The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations

By: Melissa Bottorff-Arey
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  • Summary

  • This podcast focuses on surviving life after a suicide loss, an experience that can be devastating and leave you feeling lost as you try to pick up the pieces of your shattered heart. The host, Melissa Bottorff-Arey, lost her 21-year-old son, Alex, to suicide on August 7, 2016, and brings (& often shares) her insights from her personal journey.

    In each episode, Melissa engages in honest and challenging conversations with other survivors of loss, healers, and mental health experts. She also produces shorter solo episodes where she reflects on her own thoughts and experiences thus far. The podcast covers a wide range of relevant topics and addresses difficult questions. Melissa explores all aspects of grief, including trauma, hope, healing, self-care, legacy, and stigma. She believes that we learn to live alongside our grief rather than get ing over it. Actual change comes through authentic, meaningful connections and mindful choices.

    For supporters or educators, these conversations provide valuable insights and shine a light on suicide and grief genuinely and unapologetically. Listeners who are grieving a suicide loss can find comfort in the community and hope for a better tomorrow. Melissa aims to help others, like herself, transition from merely surviving to discovering a life filled with meaning and, potentially, even happiness amid the leftover pieces around you.


    [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.]
    © 2025 The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations
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Episodes
  • Intro Episode - START HERE; Meet Melissa

    Intro Episode - START HERE; Meet Melissa
    Nov 17 2020

    This is my "START HERE" episode if you are new or need to know where this podcast came to be, who I am and exactly what my plan for the show is. I am so sorry that has caused you to find me, but so very glad that you have found us. WELCOME!!

    You can find me, the online support groups I lead, the books I have written & all ways to connect with me at:

    The Leftover Pieces WEBSITE

    The Leftover Pieces Instagram

    Life after suicide loss is nothing short of a wasteland of the leftover pieces of your shattered heart, of your former self. Join Melissa, a mother who lost her 21-year-old son Alex to suicide, as she has real conversations with other loss survivors, awareness advocates & mental health experts looking to explore the questions we all seek the answers to. Come along as we delve into areas such as trauma, hope, stigma & shame, learning to live with grief (not get over it), filling your coping toolbox with useful tools, and finding (& learning to love) your new self … & more.

    If you or someone you know is struggling PLEASE reach out & talk to someone
    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 on Instagram at The Leftover Pieces

    Support the show
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    7 mins
  • Finding Support; Founding a Group

    Finding Support; Founding a Group
    Nov 18 2020

    My conversation with Bonnie Swade founder of SASS-MoKan, a suicide awareness survivor support group in the Kansas City area is packed full of information on the role of a support group, a support system, in a grievers life. Bonnie lost her 31 year old son Brett to suicide on December 20, 2003. The following year, she and her husband Mickey founded their own group. They do very important work in the KC metro area but are a model and inspiration for groups everywhere. SASS (Suicide Awareness Survivor Support) believes the public must be educated about suicide. I COMPLETELY AGREE !!

    From her website:

    We sincerely feel that "Suicide is everyone's business." With this in mind, SASS has five steps that we’re taking to make sure that "Suicide is everyone’s business." Those steps are: education, public awareness. networking with healthcare agencies, uniting survivors and providing information to area support groups.

    Please check out SASS-MoKan


    If you or someone you know is struggling PLEASE reach out & talk to someone
    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 on Instagram at The Leftover Pieces

    Support the show
    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • FEAR; It's Here, What Now?

    FEAR; It's Here, What Now?
    Nov 19 2020

    In this (first) Mini Solo "Down the Rabbit Hole" (DTRH) Episode I delve into the topic of Fear & Grief. I talk about how they overlap & interact as well as how I have (started) to deal with it in my (new) life alongside suicide loss … & grief!

    You can find & connect with me at

    The Leftover Pieces Instagram
    or
    The Leftover Pieces Podcast Webpage

    Life after suicide loss is nothing short of a wasteland of the leftover pieces of your shattered heart, of your former self. Join Melissa, a mother who lost her 21 year old son Alex to suicide, as she has real conversations with other loss survivors, awareness advocates & mental health experts looking to explore the questions we all seek the answers to. Come along as we delve into areas such a trauma, hope, stigma & shame, learning to live with grief (not get over it), filling your coping toolbox with useful tools and finding (& learning to love) your new self … & more.

    If you or someone you know is struggling PLEASE reach out & talk to someone
    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 on Instagram at The Leftover Pieces

    Support the show
    Show More Show Less
    10 mins

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Profile Image for candice wrightson

So helpful

These podcasts by Melissa are enormously helpful and I would strongly recommend. All the painful thoughts and feelings after a suicide loss are discussed. Well done, your son Alex would be proud of you helping others so much x

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