preparing Your Heart for the Week Ahead
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Week 3 Begins: “This past week, we’ve explored boundaries as acts of care —...
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Season 8
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Episode 19
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4:13
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A Sunday for Softening: Let the Day Be Gentle on Your Spirit
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! 👉
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Season 8
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Episode 19
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4:01
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The Impossible Math of Time: Marking Another Year Without Them
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 18
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7:52
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The Softness of the Weekend: A Little More Room to Breathe
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 17
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5:08
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Honoring What Helps, Releasing What Hurts: Letting Every Day Be Different
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉
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Season 8
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Episode 16
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5:08
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When “No” Becomes a Gift: Protecting Your Heart Without Apology
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! 👉
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Season 8
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Episode 14
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5:08
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The Quiet Yes, the Quiet No: Listening for What Your Heart Is Asking Today
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, and gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! 👉
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Season 8
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Episode 13
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5:08
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