In this conversation Brenda & I y=talk about the loss of her 22 year old son to suicide in 2012. And while Brenda, her family & loved ones were grieving it wouldn't be until Feb of 2017 when Chase would actually be found and their reality confirmed. This is a raw, real conversation that I think so much can be gained from. I hope you will gain as much as I did from it! 

CAUTION: Sensitive subject & details that if you are too early in loss might be more than you need or want right now.

Brenda welcomes anyone who would like to reach out via email to chat at  [email protected]


If you or someone you know is struggling  with suicidal thoughts 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

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

Today, I go "Down the Rabbit Hole" to kind of reminisce, appreciate where I am AND look ahead (just a bit).  My plan has always been to grow this podcast organically as it calls to me & to talk about things that matter - to me, but also to you.  I can't believe I am 19 episodes in … I truly love bringing this podcast to you … all while wishing I never has a reason to bring it to you!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! 

As with everything you hear on my podcasts, please take that which serves you & leave the rest. I hope you will find something of value & I am so sorry that you need to be here, but so honored you are here. Talk soon!

Please reach out to me if you know of someone that I should talk to or if you yourself would like to have a conversation around the suicide loss and grief space. Instagram is probably still the best way to contact me or directly through email. I am already scheduling people into this Spring so it's not too soon to reach out! 

Let's have a conversation  Let's keep talking   Let's be there for each other.  Let's make a change. TALK SOON!

If you or someone you know is struggling  with suicidal thoughts 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

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

In today's conversation I talk to Emily Dziedzic of "A Radical Life with Emily". She is a Neurolinguistics Professional, a Master Certified Coach,  who works with clients in 1:1 Breakthrough Coaching to transform so that they may get out of the places they are stuck (especially in their grief) to leave behind non-serving emotions and step into  their own radical life...whatever that means to them.

I have done this work with Emily and can hands down say it was one of the most transformational processes I have been through in my grief journey. I have gained tools that will serve me for the rest of my life. Emily explains how and why it works and even delves into the neuroscience of it all.  This is truly a great conversation. 

FIND EMILY DZIEDZIC HERE: 

A Radical Life with Emily Website   
According to Emily:  "The most radical thing we can do in our life is to live a life we love. A life that is congruent for ourselves. A life that lights us up and fulfills our purpose . . . A radical life is a life where you dare to pursue exactly what you want for your life. Whether it’s leaving a relationship, starting a new career endeavor, setting boundaries, or acting on your wildest dreams, you deserve to design a life you love. You know heartache and loss and understand the fragility of life and now it’s time to get to living."

Emily on Instagram Content that any griever or intentional soul will benefit from

Emily on Facebook More of the above. She has a great new blog as well! 

If you or someone you know is struggling  with suicidal thoughts 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

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

Today, I go "Down the Rabbit Hole" to discuss things I have watched, binged or still want to watch with regards to suicide, loss & grief in general. These are everything from movies to series to documentaries; and can be watched on various platforms. THIS IS NOT A DEFINITIVE LIST of what I have watched NOR all of the subject matter  ... just some that I chose to share today. Some of these titles are about suicide loss, but most just about loss and grief and how the characters deal with it in such different ways -- just like we do. I admit my taste runs to dark comedy or very real (head on tackling) subject matter so my list will be heavy that direction.  I would love to know what you have watched that has distracted you or kept you company or held your heart as you grieve.

As with everything you hear on my podcasts, please take that which serves you & leave the rest. I hope you will find something of value & I am so sorry that you need to be here, but so honored you are here. Talk soon!

As I say at the end of the episode, there some really great conversations with some dynamic people coming in the next few months. Please reach out to me if you know of someone that I should talk to or if you yourself would like to have a conversation around the suicide loss and grief space. Instagram is probably still the best way to contact me or directly through email.

