The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations
The Leftover Pieces Podcast explores life after suicide loss through honest conversations with survivors, experts, and grieving families. Host Melissa Bottorff-Arey, who lost her 21-year-old son Alex to suicide in 2016, blends intimate interviews with solo reflections on grief, trauma, and healing. Topics include child loss, anniversaries, stigma, faith, and everyday practices for living forward after loss. The show also offers insight for supporters, educators, and professionals on providing genuine, non-fixing support.
Episodes
No Speeches, No Platitudes: What to Say After Suicide Loss with Shelby Forsythia
Words matter.After suicide loss, the things people say—or do not say—can either soften the loneliness or deepen the pain. Grievers are often met with platitudes, awkward silence, spiritual bypassing, invasive questions, or comments that unintentionally place blame where love and compassion are needed most.In this episode of The Leftover Pieces: Suicide Loss Conversations, Melissa welcomes Shelby F
Grief in Everyday Life: When Child Loss Shows Up in Ordinary Moments
Leave me a voicemail here: 🎙 Leave me a messageLong-term grief after child loss does not only show up on birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or the obviously hard days. Sometimes grief appears in the middle of ordinary life — in a song, a smell, a number, a place, a memory, a show, a laugh, or a moment no one else would understand.In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Melissa reflects on how ch
When You Don’t Trust Yourself Anymore: Guilt and Motherhood After Child Loss
After child loss by suicide, many grieving mothers do not only miss their child — they also stop trusting themselves.In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Melissa explores one of the most under-talked-about parts of long-term grief after the loss of a child by suicide: the collapse of self-trust.This is not only about early grief guilt. This episode looks at what can happen later, when guilt be
Legacy After Child Loss by Suicide: What Alex Taught Me About Carrying Love Forward
After child loss by suicide, legacy can become a bridge from survival into connection, meaning, and carrying love forward.In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Melissa reads her chapter from Because They Lived: Memories & Stories of Amazing Kids Lost to Suicide - As Told by the Moms They Left Behind --Volume 7, The chapter is titled “The Seventh Thread: What Alex Taught Me About Legacy.”Thi
I Survived, But I Don’t Know Who I Am: Identity After the Loss of a Child by Suicide
What happens when you survive the earliest years of grief, but no longer recognize yourself?In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Melissa explores the identity crisis many grieving mothers face after the loss of a child by suicide — especially once the earliest survival years begin to shift and the deeper “now what?” questions rise.This episode explores:why survival takes so much emotional, phy
Grief on Screen: What TV and Movies Reveal About Child Loss and Long-Term Grief
🎙 Leave me a message: Share a question, your story, or your person’s name for a future episode → theleftoverpieces.com/voicemailEmail me at: melissa@theleftoverpieces.comSometimes fictional grief stories give us just enough distance to see our own grief more clearly. It can hold up a mirror of sorts.In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Melissa reflects on several recent shows and films that po
Identifying a Potential New Risk Factor for Youth Suicide | A Conversation with Paul D. Tieger
In this brief but so important Bonus "Mini-sode", Melissa sits down with internationally recognized personality expert and author Paul D. Tieger to discuss groundbreaking new research exploring a possible connection between inborn personality type and increased suicide risk in young people.Take the Survey: CLICK HERE TO TAKE SURVEYThis first-of-its-kind study is seeking participation spe
20 Years After Suicide Loss: Tracy Oeser on Grief, Healing & Survival to Service
In this deeply honest conversation about suicide loss and long-term grief, Melissa sits down with Tracy Oeser, MSPsy — suicide loss survivor, grief educator, bereavement coach, and founder of Journey Thru Grief.Nearly 20 years after the suicide loss of her daughter Chelsie, Tracy shares the reality of grieving a child to suicide, what healing actually looks like over time, and how survivors can le
Survival, Hope, Healing… Then What?: Why Grief Changes Years After Child Loss by Suicide
What (actually) happens after survival?In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Melissa speaks honestly about the part of grief few people prepare grieving mothers for — the “now what?” space that often emerges years after child loss and suicide loss.After the shock fades, the anniversaries pass, and the world seems to move forward, many mothers quietly find themselves facing something deeper:iden
Mother’s Day After Child Loss: If I’m Telling the Truth
