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 families face within the mental health system, and the difficult reality of navigating care when answers are limited.Colleen brings both her medical insight and her lived experience as a mother into this conversation, helping us better understand psychosis, its impact, and why it can lead to dangerous or unpredictable outcomes.We also talk about the questions so many of us carry after loss—the what ifs, the unknowns—and how we begin to move forward while still holding love, grief, and connection.This conversation is both informative and deeply human—offering insight, validation, and a reminder that you are not alone.Resources mentioned in this episode:Schizophrenia and Psychosis Action Alliance https://sczaction.org/Podcast: Schizophrenia: Three Moms in the Trenches https://schizophrenia3momsinthetrenches.buzzsprout.com/Norway’s Patient Pathways for Mental Health & Substance Use https://www.helsenorge.no/en/psykisk-helse/patient-pathway-for-mental-health-and-substance-abuse/EPI-NET (Early Psychosis Intervention Network) https://nationalepinet.org/Children and Screens: Digital Media & Youth Mental Health (Free Handbook) https://www.childrenandscreens.org/newsroom/news/children-and-screens-announces-groundbreaking-handbook-on-digital-medias-impact-on-children-and-adolescents/Book: The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller Support the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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, something in Melissa needed to slow down, reflect, and listen more closely to what this next season of grief — and this next season of the podcast — might look like.In this relaunch episode, Melissa shares openly about the weight of long-term grief, the ways child loss continues to shape identity even many years later, and the realization that healing doesn’t mean leaving our children behind.She also reflects on a powerful dream that helped her understand the guiding word that arrived at the beginning of the year: bridge — a symbol of learning to live forward while still carrying everything that matters.This episode marks the beginning of a new chapter for the podcast.In the months ahead, Melissa will be leaning into deeper conversations about what grief looks like beyond the early years, especially for bereaved mothers navigating the long road of life after child loss.Upcoming episodes will include:• conversations with mothers further along in their grief journeys • reflections on identity, resilience, and rebuilding life after loss • honest discussions about the parts of grief that rarely get talked about once the world assumes we’re “better” • continued support for those navigating suicide loss and traumatic child lossWhether you are early in your grief or many years down the road, this season will explore what it truly means to live forward while carrying the love and memory of those we’ve lost.As always, take what serves you… and leave the rest.Resources & SupportIf you are looking for additional support after suicide loss, or you are a bereaved mother navigating life after traumatic child loss, you can explore coaching, writing support, and grief resources at:www.theleftoverpieces.comMelissa offers:• one-on-one grief coaching • support for mothers navigating child loss • guidance for those who feel called to write or share their loved one’s story • resources for suicide loss survivors and familiesSupport the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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 quiet companionship with a longer reflection & an original New Year’s Eve poem, honoring survival and the love you carry forward as a year closesStill Here — A Daily Journal Prompt“As this year ends, what have I carried — what does that say about my love, my strength, or my becoming?”Still Here — A New Year’s Eve Reflection (Poem)This year did not end all at once. Rather, it released us reluctantly — sigh by ragged, echoing sigh, through endless hours that asked more than we could sustain.Tonight is not just a counting down. It is the act of carrying on — of bringing forward what love refuses to leave behind: the moments, the names, the memories, all that we survived, and all that we still hold close.Midnight does not soothe a bone-deep ache. January does not undo what we desperately wish could be undone. A calendar turning will never ready us — it announces another year to walk in the after.Let it arrive — tenderly, without forcing your heart to keep pace in this invisible, impossible race of another year without them.Love does not thin with the tendrils of time. It does not fray or fade at the edges. It deepens at its very roots, learns new shapes, finds new ways to grow inside us.We are not leaving them in the before.We are carrying them forward — through our living, through our loving, through our persistent, tender intention to keep going. In our soul’s quiet recognition of theirs.Somewhere between the old year and the new, held in remembering, buoyed by hoping, lives a quiet place — not empty, not resolved — just opening.And in this space, we stand exactly as we are.May this year meet you there. Here. Still here.Broken, bruised, or mending — maybe everything all at once, or somewhere in between — trust that you are becoming.Support the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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... I use and love this app!) Sean shares his own lived experience with depression and suicidal thoughts as a teenager, and how journaling helped him survive during a time when he felt untethered and overwhelmed. That experience eventually led him to co-found Rosebud, a therapist-backed journaling app designed to support emotional awareness, reflection, and personal growth.In this conversation, we discuss the cognitive science behind journaling, why it can be especially supportive after suicide loss, and how reflective practices help grievers begin to make sense of their inner world — without replacing therapy or crisis care. We’re clear about boundaries: journaling is not treatment, and it is not emergency support — but it is a powerful companion tool for many people navigating grief and trauma.We also talk about:Why journaling after suicide loss can feel safer for some grievers than talking out loudHow micro-habits and gentle prompts support consistency without pressureThe difference between journaling, therapy, and crisis resourcesEthical technology use