The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations

By Melissa Bottorff-Arey

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Category: Mental Health

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Episodes: 133

Description

You have found a podcast about surviving life after a suicide loss, which is nothing short of devastating, leaving you not knowing how to begin picking up the leftover pieces of your shattered heart. The host, Melissa Bottorff-Arey, who lost her 21-year-old son Alex to suicide on August 7, 2016, speaks to this from her own experiences. You will hear her have honest, hard conversations with other loss survivors, healers, and mental health experts on the podcast. She also produces shorter, solo episodes where she shares her own thoughts & experiences in this journey (thus far). She explores relevant topics and asks the hard questions. Nothing is 'off limit' as she delves into all areas of this grief, such as trauma, hope, healing, self-care, legacy & stigma. Melissa believes we learn to live alongside our grief, not get over it. We can make a difference only through authentic, meaningful connections and mindful choices. For a supporter or educator, these conversations hold nuggets of awareness and shine a spotlight on suicide and grief honestly and unapologetically. As a suicide loss griever, one can find the comfort of a community and hope for a little brighter tomorrow. Melissa wants to help others, like herself, go from surviving to finding a life with meaning, maybe even happiness, amid their own leftover pieces.


[Please NOTE: This podcast is for only relational, informational, and entertainment purposes. It candidly and openly discusses sensitive and sometimes activating topics. There will be no in-depth or graphic descriptions of the method, but merely the possible mention of suicide, murder, rape, and the like. Be guided and care for yourself accordingly. Also, Melissa is not a doctor or licensed therapist, and nothing on this podcast should be taken in place of, or as, medical/mental health advice or recommendations.]


