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.

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Author A.S.King Talks; Suicide IS Normal AND Tragic

Today I am sharing my thought-provoking conversation with mom and author A.S. King (aka Amy to friends). She shares about her daughter Gracie who died by suicide in Dec. of 2018. She openly talks abo...

23 Elo 20221h 24min

My Carefully Cultivated Life: Rebuilding After Suicide Loss

Today I is one of my short, solo episodes where I "go down the rabbit hole" to talk about life after suicide loss. Specifically today I am talking about my life as I have intentionally, carefully cult...

14 Elo 202223min

Six Years Later; My Family Sits Down to Reflect

Today is an extra personal episode … we are officially kicking off Season 4. This season comes out as our family hits 6 years since my 21-year-old son Alex died by suicide. For this season premiere ep...

11 Elo 20221h 19min

Season 3 Recap; Meaningful Conversations Revisited

Today I review all of the conversations and content of Season 3 as I look ahead to Season 4. This is meant to be an overview for you, the listener, in case you haven't heard them all - you may discove...

25 Heinä 202235min

Relationships After Suicide Loss; Is Implicit Bias Involved?

Today I go “down the rabbit hole” to talk about a topic that’s completely interwoven with suicide itself - it’s tied to & a part of the same stigma that may have contributed to the suicide of our love...

17 Heinä 202228min

What to Say; What Not to Say (TO Suicide Loss Grievers or AS a Griever in Response)

SUCH a complicated topic... BUT it comes up ALL of the time in conversations with other suicide loss grievers. People say all sorts of things to grievers - especially about suicide loss. THIS IS HARD...

26 Kesä 202236min

Secret's from Wonderland; Story Time for Grievers

Today I “go down the rabbit hole” to talk about ALICE... going Down. The. Rabbit. Hole. I actually 'stumbled' across this blog and decided to give it an 'out loud read' (aka; story time!) in order to...

12 Kesä 202224min

When You are in Such Very Different Places; Marriage After Loss of a Child to Suicide

Today I have a warm and comforting conversation with Kellie Woolf - author, suicide loss survivor, mom, wife, and former educator. Her Biography: "Kellie Woolf’s debut novel, Mount Hope, is set in T...

5 Kesä 20221h 1min