Mother’s Day after child loss can feel impossibly complicated. In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Melissa speaks honestly about the layered reality of motherhood after suicide loss—the grief, the love, changing family dynamics, and the truth that this day never feels the same again. 💜 In this episode: Why Mother’s Day changes forever after child loss The duality of gratitude and grief How la
Do We Ever Stop Grieving?: Life After Suicide Loss and the Truth No One Tells You
Do we ever stop grieving after losing a child to suicide? In this episode, we go 'down the rabbit hole' to explore the reality of long-term grief after suicide loss and what happens after the initial survival years. Many grieving mothers find themselves asking “what now?” after the first few years, when support fades but the grief remains. This episode introduces a new way of understandi
When the Mind Breaks: A Mother, A Doctor, and the Reality of Psychosis
In this episode, I’m joined by Colleen Kraft—a pediatrician of 36 years and a mother of three—who shares the story of her son Tim, who died by suicide in February of 2022 at the age of 31.Tim’s journey included late-onset schizophrenia, beginning with early psychosis in his late twenties. Together, we explore what it looks like to love someone through serious mental illness, the challenges familie
Year Ten of Grief: A Quiet Return and the Bridges We Build
A Quiet Return: Ten Years of Grief and the Bridges We BuildAfter an unexpected, unplanned two-month pause, Melissa returns to The Leftover Pieces Podcast with a quiet and honest reflection on what it means to reach the ten-year mark after losing her son Alex to suicide.So, as she says, this wasn’t a planned break. But as the calendar turned toward a full decade of living without her child, somethi
Still Here: A New Year’s Eve Reflection
A daily December series offering tender, truthful support for surviving the holidays after suicide loss — with grief, grace, & gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 31 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverNew Year’s Eve can be heavy for grievers — a reminder that time keeps moving, even when your heart resists.Today’s I offer a
Journaling as a Lifeline After Suicide Loss: Reflection, Healing, and Support
In this episode of The Leftover Pieces; Suicide Loss Conversations, I’m joined by Sean Dadashi to explore how journaling can support healing after suicide loss. We talk about why journaling often becomes a lifeline for grievers, how reflective practices help after traumatic loss, and why having accessible tools for processing grief matters — especially in the aftermath of a death by suicide.(P.S..
Looking Back Without Judgment: Allowing Space and Grace
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 29 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverHonoring Survival — A Daily Journal Prompt: “What did it take for me to make it through this year?”Today’s ReflectionAs the yea
Sunday Softening: Letting the Season Settle
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 28 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverSunday Softening — A Daily Journal Prompt: “What would it feel like to soften my expectations of myself today?”Today’s Reflecti
The Quiet Weekend: Letting Stillness Be Enough
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 27 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverLetting Stillness Be Enough — A Daily Journal Prompt: “What might become possible if I allow this weekend to be slower than usu
After the Day: When the Body Finally Exhales
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 26 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverAfter the Exhale — A Daily Journal Prompt: “What does my body need today as the intensity of the season begins to ease?”Today’s
Christmas Day: Letting the Day 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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 25 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverLetting the Day Be — A Daily Journal Prompt: “What is today actually like for me — not what it’s supposed to be?”Today’s Reflec
And the House Held Its Breath:’Twas a Christmas Eve Rebuilding
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 24 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverFor Christmas Eve, today’s Daily Nugget is a little different.Instead of a longer reflection, Melissa shares a grief-tender rei
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 23 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverThe days leading up to the holidays can feel heavier than the days themselves. Anticipation, memory, and nervous-system overloa
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 22 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverALSO....IF YOU ARE A MOM --Please know I have added an "extra" support group meeting tonight at 8PM eastern (see the
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 21 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverHolding Space for What’s Coming — A Daily Journal Prompt:“What is one gentle thing I can offer myself today as I move toward th