Episode Date
Because Legacy Matters; The Little Tin Man & His Big Heart
May 12, 2024
Josh Halu of Psychedelic Exchange; Plant Medicine & Trauma Treatment
Apr 22, 2024
How to Begin Healing After Suicide Loss; Transform with Support & Tools at Casa Alternavida
Apr 07, 2024
Behind the Coffee Cup; A Sister's 'Anger to Love' Walks
Mar 25, 2024
Mindsets, Motivation & Monkeys" Pt 3; I'll Get You My Pretty...
Mar 19, 2024
The Military, 1st Responders & Suicide; 2X Loss Survivor & Marine Widow Speaks Up
Mar 11, 2024
Mindsets, Motivation & Monkeys" Pt 2; How DO you find a way?
Mar 04, 2024
Mindsets, Motivation & Monkeys" Pt 1; What IF Asked Yourself THIS Question?
Feb 29, 2024
The Final Salute LLC; A Sister Honors her Brother's Life
Feb 19, 2024
Deciphering the Words People Use; Untangling Acceptance
Feb 13, 2024
Moms Leaving a Legacy; Healing, Bonding ...& a Book
Feb 05, 2024
What's New Here; I Am Back & Why I Paused the Podcast
Feb 05, 2024
Serendipities & Synchronicities; An Essay to (My) Alex
Feb 05, 2024
A Daughter's Love; Life After the Suicide Loss of Her Mum
Oct 30, 2023
Life After Suicide Loss; A Friend-to-Friend Round Table Discussion
Oct 30, 2023
Practice Makes Perfect; Discussing this Big Concept
Oct 25, 2023
Listen to Me as a Guest; Learn From People Who Lived It Podcast
Oct 24, 2023
Leaving a Lasting Legacy; Remembering Them in Life After Suicide Loss
Oct 01, 2023
Widow Abby Dart Speaks Up; 19 Years After Husband’s Suicide
Sep 17, 2023
Life After Suicide Loss; Will Our 'Old Self" Ever Be Relevant Again?
Sep 10, 2023
Jill Cowan of Healing to the Max; Narrative Therapy and Healing After Suicide Loss
Sep 03, 2023
The Words in Life After Suicide; Do You Say Angelversary or Death Day?
Aug 21, 2023
Healing vs. Grief OR Brain vs. Mind; Our Life after Suicide Loss
Jul 30, 2023
Life After Suicide Loss of a Child; The 3 Universal Needs Moms Share
Jul 02, 2023
Talking with Two Stepdads; Leaning Into the Love AND the Loss
Jun 26, 2023
Is "Suicide Prevention" the Right Messaging; What ARE the Alternatives?
Jun 18, 2023
A Dads Roundtable Discussion; Three Dads talk Grief, Loss & Feelings
Jun 11, 2023
What to Watch (or Not); When Grief Insomnia Hits
May 27, 2023
Sibling Roundtable Talk; Cara, Sienna & Parker Talk Suicide Loss of Their Siblings
May 15, 2023
The Legacy Project; Listen to Moms Talk about Remembering Their Kids
Apr 16, 2023
How To Avoid a Psychic Scam or Medium Scam; Two Inches Off the Ground Podcast
Apr 03, 2023
Let's Go Down the Rabbit Hole; Ask Melissa Suicide Loss Q & A Session
Feb 26, 2023
A Roundtable Discussion; 8 Brave Moms Speak about Grief, Healing & their Amazing Kids
Feb 24, 2023
Child Loss by Suicide; How Parents Heal (aka: it IS possible to heal)
Feb 13, 2023
Facing Choices After Loss; Purpose Over Despair with Carey Conley
Jan 29, 2023
Lisa Marie Presley: WHY Her Death Derailed Me
Jan 23, 2023
Movement, Signs & the Love of a Dog; A Mom Living Forward after Suicide Loss
Jan 15, 2023
The New Year Griefy Blues; Is This Normal??
Jan 09, 2023
This is NOT a Suicide Prevention Podcast; Does that Even Matter?
Dec 13, 2022
Kelli Nielson is The Grief Guru; Moving Forward & Embracing Healing
Dec 04, 2022
I Don't Want You to Miss Out!; Updates & Holiday Tips from The Rabbit Hole
Dec 02, 2022
Lisa Johnson of Honor Connor; How to Walk & Talk for Hope
Nov 20, 2022
Healing Through the Holidays After Suicide Loss; Caro Brookings Interview Series
Oct 26, 2022
Dr. Lenore Matthew; Melding Science & Spirit in Healing after Suicide Loss
Oct 16, 2022
Opening to the Presence of Your Pain; Marianne Gouveia of EricsHouse
Oct 02, 2022
Movies, Series & Documentaries; About Suicide Loss & Grief
Sep 27, 2022
Men Grieve Too; A Dad Talks about the Suicide Loss of his Son
Sep 18, 2022
Scattering CJ; A Global Community from the Ashes
Sep 04, 2022
I Love You & So Do Others; Amber Carroll of "We Are Team Jake"
Aug 28, 2022
Author A.S.King Talks; Suicide IS Normal AND Tragic
Aug 23, 2022
My Carefully Cultivated Life: Rebuilding After Suicide Loss
Aug 14, 2022
Six Years Later; My Family Sits Down to Reflect
Aug 11, 2022
Season 3 Recap; Meaningful Conversations Revisited
Jul 25, 2022
Relationships After Suicide Loss; Is Implicit Bias Involved?
Jul 17, 2022
What to Say; What Not to Say (TO Suicide Loss Grievers or AS a Griever in Response)
Jun 26, 2022
Secret's from Wonderland; Story Time for Grievers
Jun 12, 2022
When You are in Such Very Different Places; Marriage After Loss of a Child to Suicide
Jun 05, 2022
Are We Too Sensitive?; Why the Empathetic Become Changemakers
May 29, 2022
Accepting She Died by Suicide; Erin's Yoga is Healing Grief & Trauma
May 22, 2022
Grief Waves Years After Loss; Different or the Same?
May 15, 2022
