The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations
Suicide loss changes everything. This show is about life after suicide—real talk and practical support for grief after suicide: parents, partners, siblings, and friends finding their footing again. Each week, we explore what helps in suicide bereavement so you can keep going with honesty and hope.
Hosted by Melissa Bottorff-Arey, whose 21-year-old son, Alex, died by suicide in 2016, the podcast blends intimate conversations with survivors, healers, and mental health experts with short solo “Daily Nugget” episodes you can actually use. We cover child loss, trauma and nervous-system care, anniversaries and seasons, stigma, faith and meaning, legacy, and the everyday practices that make life livable again. You’ll hear grounded tools, language that honors your person, and the reminder that you are not broken—you are grieving.
For supporters and educators, these episodes offer insight into the realities of suicide grief and what genuine, non-fixing support looks like. If you’d like to share your story or expertise, you can request to be a guest via my website. 💜
Content Note
This podcast speaks candidly about difficult experiences and may feel activating. We avoid method details and graphic description. Please care for yourself as needed. I’m not a doctor or licensed therapist; nothing here is medical or mental-health advice.
Episodes
310 episodes
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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The Edges of Your Energy: How Boundaries Become Care in Grief
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 11
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5:50
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What It Means to Still Be Here: Strength, Tenderness & the Seventh Day of December
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 10
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4:22
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Rest as Resistance, Rest as Renewal: Letting Yourself Be Human 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 9
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5:12
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You Don’t Have to Hold It All: Letting Your Heart Lead the Way
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 8
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5:05
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Soft Landings Only: Creating Gentle Space in a Heavy Month
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 7
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5:05
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Grief & Grace in December: Allowing Yourself to Feel What’s Real
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 5
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4:28
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Letting Go of the “Shoulds”: Releasing Holiday Pressure After Suicide Loss
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 4
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6:08
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Surviving December After Suicide Loss: When the Holidays Arrive Before You’re Ready
Surviving December After Suicide Loss: When the Holidays Arrive Before You’re Ready...A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, space...
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Season 8
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Episode 2
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5:05
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Your Mind Won’t Let You Move Forward: The Power of Subconscious Healing after Suicide Loss
Today I’m joined by Emily Dziedzic, a subconscious change practitioner who helps high-achieving women break free from anxiety, fear, and emotional overwhelm using fast, root-level rewiring. And this work, with her, was a game changer in ...
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Season 8
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Episode 2
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47:55
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