in mental-health spacesPrivacy, encryption, and responsible data handlingThe CARE Initiative, focused on safeguarding and accountability in mental-health technologyI also share why I personally value journaling as part of a broader support system after loss — including the option to speak rather than type, receive thoughtful prompts, and engage in reflection without having to “know what to say.”This episode is grounded, educational, and honest — offering grievers, supporters, and clinicians alike a clearer understanding of how journaling can support healing after suicide loss, while honoring the reality that no single tool is enough on its own Rosebud — Journaling App & Resources:💜 Why This Episode MattersGrieving after suicide loss can feel isolating, overwhelming, and hard to put into words. This conversation offers a grounded look at how journaling — when used ethically and intentionally — can support reflection, emotional processing, and healing alongside other forms of care.Support the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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 year winds down, today’s episode offers a compassionate way to look back — without judgment, comparison, or pressure to find meaning where it doesn’t belong. Allow for plenty of grace and space my friends!Quoted or Referenced in This Episode– “The act of writing turns out to be its own reward.” — Cheryl StrayedA Gentle Closing ReminderSurvival is not small — it’s sacred.Stay Connected💜 TheLeftoverPieces.com💜 Instagram @theleftoverpieces💜 Download the Leftover Pieces AppSupport the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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 ReflectionAs the holidays fade and the year nears its end, today’s episode offers permission to slow down and let the season settle gently.Quoted or Referenced in This Episode– “You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.” — Mary OliverA Gentle Closing ReminderSoftening is not weakness — it’s wisdom.Stay Connected💜 TheLeftoverPieces.com💜 Instagram @theleftoverpieces💜 Download the Leftover Pieces AppSupport the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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 usual?”Today’s ReflectionThe space between Christmas and the new year can feel disorienting for grievers. Today’s episode invites stillness and reminds us that slowing down is part of healing.Quoted or Referenced in This Episode– “In an age of speed, I began to think, nothing could be more invigorating than going slow.” — Pico IyerA Gentle Closing ReminderYou don’t have to fill the quiet — you can rest inside it.Stay Connected💜 TheLeftoverPieces.com💜 Instagram @theleftoverpieces💜 Download the Leftover Pieces AppSupport the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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 ReflectionAfter the holidays, many grievers experience an emotional and physical drop. Today’s episode offers compassion for that release and permission to rest without judgment.Quoted or Referenced in This Episode– “Sometimes everything has to be let go, to make room for what is real.” — David WhyteA Gentle Closing ReminderRest is not retreat — it’s recovery.Stay Connected💜 TheLeftoverPieces.com💜 Instagram @theleftoverpieces💜 Download the Leftover Pieces AppSupport the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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 ReflectionChristmas Day can hold love, grief, memory, and exhaustion all at once. Today’s reflection offers permission to let the day be what it is, without pressure to perform, reflect, or feel a certain way.Quoted or Referenced in This Episode– “We are imperfect mortal beings, aware of that mortality even as we push it away.” — Joan DidionA Gentle Closing ReminderYou don’t need to make today meaningful — your presence is enough.Stay Connected💜 TheLeftoverPieces.com💜 Instagram @theleftoverpieces💜 Download the Leftover Pieces AppSupport the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741. 

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 reimagining of a familiar holiday reading — written to hold memory, absence, love, and quiet endurance.And the House Held Its Breath- ’Twas a Christmas Eve Rebuildingby Melissa Bottorff-Arey’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through our spaces, Our houses hold breath with slower, softer paces. Not everything sparkles, not everything shines. Some traditions rest, some moments keep time.The stockings weren’t placed the way they once were. Some memories still tender, some feelings astir. We didn’t fix everything, and we didn’t pretend. We noticed what’s missing — what there’s no way to mend.The lights felt too bright, or perhaps not enough. The songs hit a nerve, where the love meets the loss. We whisper their names in quiet in-betweens, What once was our normal, and what now isn’t seen.Somewhere a laugh lingers, familiar, alive, In the warmth of the kitchen, the joy that survived. Not the joy we went looking for, not something we planned, But a moment that found us, and then held our hand.There’s no magic tonight that makes sorrow depart, No sleigh that can mend a broke-open heart. And yet in the stillness, something remains: The love we keep carrying through the truth and the pain.So here on this evening, I offer no false cheer — Just a place for longing, the memories, the tears. And maybe a breath. And maybe a pause. And permission to hold it — with or without a 'Claus(e)'Christmas Eve — A Daily Journal Prompt:“What feels most present for me tonight — and what would it mean to let that be enough?”Stay ConnectedIf you’re a mom navigating grief and longing for steady, compassionate support, the Lighthouse Community is a gentle place to land. The first month is always free — no pressure, no obligation. You’re welcome exactly as you are.Support the show__________________________________________________________________________Get THE Leftover Pieces APP & don't miss anything! CLICK HERE 💜 The Leftover Pieces is support central for grieving hearts. 🔗 Stay connected: Join my free email community for weekly check-ins, resources, and encouragement. 🌟 For moms: Explore the $9 Lighthouse Community — safe connection, tools, and hope. 🛠 Resources for all grievers: Start here. 🤝 One-on-one grief coaching for moms after child loss to suicide: Learn more here. 📞 Need help now? If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 in the U.S. & Canada, or text HOME to 741741.