The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations

Today I release a conversation with the founder & owner of Casa Alternavida which is on the beautiful, lush Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico - which now happens to also be where I call home as well! CLICK for The Leftover Pieces RETREAT INFO HERE  In Yancy's words: " Casa Alternavida - A House of Transformation. Fresh perspective for a more fulfilling life. Casa Alternavida is a bouti...

  REGISTER for Monthly SIBLING SUPPORT after Suicide loss HERE   Today I release a conversation with a sister talk about her baby brother Teddy. At 43, she lost her only sibling to suicide. Our personalities making us fast friends, Jen & I dug right in & discuss so many things surrounding, loss by suicide, AFSP & more...  A bit more about her:   "Jen Hoye is a passionate mental he...

Today is MONKEYS DAY, where I'm returning to the rabbit hole to discuss the third (& final) piece in my current series, "Mindset, Motivation & Monkeys." So now you have your mindset (or at least know what you would like it to be; goals are a first step), you have picked your guidance word of the year, and you have discovered your motivation. So what now? In this episode, I d...

  Today, I welcome Bobbi Smith. At 22, this brave young woman is actually a two-time loss survivor. She actually first lost her best friend AND then, a few years later, her husband to suicide, yet the hope in her voice is inspirational. She is wise beyond her years - that happens after trauma, but she is not shrinking away from the very raw & complex parts of her experiences -- she is standing...

NEW EPISODE DROP! In this episode (2 of a 3 part series) I go back down the rabbit hole to discuss the second piece in the series called “Mindset, Motivation & Monkeys” ...today is motivation day! I know -- it sounds super hard; nearly impossible, right? Stick with me - we will get there. So now you have your mindset (or at least know what you would like it to be; goals are a first step) ... y...

 Today I go (deep) into the rabbit hole to discuss a haunting question -- haunting for anyone, but even more so for us suicide loss survivors. Everything is harder now , right? (but that's NOT the question). Sing with me “I can do hard things. I can do hard things...” (it may just be the weirdo in me, but yes, I sing it out loud to myself often ...when I feel frustrated or discouraged), and t...

Today I am sharing a poignant & heartfelt conversation I had with an amazing woman named Jessica Timmerman. She lost her brother to suicide & everything changed. Jessica & Zach were not a typical brother and sister.... losing both of their parents before they were 18, they became each other's whole family and also the very best friends. Zach died by suicide in 2022 while serving h...

In this episode, I go down the rabbit hole to discuss the concept of acceptance, or acceptable, as it pertains to our loss. Words can be so very tricky. I am anxious to know your feelings after you listen to this episode. Do you agree? Have you encountered this with others wondering why you can’t “accept” your loss? Is your loss acceptable to you?  . I launched Season 5 last week with a very excit...

NEW EPISODE!! Today SUNDAY, Feb 4, 2024 The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations Podcast officially launched Season 5 !! I am honored to be back behind the mic talking with other loss survivors and experts....so that I can share these conversations with you - fellow griever. So, yes, I AM BACK!!! AND I did take a bit of a “pause” and I can’t wait to share with you why...(psst, episode 2 tel...

SUNDAY, Feb 4, The Leftover Pieces launched Season 5 with 3 new episodes ...with more coming EVERY WEEK! I am honored to be back behind the mic talking with other loss survivors and experts....so that I can share these conversations with you, fellow griever. So, yes, I AM BACK!!! AND I did take a bit of a “pause” and I can’t wait to share with you why...(psst, this episode tells why) I am launchin...

This episode (the 3rd of 3 in the initial drop of Season 5) is releasing on SUNDAY, Feb 4, 2024.   I am honored to be back behind the mic talking with other loss survivors and experts....so that I can share these conversations with you, fellow griever. So, yes, I AM BACK!!! AND I did take a bit of a “pause” and I can’t wait to share with you why...(psst, episode 2 episode tells why if you haven&ap...

Today I turn the microphone Caro's direction as she sits on the other side of the interview for a change. Many of you know Caro Brookings from her semi-yearly Interview Series. Twice a year Caro holds these amazing speaker series where you can hear 20+ suicide loss experts share their experiences and knowledge. I have been privileged to be a guest speaker all 4 times plus the upcoming one nex...