Here is the list of the films, series or other that I talked about AND as I said, I have listed next to each where I think (hope) you can find it to watch today ... but you, like me, may be relegated to "Google" a title and find out where it is currently since this seems to change often! The first 4 deal with suicide loss specifically

• "A Million Little Things" (ABC series, currently Amazon Prime has past episodes) 
• "13 Reasons Why"  AND "Beyond the Reasons"
• "Audrie & Daisy" (Netflix) 
• "Suicide; The Ripple Effect" look on Facebook at the page of the same name
• "Pieces of a Woman"  Martin Scorsese film on Netflix
• "Surviving Death" 6 part docuseries on death  on Netflix 
• "Lila & Eve" movie on Netflix
• "Dead to Me" -  Netflix series
• "Six feet Under" - HULU ( an old HBO series)
• "Afterlife" - movie on Netflix
• "Virgin River" - series on Netflix
• "Memory of Water" - movie 
• "Rabbit Hole"  - movie
• "I Know This Much is True" -movie
• This one IS a LINK ... International Survivors of Suicide Loss Documentaries   on the AFSP website
  
  
  If you or some

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

In this episode, I have a serious conversation with a warm, funny & insightful lady! Mary has experienced a lot of loss - both of her parents to suicide, her first child dies at 3 months old & her brother-in-law also ended his life... just to name some of her life traumas.  Spread over a lifetime, by her forties it had all taken a serious toll on her & she found herself living inside depression & devastation. She was just "existing". Then one day, she looked outside ... and made a choice to rejoin the land of the living.

"Mary Barras is a dynamic motivational speaker who shares her message of triumph after tragedy. She has endured both her parents’ suicides and she is spreading her message that 'Devastation is Optional'. She also shares her tools to get out of deep depression. 

Mary lives in Austin, TX with her 15 year old son, Jonas & their dogs, Mugsy & Sparky." 

FIND MARY HERE: 

 Mary's Website - where you can read about her & even book her for a speaking engagement

Mary's Instagram - FOLLOW HER for uplifting quotes & tidbits PLUS she pops on LIVE regularly to just chat!!! :) Mary loves to spread & encourage KINDNESS!! How can anyone argue with that? 

Mary's Facebook Page 

If you or someone you know is struggling  with suicidal thoughts 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

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

Today I head "Down The Rabbit Hole" to discuss some tangible "tools" that I would recommend taking a look at in the quest to find your own. This is a follow up to a previous episode, one of several to come, where I get more specific on some of the "tools" that have (or still do) serve me well in this suicide loss grief space I live in. Part 2 will be published in a few weeks!

As with everything you hear on my podcasts, please take that which serves you & leave the rest. I hope you will find something of value & I am so sorry that you need to be here, but so honored you are here. Talk soon!

The BOOKS I discussed are: 

• Your Grief, Your Way: A Year of Practical Guidance and Comfort After Loss by Shelby Forsythia
• Dying to Be Free: A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicide
• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
• The Ultimate Guide to Chakras: The Beginner's Guide to Balancing, Healing, and Unblocking Your Chakras for Health and Positive Energy by Athena Perrakis PhD

The Audio books (on AUDIBLE) that I discussed: 

• It's OK That You're Not OK Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand by Megan Devine
• Night Falls Fast Understanding Suicide  by Kay Redfield Jamison
• Cracked, Not Broken Surviving and Thriving After a Suicide Attempt by

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

Supporting a person who is grieving, especially grieving a suicide loss,  can be quite tricky and is not for the faint of heart. Grieving is hard, hard work but so is supporting the bereaved... especially if you too are also grieving. This episode is a conversation that I had with my husband, G.R. where among other things we discuss how we have weathered this loss, the grief, the stigma & more - together.

Here's a great article that I found after our conversation the really reaffirms much of what we talked about today:
10 Ways to Help Your Partner Cope with Loss

This article was originally published by Harvard in 2014 but was updated in 2020 & is a good read as well:
Suicide survivors face grief, questions, challenges

If you or someone you know is struggling  with suicidal thoughts 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

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

In this mini "Down the Rabbit Hole " Episode I discuss my thoughts on the New Year & how as a suicide loss griever there is a 'suck' to it for sure, but also promise & hope. This is NOT to be taken as definitive OR construed as medical advice.  I offer ONLY my own perspective & thoughts  based on my life, beliefs & experiences, but that's all it is … this ladies opinion.  I also read an origoanl prose piece I wrote recently comparing my grief to the ocean... this took me outside my comfort zone for sure but I am glad I shared it in the safe space with other grievers!