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 20 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverA Saturday to Breathe — A Daily Journal Prompt:“What space — emotional or physical — can I offer myself today, and why does it
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. Austin left behind a loving family — his mom, dad, younger sister Victoria, girlfriend Rachel, and his beloved dog Luna — as well as an extraordinary body of photographic work that
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 19 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverThe Courage to Stay Soft — A Daily Journal Prompt:“What would softness look like for me today — and what truth does that softne
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 18 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverA Pause to Notice Yourself — A Daily Journal Prompt:“What do I notice about myself today — emotionally, physically, spiritually
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 17 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverLet Yourself Be Met — A Daily Journal Prompt:“What would it look like to let myself receive care in one small way today?”Today’
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 16 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverThe Company You Keep — A Daily Journal Prompt: “What kind of connection feels possible for me today — with others, or with mys
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 — the small ways we protect our energy, honor our capacity, and stay close to what feels true. This week, we’re exploring connection — the kind that comes from truth, tenderness, and
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 14 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverJournal PromptWhat could it look like to let today be softer on my spirit — in one small, honest way?Today’s ReflectionToday’s
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 13 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverThe Impossible Math of Time (Our Birthday) - A Daily Journal Prompt:“How has grief reshaped my sense of time — and who have I b
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 12 — Welcome, Fellow Griever The Softness of the Weekend - A Daily Journal PromptIf I offered myself one simple act of care this weekend, what would it loo
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!👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 11 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverHonoring What Helps, Releasing What Hurts - A Daily Journal Prompt: What helped me breathe a little easier today… and what felt
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 10 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverWhen ‘No’ Becomes a Gift- A Daily Journal Prompt: “Where in my life does saying ‘no’ feel like an act of self-preservation — a
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 9 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverThe Quiet Yes, The Quiet No --A Daily Journal Prompt: “What quiet yes or quiet no is whispering inside me today — and what woul
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 8 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverBoundaries as Care -- A Daily Journal Prompt: “What is one boundary my heart is asking for today — and what truth does that bou
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 7 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverToday’s ReflectionSeven days into December, today’s episode reflects on the strength, tenderness, and full humanity required to
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 6 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverToday’s ReflectionToday’s episode honors rest as both resistance and renewal. Whether you're barely surviving, rebuilding
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 5 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverToday’s ReflectionToday’s episode invites you to let your heart — not December’s expectations — guide your pace. Whether you&ap
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 4 — Welcome, Fellow GrieverTonight is our Full Moon Intention Gathering inside The Lighthouse Community. If you’re a mom and want a gentle space to connec
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppIt is December 3 - welcome, Fellow GrieverToday’s ReflectionToday’s episode explores how grief and grace can coexist in December, even when the world feels loud and expect
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! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppThis is December 2, Welcome Fellow GrieverToday’s ReflectionDecember brings an avalanche of “shoulds,” especially after suicide loss. Today’s episode invites you to releas
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...and my gentle company.Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! 👉 The Leftover Pieces AppToday’s ReflectionDecember has a way of showing up before our hearts are r
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 my own healing.I first worked with Emily back in 2021 during an intensive NLP program — Neuro Linguistic Programming — along with hypnosis and unconscious mind wor
Grief After Suicide: Month Wrap-Up & What Comes Next
