Hi, I’m Melissa.
I’m a grieving mother, a Master Grief Coach, and the host of The Leftover Pieces® Podcast.
After losing my 21-year-old son, Alex, to suicide in 2016, my life was forever divided into before and after. Like so many mothers, I found myself navigating grief, guilt, identity loss, and the impossible question of how to keep living.
Over the years, I’ve walked this road not only for myself, but alongside hundreds of grieving mothers through conversations, retreats, writing, community, and coaching.
Many of the mothers who eventually find their way to this work are several years beyond the loss itself, quietly wondering how life is supposed to move forward from here.
Through The Leftover Pieces®, I now offer grief coaching designed specifically for mothers living after the loss of a child to suicide—with different ways to step into the work depending on where you are, what kind of support you’re looking for, and how deeply you’re ready to engage.
Because this work is not about “moving on.”
Mothers don’t move on from their children.
But we can learn how to live forward while carrying our love—and our grief—with us.
What This Work Is About
Grief does not follow a timeline—but it does evolve.
In the early years after loss, many mothers feel like they are simply trying to survive each day. As time passes, different questions often begin to emerge:
Who am I now? How do I trust myself again? How do I live forward while carrying this grief? What does the rest of my life look like?
This work creates a gentle, intentional space to explore those questions—not by trying to fix your grief or move you past it, but by helping you understand where you are now and what may be asking for your attention.
Depending on where you are in your journey, our work may include:
- untangling guilt and self-blame
- rebuilding trust in yourself and your life
- reconnecting with who you are now—and who you are becoming
- learning how to carry grief while living forward
- exploring meaning, purpose, connection, and moments of peace
You will never be “over” the loss of your child.
But you can learn to live alongside the grief—with your child’s love still woven into your life.
And because no two mothers need exactly the same kind of support, there are now several ways to step into this work—depending on where you are, how deeply you want to engage, and the kind of coaching container that feels right for you.
Ways to Work With Me
There is no single right way to step into coaching.
Right now, my primary coaching focus is small-group work—bringing together a small number of grieving mothers who are ready for greater structure, accountability, deeper reflection, and intentional coaching as they learn to live forward.
For women who have already completed one of my coaching journeys, there are also ways to continue the work through ongoing alumni coaching.
Private 1:1 coaching remains available on a very limited basis when my schedule and a mother’s needs are the right fit.
Small Group Coaching
Structured coaching. Meaningful connection. A small room where there is space for you.
Experience Destination: Me™ or Soul Tides™ alongside a small group of grieving mothers doing the same intentional work.
These 12-week cohorts meet weekly for 75 minutes and are intentionally limited to 6–8 women, allowing room for meaningful conversation, individual reflection, shared insight, accountability, and real coaching each week.
I am currently gathering interest for my next small-group cohort, anticipated to begin in November 2026.
The group will launch once at least six women are ready to begin the same journey. If there is enough interest sooner—or the needs of the group make a slightly later start more appropriate—the exact start date may shift.
Adding your name to the interest list does not obligate you to enroll. I will contact interested women first as the cohort takes shape so we can determine fit, schedule, and readiness together.
Best for: the mother who is ready to move beyond reflection alone and wants structured coaching, greater accountability, and the connection of doing deeper work alongside a small group of women who understand this loss.
[JOIN THE SMALL GROUP INTEREST LIST BY CLICKING BUTTON FURTHER DOWN ON THIS PAGE]
Continuing & Alumni Coaching
Sometimes you don’t need to start over—you simply need a meaningful way to keep going.
For mothers who have completed Destination: Me™ or Soul Tides™, I offer two ways to continue working together:
Living Forward Coaching Circle
Ongoing small-group coaching, reflection, connection, and accountability for women who want to continue doing the work after completing their 12-week journey.
Regrounding Sessions
Focused 90-minute private coaching sessions for former clients when a particular season, question, decision, anniversary, relationship, or area of grief needs some intentional attention.
These options are available exclusively to coaching alumni.
Private 1:1 Coaching
Deeply personal support, available on a limited basis.
Private Destination: Me™ and Soul Tides™ coaching remain the most individualized ways to experience this work.
Because I am now balancing The Leftover Pieces® with full-time work outside of my coaching practice, private coaching availability is intentionally very limited for the remainder of 2026.
Most new private coaching starts are currently anticipated for spring 2027, although I may occasionally accept a client sooner when my availability and the mother’s particular needs are the right fit.
