Annette Mendez is the Training & Curriculum Manager at Good Grief, Inc. and a certified grief educator through David Kessler. She is also the creator of The Grief Comadre, where she walks alongside Latinos in honoring cultural roots while breaking free from unhealthy patterns passed down as “cultura.” With a background in Human Development and Family Studies and a Master’s Certification in Developmental Models for Autism Intervention, Annette blends grief education, cultural wisdom, and trauma-informed practices. Her work centers resilience, healing, and connection—aligning with NJIMHC’s mission of integrated mental wellness across every season of life.
Annette's Presentations
Workshop
Integrated Care for Invisible Grief
Addressing Non-Death Losses Across the Lifespan
Many people carry grief that isn’t tied to death, such as the loss of identity, relationships, culture, or safety. This workshop explores how non-death grief presents across our lifespans and offers strategies to recognize, validate, and integrate invisible grief into culturally responsive, anti-oppressive mental health practices. This 90-minute workshop explores the concept of invisible grief, with a focus on ambiguous loss, disenfranchised grief, and identity-based grief across the lifespan. Participants will learn how these grief experiences show up across childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and elderhood and how to recognize them in populations that are often excluded from dominant narratives of loss and healing.