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY -- You’ve spent a month practicing gentler ways to carry what can’t be undone—and that practice is portable.Journal prompt: “My takeaway from October—the thing I’ll actually use—is…”Write one flicker sentence you believe today: “I can start small and still be real.” Build a 24-hour rebuild weave on a note you’ll see tomor
Wrap Pt 2: Becoming on Purpose + Weaving the Light
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY -- Identity trickled back in micro-acts, and then we stitched everything together with thresholds, pacing, and touchstones.Journal prompt: “A boundary that made room for me was…”Name one or two flickers of identity you lived this month—maker, advocate, listener—and keep them visible. Rebuild by pairing a three-beat thresh
Wrap Pt 1: Hope in the Hollow + Healing in Motion After Suicide Loss
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY --We started by finding light you could actually hold, then practiced repairs small enough to repeat.Journal prompt: “What I’m keeping from these first two weeks is…”Gather three flickers that worked for you—window light, their bracelet, a five-minute witness. Then build a mini rebuild stack you can run in ten minutes: on
A Letter to November-You: Carry Grief Forward, Gently
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY --When the road tilts, leave breadcrumbs for the you who has to walk it.Journal prompt: “If Future-Me spoke up today, she’d ask me to…”Offer flicker by telling November-You one true thing that helped this month—maybe the “Window light + long exhale" from a fe weeks ago? Rebuild with a five-sentence note: greet her by
Grief Season Prep: Permission Language That Travels
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY --Holidays and anniversaries come with scripts you didn’t write. Permission language lets you carry your truth into rooms that may not know how to hold it.Journal prompt: “One event I’m resizing this season is… I’ll protect my energy by saying…” Even before the day arrives, give yourself a flicker of relief by writing one
Edit Your Grief Practices: Review, Keep, Drop, Adjust
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY -- Integration is mostly editing—conserving what helps, quietly retiring what doesn’t.Journal prompt: “If I gave my energy a budget, I’d spend more on… and less on…” Scan this month for flickers that actually eased a day—witnessing, one brick finished, a boundary honored, light as companion—and keep them on purpose. Rebui
Carry Their Memory Gently: Legacy Touchstones for This Season
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY -- Touchstones let love travel with you without making every minute heavy.Journal prompt: “What I’m keeping from this month is…”Choose one flicker that feels like company: a phrase they loved, ten seconds of their song, a color that calls them to mind. Rebuild by placing a tiny touchstone where real life happens—light a c
Reacting vs. Responding in Grief: Your Nervous System Needn't be the Enemy
Reacting vs. Responding in Grief — Life After Suicide LossToday I’m “down the rabbit hole,” teasing apart reacting vs. responding after traumatic loss—not to shame reactions (they’re human), but to widen the space where we can choose. We’ll touch nervous-system patterns (fight/flight/freeze/fawn/flop), how to spot activation in real time, and how tiny, honest choices build a life aligned with valu
Suicide Loss & Holiday Anxiety: Pacing the Calendar with Opt-Outs, Early Exits, and Allies
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY -- The season gets crowded. Capacity isn’t disloyalty—it’s logistics for a heart carrying a lot.Journal prompt: “A boundary that made room for me was…”Choose your pace before the week chooses it for you. Let a flicker of relief lead: make one clear decision today and notice your shoulders drop. Rebuild with a concrete mov
Grief After Suicide: Threshold Rituals to Open, Be In It, and Close
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY -- When grief spikes—anniversaries, rooms that hold their echo—having a beginning and an ending lets your body know you’re not trapped inside the moment.Journal prompt: “My threshold ritual will be…”Hard moments deserve structure. Begin with a flicker that signals you’re entering on purpose—touch a photo or step outside a
Grief Support After Suicide: A Rough-Day Plan with a Flicker, a Brick, a Step
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE TODAY -- No heroics required. A window of light, a seven-minute finish, and a two-sentence check-in can turn a spinning day into a survivable one. Journal prompt: “What I’m keeping from this month is…”Your Personal Flicker–Brick–Step Plan (Rough-Day Ready) On the days when suicide loss surges—the date you didn’t mean to remembe
Suicide Bereavement: Future Planning Without Panic—One-Inch Plans
You don’t need a five-year plan; one clear next action can steady the day in life after suicide loss. Journal prompt: “When I picture myself exhaling tomorrow, the action that gets me there is…” What we mean by a “one-inch plan” (so we’re clear): A one-inch plan is small, specific, and scheduled—just enough structure to steady tomorrow without overwhelming today. Examples:Admin inch: “Print the f
