The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations

We regularly find suicide as a subject matter on TV and in film these days...or at least more than we used to.... but being surprised by the plot or content is NOT always good. I like to try and give you a heads up when I can, so I am going to dive down the rabbit hole to talk about my current thoughts because I always have a list AND there is always new things coming out OR new ones being discove...

Today I take on the topic of sibling loss by suicide with 3 younger (now older?) siblings - Cara lost her big sister Leah in 2018; Sienna lost her big brother Macoy in 2019 and Parker lost his big brother Alex in 2016. This is a long one -- so prepare yourself  - but you will find that it is ALL. SO. GOOD.  Hear them talk about - and relate with each other-with things like: The attention they rece...

This is a very special episode...no apologies for saying that. It IS a special episode. Today, my conversation is with four of the five moms that just completed the 13 week Legacy Writing Project that started January 11, 2023.  One mom was unable to make it due to scheduling, but she was greatly missed in the conversation. I could not be prouder of their bravery and the stories they told. Today yo...

Today I am redirecting you to an amazing episode of my friend J India's podcast "Two Inches Off the Ground" The title of the episode is   How To Avoid a Psychic Scam or Medium Scam   ( AND this week she is doing a follow up you won't want to miss that will be out on Tuesday April 4! She talks about honing our own psychic connection abilities)  LISTEN HERE on Apple or HERE on he...

Ask me a question about suicide loss, the podcast, my support communities, my kids ...I am an open book. Get it answered from the Rabbit Hole in today's Q & A Segment. I will only read your first name (or you can put anonymous) THANK YOU of your submission. Please submit questions now for the March 26, 2023  Q & A Episode at THIS LINK Thank you for listening and I hope you are taking...

Today's episode is 8 x as special --- because you will hear from EIGHT moms, it is A LONG EPISODE SO BUCKLE UP -- but it's soooo worth it!!! These ladies are near & dear to my heart as they are all a part of my all-access membership community . These ladies are between 11 months & 3 years in their journey of life after the suicide loss of their child. This community has absolutel...

Today, I go "Down the Rabbit Hole" to discuss that illusive concept of healing after losing a child to suicide. And while today I do specifically address how a parent is affected & heals-- I strongly believe that any loss survivor will find nuggets that apply to other losses as well.  (And you will want to listen ALL the way to the end)  When I lost my 21-year-old son Alex to suicide...

Today I have a poignant conversation with a suicide loss wife AND mom. She has refocused her life's coaching mission from business coaching to a mental health centered coaching business. She helps professionals in areas of anxiety & stress & mental health wellness now. Reducing suicide by having hard conversations & better equipping people to manage their stress is now her mission...

I go "Down the Rabbit Hole" today for Lisa Marie. I did not know Lisa Marie Presley. We were both born in 1968 and the whole world cried when she lost her father. We "watched" her life - the good, the bad and the ugly from that gaudy front row media seat. Bu t I did not ever know her or even meet her...so why did her death bring me to my knees 10 days ago?? I always thought she...

Today I speak with suicide loss survivor mom Fronzie Roemer. This is a warm and real conversation that you won't want to miss.  Find out more at Paws for Patrick We talk about:  Living forward (vs moving on)  Fitness - or really, movement - and it's role in grief.  Being Open to Signs from our kids ' - including a funny mouse story, some cardinals & sea glass treasures!!! Her fa...

Today I talk about how many of us grievers find ourselves feeling MORE tired, MORE emotional and yes, MORE Griefy than we were during the holidays (or at least AS griefy) and yet it seems wrong. Afterall, the freaking holidays are past. They are over for another year ad we should feel "better", RIGHT???  Well .... NOT necessarily and probably not YET. It is very normal to feel this &quot...

Today I am feeling a bit feisty!   I have been wanting to talk about this for a while. The Leftover Pieces:; Suicide Loss Conversations Podcast is NOT a suicide prevention podcast. And it is OKAY to say that. I support suicide prevention - naturally. And I often come alongside people to do prevention type work. That makes sense. BUT my podcast is for suicide loss survivors. The podcast is to have...

Today I have a meaningful, needle-moving conversation with Kelli Nielson of The Grief Guru. Kelli and I have a lot of the same beliefs about grief, mourning and healing so this was a very affirming conversation for me. She is also candid and funny and no-nonsense...traits i find easy to engage with and warm up to. Here is a bit about her. You can find Kelli at her website THE GRIEF GURU   "Ke...

Hello! Can you believe that 2022 is nearly over? That brings sooo many emotions for those of us grieving the loss of our child. I mean there's the holiday season of course, but the very 'leaving behind' of another year brings its own complication, yes?? Today I am just popping in for some updates and announcements that I want to be sure are made know to my entire listening audience...

Today I share my talk with Lisa Johnson. She is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Honor Conno r - a nonprofit who's mission it is to stop the stigma and start the conversation around mental health, addiction & suicide loss. Honor Connor also provides hope & healing to those affected by suicide loss by providing education & resources. Lisa & her husband Scott started Hono...

Today I am sharing a BONUS EPISODE midweek because I really believe in the work this young woman is doing in the suicide bereavement field. Caro Brookings lost her mum to suicide in November on 2013 and she has been navigating this journey as a loss survivor since then. She is a neuro coach and believes deeply in the science behind healing the trauma in our brains. She also hosts Interview Series...

Life after suicide loss - in the case of today's guest, child loss after suicide - requires learning to be open to the presence of your pain , at least if you want to begin down the path of healing. But, what does that mean?   Marianne Gouveia of the no-profit EricsHouse and I explore this and so much more in this episode. Today, you will hear Marianne and I talk about  How we work through ou...

We regularly find suicide as a subject matter on TV and in film these days...or at least more than we did once.  I am going to dive down the rabbit hole to  talk about my suggestions and cautions - and a few hard "no's". When you watch movies with a theme toward suicide or death, does the content activate you or help you? Since the reasons these films,  or shows, are made can be so...

Today I speak with a dad who lost his son to suicide. Michael Hicks knows that dads grieve too but they do not talk about it nearly as much as moms. Michael shares his story, and his feelings, to help break that norm and alleviate the stigma around men and showing their emotions.  If we are going to see a real change in how men approach mental health and a correlating decrease in men ending their...

Today I share an amazing story about how one mom dug deep into her broken mom's heart and honored her child.  We talk about the common feeling and challenges that unite all of us that have had our lives shattered by suicide but we also honor the uniqueness that is each of our children. WATCH "Scattering CJ" ALL month on PBS in your area OR stream any time right from the WEBSITE HERE...

It is my honor to share my conversation with Amber Carroll of "Team Jake" today.  She speaks so bravely - and so boldly - as a sister who lost her precious brother, her best friend, to suicide on January 2, 2019. On that day she says her whole world changed and that she will never be the same person. She shares with me who Jake was and how he still inspires her today. After finding his j...

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 about the duality of being a public speaker who advocates for teen mental health and is a champion for teens' voices in general AND that she is also a mom who lost her child amidst her advocacy and...

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 cultivated it so that I can thrive after this unimaginable loss - in a life I never wanted and didn't ask for. This is a hard and brutal journey we are on but with support and tools and tim...

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 episode, I sat down in a Zoom-style quasi-round-table-talk with (some of ) my family to revisit & review not only where we are now but also what the journey of the past 6 years has looked like for u...

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 discover an episode that you need to hear. Or, it may serve as a reminder of one you would like to listen to again. For me, It also serves as a way to revisit how grateful I am that each one of these in...