All private coaching begins with a conversation. This allows us to talk about where you are, what kind of support you are looking for, and whether private coaching—or one of my other coaching spaces—is the most appropriate next step.
Best for: the mother who needs a highly individualized container and whose needs are best served through dedicated private work.
[INQUIRE ABOUT LIMITED PRIVATE COACHING AVAILABILITY]
Small Group Coaching
The same intentional coaching work, experienced in community.
Small group coaching offers another way to move through Destination: Me™ or Soul Tides™—with the added connection of walking alongside other grieving mothers who are doing the work with you.
These are intentionally small coaching groups, limited to 6–8 women, creating enough space for individual reflection, meaningful conversation, shared insight, and real coaching each week.
You’ll choose the journey that best meets you where you are.
Destination: Me™
Releasing Guilt & Restoring Self-Trust
For mothers navigating the heavier terrain of grief who are ready to begin untangling guilt and self-blame, rebuilding trust in themselves, and finding steadier footing as they learn to live forward.
Soul Tides™
Grounded in grief, led by spirit — become who your soul remembers.
For mothers further along in grief who are ready to explore identity, meaning, purpose, connection, and who they are becoming while continuing to carry both their grief and their love.
Your 12-Week Small Group Coaching Journey Includes
- 12 weekly 75-minute live Zoom coaching sessions
- A small cohort of 6–8 grieving mothers
- Guided reflection, journaling, and coaching exercises
- Space for both group conversation and individual coaching
- The full Destination: Me™ or Soul Tides™ coaching framework
- Your corresponding workbook, required and purchased separately by you before group (link will be provided)
Investment
Pay in full: $900
Payment plan: 3 monthly payments of $350
Please note: A $100 non-refundable seat reservation is included in your program investment and holds your place in the cohort. If you decide not to participate before the group begins, any amount paid above the $100 reservation will be refunded. Once the cohort begins, payments are non-refundable.
Next Small-Group Cohort
I am currently gathering interest for my next 12-week small-group coaching cohort, with an anticipated November 2026 start.
Groups are intentionally limited to 6–8 women and begin once at least six mothers are ready to move through the same coaching journey together.
If you are interested, add your name to the list below. There is no financial commitment simply for expressing interest. As the cohort takes shape, I will personally contact interested women with the proposed schedule and next steps before enrollment is finalized.
[JOIN THE SMALL GROUP INTEREST LIST BY CLICKING BELOW]
Join the Small Group Interest List. No Obligation Now.Continuing & Alumni Coaching
Sometimes you don’t need to start over—you just need a meaningful way to keep going.
Completing Destination: Me™ or Soul Tides™ does not mean the work—or your need for connection, reflection, and support—suddenly ends.
For women who have completed one of my 12-week coaching journeys, there are two ways to continue working together.
Living Forward Coaching Circle
Ongoing coaching, reflection, connection, and accountability after your 12-week journey.
Maybe you don’t need another program.
Maybe you simply don’t want to stop doing the work.
The Living Forward Coaching Circle is an ongoing small-group coaching space created exclusively for women who have completed Destination: Me™ or Soul Tides™.
There is no new curriculum to complete. Instead, we work with what is happening in your life now—through coaching, meaningful conversation, guided reflection, journaling or intuitive writing, revisiting previous work, and intentions for the weeks ahead.
Your Living Forward Circle Includes
- Two 90-minute live Zoom coaching sessions each month
- A small, intentionally limited group of former coaching clients
- Continued reflection and accountability
- Coaching around what is happening in your life now
- Opportunities to revisit and deepen previous Destination: Me™ or Soul Tides™ work
- A meaningful way to continue living forward in community
Investment
Pay in full: $450 every 3 months
Save $75
Payment plan:
3 monthly payments of $175
Enrollment is offered in three-month cycles, and you are welcome to continue enrolling for additional cycles for as long as the Circle continues to serve you and space remains available.
Beginning with clients completing coaching in Fall 2026 and beyond, I will share information about the Living Forward Coaching Circle toward the end of your 12-week journey so you can decide whether continued coaching in community feels like the right next step.
If you completed coaching with me previously and are interested now, simply reach out to me personally or by email and I’ll send you the current information and availability.
Regrounding Sessions
Focused private coaching when something needs your attention.
Sometimes you don’t need ongoing coaching at all.