Healing After Suicide: Meaning That Doesn’t Erase Pain—Service • Art • Legacy
Meaning is a companion, not a cure; a small act of service or creation makes room for both love and ache in grief after suicide. Journal prompt: “A value I still trust—and one 10-minute way to live it…”What we mean by “meaning that doesn’t erase pain” (so we’re clear): Meaning isn’t a cure or a performance. It’s a small, honest act that lets love move alongside ache. Examples:Service: sending a re
Suicide Loss Daily Nugget: Community as Amplifier—Find or Host Small
Belonging doesn’t need a crowd; one steady person or tiny space can hold you as you are after suicide loss.Journal prompt: “The kind of space where I breathe easier is… and one way I’ll find/ask for it is…”What we mean by “tiny space” (so we’re clear): A tiny space is low-pressure, consent-based, and specific—a container that fits your current capacity. Examples:One-to-one check-in: 20 minutes, ca
Life After Suicide Loss: “Firsts” Done Differently—Opt Out • Scale Down • Re-Script
Big days don’t require big performances; choose your size—opt out, scale down, or re-script—to protect your energy in suicide bereavement.Journal prompt: “For my next tender date, I’ll protect my energy by… (opt out / scale down / re-script) because…”What “choose your size” means (so we’re clear): You get to set the size of participation to match your capacity.Opt out = skip entirely this year. Ex
Grief After Suicide: Tiny Courage—The Ask You’ve Been Avoiding
Courage doesn’t have to roar; in life after suicide loss, one small ask can unlock support, information, or relief.Journal prompt: “If Future-Me spoke up today, she’d ask me to…”What we mean by a “small ask” (so we’re on the same page): A small ask is specific, short, and time-bound—one clear request that lightens the load. Examples:Support: “Could you check in with me Sunday evening?” / “Would yo
Grief After Suicide: Values → Micro-Moves (10 Minutes or Less)
Values are steering, not slogans—translate one value into a doable 10-minute action and feel the quiet of alignment. Journal prompt: “A value I still trust—and one 10-minute way to live it…”A Flicker (Hope) — Alignment feels quieter When action matches belief, your body often softens. Notice the quiet that follows even a tiny aligned move.To Rebuild (Healing) — Name one value Options: kindness, tr
Life After Suicide Loss: Keep/Recover Who You Are — Identity Words
Identity doesn’t vanish after suicide loss; name the parts that still fit and make room for them on purpose. Journal prompt: “Where I feel most like myself lately is…”Identity doesn’t vanish; it gets buried. Today we name the parts of you that still fit—and make room for them on purpose.A Flicker (Hope) — A familiar thread Notice one moment you felt like you this week—how you spoke, moved, created
Grief After Suicide: Repairing Misattunements—Simple “I Wish I’d Said…” Scripts
Small, honest repairs protect your energy in life after suicide loss—one kind line can reset connection -- reset a missattunemnet--and settle a day. Journal prompt: “Today, permission looks like…”A misattunement is when the response misses the moment—yours or theirs—so the nervous systems don’t line up and everyone leaves a little off-key. “I wish I’d said…” scripts are short, kind repair lines yo
Grief After Suicide: Workday Micro-Boundaries That Keep You Functional
Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE Mondays can hit hard in life after suicide loss—protect capacity with tiny yes/no lines and one clear choice. Journal prompt: “One thing my body asked for (and what I did)…”Mondays can hit hard. Today we protect capacity with tiny, professional yes/no lines.A Flicker (Hope) — One clear choice Choosing “later” instead of forcing
Life After Suicide Loss: Self-Witnessing When Others Can’t Hold It
When the right listener isn’t available, witnessing yourself—note or voice memo—keeps you seen and grounded in suicide bereavement. Journal prompt: “If I gave myself 10% more gentleness, I would…”Sometimes the right listener isn’t available. Today we make sure you still get heard.A Flicker (Hope) — Proof you exist Your words on paper or in a memo are evidence. Seeing or hearing yourself can soften
Suicide Loss Daily Nugget: Weekend Reset Ritual—Small, Repeatable, Real
Weekends can feel loud or empty after suicide loss; one tiny ritual can steady you without draining you. Journal prompt: “Today, leaning into self-care looks like…”Weekends can feel loud or empty. Today we keep a tiny ritual that steadies you without stealing your energy.A Flicker (Hope) — A repeatable calm spot The same mug, the same chair, the same two minutes of quiet. Familiar can be soothing—
Grief After Suicide: Say Less, Save Energy—Boundaries Without the Essay
Clarity protects your battery in life after suicide loss—short, kind sentences are real self-care. Journal prompt: “Today, permission looks like…”Clarity beats performance. Short, kind sentences protect your battery.A Flicker (Hope) — Immediate ease after a clean line Feel the exhale when you keep it simple: fewer words, less convincing, more relief. Keep the relief.To Rebuild (Healing) — Three sc
