Stories from The Sharing Place

Maya, now 8 years old, still misses her baby sister terribly. She and Ariana had a very close connection that the rest of the family didn't quite understand. The Sharing Place has helped her deal with nightmares and anxiety over the many things in life that can't be controlled. It has given her an outlet for her grief and her many questions. At school, she doesn't feel she can talk about Ariana with anyone for fear of being singled our or made fun of. Brodie is now 4 years old. Even though he was only 21/2 when Ariana died, he understood more than we could've expected. A few days after the funeral, while holding a picture of her, he said, "that hurts to me heart. Broken. I miss Ariana … With our efforts at home and his time at The Sharing Place, Brodie has learned what death really means and how to better deal with it in his own life. He also knows that although death means Ariana isn't coming back, we can still love, cherish and keep her with us always in our hearts. — Monica

My daughter has been better able to communicate and interact with her teacher, mom and brother. She is more able to express herself. She is able to talk open about loved ones that have passed on. I am able to accept my feelings and her feelings as they come and go. — A father

The "intake" or interview to attend The Sharing Place was very enlightening to me. The girls cried and showed open emotion even at this first exposure. I believe they "felt" the safe place it was for sharing emotion. I was actually surprised to see my daughter cry at this time as she was very withdrawn. — A parent

The sharing helped both boys immensely. Initially, I think it helped them just to meet other kids who had lost a parent and have a safe place to talk about their feelings regarding their dad and his death. After they got used to attending "group," I think being able to play, make art and talk openly was a part of the grief and recovery. — A mother

Signs of intense grief

 Anxiety or panic

 Unexplained anger

 Crying often and easily

 Difficulty concentrating

 Sleeplessness or too much sleeping

 Loss of appetite or overeating

 Increased physical complaints or illnesses

 Acting younger or "like a baby."

 Other sudden behavioral changes

The rights of grief