The Sharing Place

For nearly 2 decades, The Sharing Place has been fulfilling its mission to "provide a safe and caring environment for grieving children, teens, and their families to share their feelings while healing themselves."

In 1993 a determined young nurse and widow, Chris Chytraus, sought help for her two young children after the death of their father. She discovered a lack of resources in the Salt Lake City area and with the help and expertise of her children's therapist, Nancy Reiser they founded The Sharing Place. Chris not only helped her own children deal with their grief, but she has made a difference in the lives of many thousands who have walked through the door, called on the phone, or made use of grief support information from our website.

From the humble beginnings in Nancy's office then to a preschool after hours, the growing need for grief support for children prompted The Sharing Place move to its current location -- a comfortable, homelike setting located at 1695 East 3300 South in Salt Lake City.

The Sharing Place now hosts fourteen age-appropriate grief support groups for children ages 3-18. The parents meet separately in groups designed to meet their needs. Each group is led by a coordinator and a number of volunteers who have all completed extensive training. Our coordinators and the support group volunteers are the heart and soul of our program.

As the program has grown over the years requests for services in the community has also grown. The Sharing Place partners with agencies and schools across the Wasatch Front to increase the awareness of the grief journey and the impact death of a loved one can have at different ages and stages of an individual's life. The Sharing Place holds grief groups off-site, extending our services in target areas to reach more families who will benefit from the opportunity to share their feelings, experiences and memories.