Healing After Suicide: Boring Bricks That Save the Day (Food • Water • Rest)
Relief after refuel is real—practical grace steadies life after suicide loss. Journal prompt: “If I gave myself 10% more gentleness, I would…”Grace is practical. The basics aren’t glamorous, but they are medicine.A Flicker (Hope) — Relief after refuel Notice how the room feels different after water, a snack, or ten minutes horizontal. That ease is data—keep it.To Rebuild (Healing) — The FWR check
Grief After Suicide: Regulate First—Nervous System Basics You’ll Use
Tiny regulation beats big resolve; two minutes can calm a body carrying suicide loss. Journal prompt: “One thing my body asked for (and what I did)…”Small regulation beats big resolve. Today is about tools you’ll actually use in under two minutes.A Flicker (Hope) — Your body gives you clues Jaw unclenches after a slower exhale. Shoulders drop when you step outside. A tiny shift is still a shift—ke
Suicide Loss Daily Nugget: A Gentle Reset—Your 24-Hour Plan
In life after suicide loss, keep what helped, release what didn’t, and set one small plan for the next 24 hours—repeats are allowed. Journal prompt: “What I’m keeping from this week is…”End of first 7 days of October, not an end of you, just of the 1st 7 days of a new month...in a tough season. Today we keep what helped, release what didn’t, and set a small plan for the next 24 hours.A Flicker (Ho
Grief After Suicide: Boundaries as Warmth—Not Walls
In life after suicide loss, boundaries aren’t punishments—they’re blankets; clear limits keep you warm enough to heal. Journal prompt: “Today, permission looks like…”Boundaries aren’t punishments—they’re blankets. Today we practice limits that keep you warm enough to heal.A Flicker (Hope) — Relief after a clear no Notice what loosens when you cancel, leave early, or choose quiet. Relief is data. K
Life After Suicide Loss: Carrying Them Forward—Without Disappearing You
“Carrying forward” includes you—make space for their memory and your life, together. Journal prompt: “A way to honor them by honoring me is…”“Carrying forward” includes you. Today we make room for their memory and your life—together.A Flicker (Hope) — Connection counts Their song in a store aisle. A phrase they loved. A photo you pass without bracing. These are ties, not traps. Let one connection
Suicide Loss Daily Nugget: Light as Companion, Not Cure
In life after suicide loss, let light walk beside you—not fix you—just enough to show the next few feet. Journal prompt: “Today’s flicker of hope was…”Witnessing light without forcing it to fix anything. Today we let light walk beside us and do only what light can do—show the next few feet.A Flicker (Hope) — Light you can actually hold Morning sun through a window. Moonlight on the driveway. A sof
Life After Suicide Loss: Rebuilding from Ruins—Bricks, Not Blueprints
There’s no master plan in suicide bereavement—just small bricks that actually hold. Journal prompt: "A way to honor them by honoring me is…"There’s no master plan—just weather and small bricks. Today is about doable over dazzling so the house you’re rebuilding can actually stand.A Flicker (Hope) — Small done beats big imagined Finish one tiny thing: rinse the mug, move bills to one stack
Suicide Loss Daily Nugget: Being Seen on Purpose
In grief after suicide, witnessing redistributes weight—asked for cleanly, without apology. Journal prompt: "What healing looks like—even when I can’t feel it—is…"Witnessing redistributes weight. Not gone—carried together. Today we practice asking to be seen, cleanly and without apology.A Flicker (Hope) — You’re allowed to be heard Five quiet minutes. A nod. A text that lands. Hope isn’t
Suicide Loss Daily Nugget: Why the Hollow Isn’t Empty
After suicide loss, the “hollow” isn’t failure—it’s space where hope, healing, and becoming can actually take root. Journal prompt: Today’s flicker of hope was…This week..."Hope in the Hollow" Now, October. After the volume of Suicide Awareness Month, we drop into the quieter work. This DAILY NUGGET Series is centered on Hope, Healing, Becoming. It’s here to carry us—and embolden us—thro
Widen the Lens, Reach In; Patty Born on Loss, Connection, & Showing Up
Today I share a recent conversation I had with a two-time suicide loss survivor, including her beloved son Zack in Sept. 2024.Meet Zack's MomPatty Born is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, licensed massage therapist, and nurse coach-in-training who integrates mind-body care. A two-time suicide loss survivor—her ex-husband (2012) Charlie, and her 19-year-old son,
The Loop We Don’t See; Jamie Brickhouse on Alcohol & Depression
In this September 2025 episode, in the midst of Suicide Awareness Month, I’m widening the lens from life after loss to awareness and advocacy. (BUT...We are NOT taking the preachy "prevention" angle that comes at us non-stop in Sept., I promise!) Writer/storyteller Jamie Brickhouse—a self-described SAS (suicide attempt survivor)—joins me to unpack the alcohol–depression loop, the suicida
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