As with everything you hear on my podcasts, please take that which serves you & leave the rest. I hope you will find something of value & I am so sorry that you need to be here, but so honored you are here. Talk soon!


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; all while learning to live with grief -not get over it. We hope you will your grief '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

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

Today I want to share my conversation with Susan Ward. Susan lost her son Rader on June 7, 2017 to suicide just one week shy of his 16th birthday on June 13. Rader was a creative, intuitive & intelligent child who thrived in Montessori school. Susan & her husband William first noticed Rader's struggles  after Rader entered public school. We talk about how they sought 'help' in every way they could yet, it somehow wasn't enough. We also discuss Susan's "tools" for living with her grief.

Rader's college fund was put to work & became The Rader Ward Foundation. The foundation serves as a lasting tribute to their son Rader...& Susan's wish is that in his memory they can reach as many kids in their area as possible that would thrive in a Montessori environment - kids who possibly could be saved by such an environment. She also actively uses her platform to promote resources for mental health & suicide awareness ... in fact it is the soul purpose of the foundations Instagram feed.

This is a thought provoking conversation.  I am sorry you are here, but glad you have found us.

You can find & connect with Susan at

Rader Ward Foundation - there are tons of resources for mental health & suicide prevention both here and on her Instagram Page

You can also find them at  Facebook at Rader Ward Foundation


You can find & connect with me at:

The Leftover Pieces Instagram
or
The Leftover Pieces Podcast Webpage

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

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada

In this mini "Down the Rabbit Hole " Episode I discuss the many tools that I have placed in my "grief toolkit" and others that I am exploring. This is NOT to be taken as definitive OR construed as medical advice.  I offer ONLY my own perspective & thoughts  based on my life, beliefs & experiences, but that's all it is … this ladies opinion.  And I really only scratch the surface & will talk on this subject more in the future as well as have deeper conversations on some of the "tools" I use & rely on!

As with everything you hear on my podcasts, please take that which serves you & leave the rest. I hope you will find something of value & I am so sorry that you need to be here, but so honored you are here. Talk soon!

Here are a few - ONLY a few - places to explore your curiosity in the subjects I addressed today. This is NOT a definitive guide NOR is it official advice - just me sharing some resources:

WebMD article on Essential Oils - an interesting read

DoTerra Oils; How to use them - this is the brand I use

Evolve Transpersonal Crystal Healing - straight from the land down under

MindBodyGrief  Emily Dziedzic, founder and operator of Mind Body Grief. is a Grief Coach who works with women who are ready to reclaim their life after loss. As a Certified Master Practitioner and Coach of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Time Line Therapy ®, and Hypnotherapy, I provide women with the tools needed to regain footing in their life following a significant loss.

Beginners Guide to Chakra's - one of so many places to start AND it links you to Yoga Journal so a 2-for-1 here :)

Prevention Magazine article of anxiety/chakras/meditation

Sound Healing Benefits article in Well & Good

The best "Crystal Live" on Instagram (in my opinion) for real connection AND crystals

OPRAH article on Cleansing Aura & Chakras - I mean if Oprah says .... lol, it is an interesting article though

There are so many more I could put here (like podcasts I recommendations or audio books I have enjoyed)  but will save for another day!

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________

My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" is support central.

NEW July 30, 2025 ---> FIND the $9 Lighthouse Community for Moms Here!!

Resources for ALL --> Find Here

One-on-One Grief Coaching for Moms after suicide loss ---> Find Here

If you, or someone you know, is struggling ww suicidal thoughts, reach out:
CALL 988 in the US or Canada OR, you can also TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USA & Canada