You may simply encounter an anniversary, relationship change, difficult decision, new season of grief, or something else that makes you think:
I could really use some time with Melissa to work through this.
Regrounding Sessions are 90-minute private coaching sessions available exclusively to former Destination: Me™ and Soul Tides™ clients.
Before we meet, I’ll ask you to share a little about what is bringing you back so we can use our time together intentionally.
Investment
One 90-minute session: $225
or
Three 90-minute sessions: $600
Save $75
Three-session packages may be used anytime within six months, allowing you to return when support is needed rather than following a weekly schedule.
Click the button below whenever you’re ready to schedule a Regrounding Session.
SCHEDULE A REGROUNDING SESSION USING BUTTON BELOW
Schedule a Regrounding Session Here (for Coaching Alum Only)
Private 1:1 Coaching
Deeply personal support, built around you.
Private coaching offers the most individualized way to experience this work. Over 12 weeks, we meet one-on-one each week, creating space for your story, your grief, your questions, and what is unfolding in your life right now.
You’ll move through one of two coaching journeys, based on where you are and what you most need from this season of your grief.
Destination: Me™
Releasing Guilt & Restoring Self-Trust
Created for mothers who are still navigating the heavier terrain of grief and are ready to begin untangling guilt, rebuilding trust in themselves, and finding steadier emotional footing.
Together, we explore the layers of traumatic loss, the questions and self-blame that can follow suicide loss, and what it means to begin living forward without leaving your child behind.
Soul Tides™
Grounded in grief, led by spirit — become who your soul remembers.
Created for mothers further along in grief who have survived the early storm and are beginning to ask deeper questions about identity, meaning, purpose, connection, and who they are becoming.
This work makes room for grief while exploring the life that is continuing to unfold around—and within—you.
Your 12-Week Private Coaching Journey Includes
-
12 weekly 75-minute private Zoom coaching sessions
-
Your Destination: Me™ or Soul Tides™ workbook, included with enrollment
-
Guided reflection and practices between sessions
-
Between-session support within the coaching container
-
Coaching tailored to your individual story, needs, and pace
Investment
Pay in full: $2,000
Payment plan: 3 monthly payments of $750
Please note: A $250 non-refundable reservation deposit is included in your program investment and secures your coaching start date. If you decide not to begin coaching after reserving your space, any amount paid above the $250 deposit will be refunded. Once coaching begins, payments are non-refundable.
Current Private Coaching Availability
Because I am now balancing The Leftover Pieces® with full-time work outside of my coaching practice, I am accepting very few new private 1:1 clients for the remainder of 2026.
Most new private coaching starts are currently being considered for spring 2027, with occasional earlier openings offered on a case-by-case basis as my schedule allows.
If you believe private coaching may be the right fit for what you need, you are still welcome to reach out. We can have a conversation about where you are, what you’re looking for, and whether private coaching—or another coaching pathway—makes the most sense.
Let's Have a Conversation. Reserve Your Spot / Start Date
A Note About This Work
Grief coaching is different from therapy—and it is different from a support group.
This is an intentional, collaborative space for mothers who are ready to look at where they are now, explore what may be keeping them stuck or asking for their attention, and begin making conscious choices about how they want to live forward.
Our work may include reflection on your story, guilt and self-trust, identity, relationships, meaning, spirituality when that feels right for you, and the complicated experience of building a life that continues to hold both grief and love.
I will bring questions, tools, perspective, gentle challenge, and the experience I have gathered through my own loss, professional training, and years of working alongside grieving mothers.
You bring your story, your willingness, and your own knowing.
There is no finish line here—and no expectation that grief disappears.
The work is about learning how to carry what cannot be changed while creating room for what can still become possible.
A Weekly Check-In for Fellow Grievers
Most weeks, I send a short note — reflections from the rabbit hole, reminders you're not alone, and a few honest thoughts about learning to live forward after loss.
“Nothing heavy. Nothing overwhelming. Just a little companionship in your inbox, shared weekly with 1,000+ fellow grievers.”
**Payment, Refund & Scheduling Policy (Click "+" to Expand and Read)
“Melissa is not a licensed mental health professional or medical doctor. Information and resources shared through The Leftover Pieces® are educational in nature and are based on lived experience, coaching practice, gathered knowledge, and certificate-based training. Nothing on this website should be considered medical or mental health advice or a substitute for care from a licensed professional.”