Today you are getting the much-anticipated, long promised (& finally here)- friends roundtable episode! And it was so. worth. the. wait! After loss it feels like (publicly) there is so much that is centered around the immediate family and friends often seem 'forgotten' or definitely might feel unseen in their grief. It's really important to me to give them a voice because their...

In life after suicide loss there is a lot to practice ---and today I talk about practicing our practices!! I go "Down the Rabbit Hole" Today I cover: Tools after loss as practices - what are they?? Why practice doesn't make perfect. The two reasons we practice. Grief doesn't just go away - aka why tools are crucial  Why it's HOW we practice makes the difference (aka-choice...

Today I am sharing my guest appearance with host Mathew Blades & Dr. Frank Bevacqua on the "Learn from People Who Lived It" Podcast. LISTEN to THIS EPISODE HERE Below I have copied Mathew's show notes from this episode: Putting the Pieces Back Together with Melissa Bottorff-Arey In this episode, you'll hear: How Melissa was able to make peace with the guilt she had over the...

Today I speak with mama to Macoy, Jolee Hicks and mom to Noah, Valerie Norris. Alongside each other these moms each wrote chapters containing memories and stories of their wonderful sons. I also wrote a chapter about Alex as well.  Among other things we discuss: Why they signed up for the project What areas they grew in - or how they grew If they would recommend this project to other moms, and why...

Today I have a poignant conversation with Abby Dart... a suicide widow of 19 years. Her husband Steve died by suicide in 2004 when her 5 children were only 8,10, 12, 13 & 17 (now, 26,29,31,32, & 36 to put it in perspective). Because Steve was in the public eye (in politics) and they had to figure out to grieve publicly while trying to find private time as a family. We pack a LOT into our t...

Today I go "down the rabbit hole" to discuss a touchy subject ... or at least a difficult and complicated one. But this is a difficult and complicated journey, isn't it? Today I discuss my thoughts on if our "before" - our old life and self - will ever be relevant again.    You will hear me discuss: The first three years - survival, hope and healing. Grief Vs Complicated (...

Today I share my conversation with the amazing Jill Cowan, Max's mom, who lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada.   Their family was devastated, and their lives shattered.  " Jill is a fellow survivor parent, having lost her beloved son, Maximilian (Max) in March of 2015. Max was just 16 years old. She is also the mother of two surviving children, Zachary and Neave-Marie, a surrogate mo...

Today I go down the rabbit hole to discuss the words we choose, and why, and how do we even ever become more comfortable with talking about this and saying or choosing the words that we are OK with?  You will hear me discuss: The words we choose to refer to their birthday and the day they died. Why we choose these words. Is there a right or wrong thing to say?  How to grow forward in this area --...

Today we are going to break this down -- how are healing and grief different? Do we heal our grief? Is trauma and grief the same? What do we do with the sadness and love that live alongside each other ??  You will hear me discuss: The differences between grief and trauma growing in grief v healing trauma What time passing does (and doesn't) do the common places we get "stuck" in our...

Today I go "down the rabbit hole" to discuss a topic near and dear to my heart. As a mom who lost a child by suicide myself, I have become increasingly aware that while we moms definitely have some different needs we do seem to share 3 common ones. We need:  Resources - at the time of loss & beyond to help us find all of the places for help, healing & information  Community - a p...

Today I talk frankly with two amazing Stepdads about the loss of their stepsons by suicide and everything surrounding that loss. We often hear it said that the world 'forgets' about siblings after loss, but I think stepparents are often overlooked just as much --- if not more -- and yet they often are the ones holding us all together despite carrying their own enormous grief and pain. It...

Today I go "down the rabbit hole" to discuss a topic many of us suicide loss survivors discuss often -- Suicide Prevention -- and what DOES it mean? It sure comes off as shameful more than helpful a lot -- or does it? Are we just too sensitive?? Well, I don't think so, BUT I also think we have to lead the effort to change the messaging because most people in charge of it -- just don...

Today we have the next installment of the roundtable series that I am doing this season. Today i share a unique conversation with three dads who all lost their sons to suicide. You will meet John Twomey who lost his son C.J. thirteen years ago, Tom C. who lost his son Nick two years ago and also Corey D. who lost his son Christopher 9 months ago. They were all a bit nervous and reserved going in,...