Dan Maigler - From Tale to Tail; A Mission in Paws for Patrick
May 08, 2022
Caro's Mum Died by Suicide; Being the Change to Help Others
Apr 29, 2022
Lynn Brooks-Lewis's Story; "I Choose to Live" after the Suicide Loss of her Son
Apr 24, 2022
Finding Clarity After Suicide Loss; Is it Even Possible?
Apr 19, 2022
My Best Friend died by Suicide; His Lasting Impact
Apr 10, 2022
Suicide Can Happen in Any Family; A Mother's Humble Realization
Mar 28, 2022
How Long Does Grieving Take; Is Something Wrong with Me?
Mar 21, 2022
Seven Years After Suicide Loss; A Widow & Her New Hopes
Mar 13, 2022
Funerals during a Pandemic; Plus Tools, Signs and Healing from Trauma
Feb 27, 2022
Trauma Induced Creativity; Why Helping Helps Us
Feb 20, 2022
Saving Military Lives; A Legacy to their Son
Feb 13, 2022
What has Helped Me the Most after Suicide Loss?; Part 3 Time & Self Care
Feb 08, 2022
Suicide by Firearm; Two Survivors United for Change
Feb 06, 2022
What has Helped Me the Most after Suicide Loss?; Part 2 Tools and Practices
Jan 30, 2022
What has Helped Me the Most after Suicide Loss?; Part 1 Community and Support
Jan 23, 2022
Anne Moss Rogers: Emotionally Naked
Jan 16, 2022
Season Two ReCap; What Did You Miss?
Jan 02, 2022
Synchronicities and Redefined Motherhood; Reality After Suicide Loss
Dec 27, 2021
The Ho (Ho) Hum(bug); Holidays After Suicide Loss
Nov 28, 2021
Toward Hope After Suicide Loss; The What, Why and How
Nov 22, 2021
A Mother's Love is Forever; Calvin's Legacy Lives On
Nov 07, 2021
Contact with Spirit; Down the "Psychic" Rabbit Hole for Halloween
Oct 31, 2021
Fear and Grief after Suicide Loss; Where they Intersect
Oct 24, 2021
Allowing Her Loss to "Count"; How Art Became Laura's Therapy
Oct 19, 2021
To Watch or Not to Watch; Suicide as Subject Matter on Screen
Oct 10, 2021
Grief Began Before Loss: Suzanne Howes' Story
Oct 03, 2021
What If It's All in Our Minds; The Path to Less Suffering
Sep 26, 2021
Sharon Ehler's; Grief Reiki Founder & Author
Sep 19, 2021
Imogen's Mom; A Good Mourning Legacy
Sep 06, 2021
Why I Do This; Let Me Share My Reasons
Aug 29, 2021
Linzi Meaden; What Suicide Left Behind
Aug 22, 2021
Your "Why" After Suicide Loss; The How & Why to find IT!
Aug 15, 2021
Two Inches Off the Ground; Where Metaphysical Meets Practical
Aug 09, 2021
Being "That' (Whispered About) Person; Discussion & Tools
Aug 01, 2021
Victoria Moore; The Suicide Widow / Mom Balancing Act
Jul 25, 2021
The Sunshine of his Life; My Amazing Son Alex
Jul 18, 2021
Rebecca Jax Holistic Healing; Grief is a Mystical Journey
Jul 04, 2021
Tools Part 2; Engaging Your Senses In Grief Healing
Jun 27, 2021
No More "S" Word; A Daughter's Legacy
Jun 20, 2021
Acceptance & Change after Suicide Loss; "You used to be ..."
Jun 13, 2021
Greif Dreams; What DO They Mean?
Jun 06, 2021
BONUS 2 "The Fog is Real; THIS is your Brain on Trauma"
May 30, 2021
BONUS! What is Clubhouse; Is it a 'Safe Space' for Grievers?
May 16, 2021
"Are They Really Gone?; Alchemy of Science and Spirit"
May 02, 2021
Season 1 ReCap; What Should I Listen to Next?
Apr 25, 2021
Chellor's House of Rocks; Finding a Healing Community
Apr 18, 2021
Breaking the Cycle; Shame & Stigma & Suicide
Apr 11, 2021
Creating "Esther & Astor" ; A Sister's Love Lives On
Apr 04, 2021
BONUS EPISODE; Guided Sleep Meditation
Mar 31, 2021
Birthdays, Holiday & Hard Days; Here's How I Survive it All
Mar 29, 2021
Sharon Survived; How She Defined Her Why
Mar 21, 2021
Joey Somebody; Sibling Loss, Vulnerability and the Male Ego
Mar 07, 2021
Oracle Cards; My Grief inside Woo-ville
Feb 28, 2021
Brenda's Brutal Reality of Child Loss by Suicide; Delayed Grief & Finding Her New Self
Feb 21, 2021
Teasers, Plans & Hopes; We are just getting Started!
Feb 14, 2021
Unpacking My Unconscious Mind; Transformation to a Radical Life
Feb 07, 2021
What Am I Watching (aka "Binging"); My Thoughts & Recommendations
Jan 31, 2021
Rejoining the Land of the Living; Mary's Brave Life
Jan 24, 2021
Tools Part 1; Books, Apps & Podcasts Oh My!
Jan 17, 2021
Learning to Support a Griever; When Our Love Met Tragedy
Jan 10, 2021
The New Year; The Suck AND The Hope
Jan 03, 2021
Forever 15; A Lasting Tribute to Rader
Dec 27, 2020
Grief Tools; What are Mine?
Dec 20, 2020
Trauma to Bipolar; When Suicide Becomes an Option
Dec 13, 2020
Chasing Joy; Can We Find It?
Dec 06, 2020
Shelby Forsythia; Your Grief, Your Way
Nov 29, 2020
The First Year; Survival & Beyond
Nov 23, 2020
Above The Rug; A Suicide Widow's Tale
Nov 22, 2020
The F***ing Holidays; Ho Ho NO
Nov 21, 2020
A Brother Lost; An Unbreakable Bond
Nov 20, 2020
FEAR; It's Here, What Now?
Nov 19, 2020
Finding Support; Founding a Group
Nov 18, 2020
Intro Episode - START HERE; Meet Melissa
Nov 17, 2020