Invisible Loss and Disenfranchised Grief: Recognizing the Unseen Conference

Loss is a universal human experience, yet society does not acknowledge or validate all losses. This conference explores invisible loss—experiences of loss that go unrecognized—and disenfranchised grief, the deep sorrow that arises when grief is not openly acknowledged, socially supported, or publicly mourned. Through speaker sessions, discussion, and creative and mindfulness-based practices, participants will gain insight into these often-overlooked aspects of grief, learn how they manifest in personal and professional contexts, and explore ways to honor and support those navigating them.

Designed for professionals and individuals who engage with grief in various contexts including but not limited to:

Mental Health Professionals (therapists, counselors, social workers)

Hospice and Palliative Care Workers

Healthcare Providers (nurses, doctors, patient advocates)

End-of-Life Doulas

Educators and School Counselors

Faith Leaders and Spiritual Care Providers

Nonprofit and Community Leaders working with grief, trauma, and loss

Individuals Experiencing Disenfranchised Grief

Featured Topics:

Losses Related to Addiction

Losses Related to Incarceration

Cultural Grief

Loss of Embodiment & Ability

Climate Grief

Student & Family Support

Herbs for Grief & Loss

Meditation and Mindfulness

Performance & Creative Interventions

Session Descriptions:

Understanding Invisible Loss and Disenfranchised Grief in Addiction

This session explores the often-overlooked grief experienced by individuals in addiction recovery and their loved ones. Participants will examine invisible losses—such as lost identity, opportunities, and health—and disenfranchised grief, including mourning broken relationships, harm caused, and the loss of an ideal future. The workshop will address the impact of stigma, societal attitudes, and unacknowledged grief while offering practical coping strategies, therapeutic approaches, and ways to create supportive, stigma-free spaces. The session concludes with a call to action for recognizing and validating these losses in addiction recovery.

Presenter: Stephanie Snyder, MS, LCPC, LCADC
Stephanie Snyder is the Clinical Director at Hood College Neighborhood Counseling Training Center. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) in Maryland.

Roots & Reclamation: Healing Cultural Grief

Cultural grief is a deep, often unspoken sorrow that arises from displacement, loss of traditions, historical trauma, and the struggle to belong in a changing world. Participants will explore how cultural grief impacts identity and well-being and learn ways to process this unique form of loss. Through reflection, discussion, and experiential somatic practices, this workshop creates space for healing, connection, and the reclamation of cultural roots. Whether you have personally experienced cultural loss or work with those who have, this session offers a compassionate framework for understanding and integration.

Presenter: Vanessa Durrant, MSW, LCSW-C, LCSW, RMT, RYT
Vanessa Durrant is the founder of Kindred Tree Healing Center. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C, LCSW), Reiki Master Teacher (RMT), and Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) specializing in holistic therapy and cultural grief healing.

Loss of Embodiment & Body Connection

Mainstream diet culture indoctrinates individuals into a relationship of control, distrust, and disconnection from their bodies, leading to a process of disembodiment—an often invisible yet deeply impactful loss. This session explores how diet culture fosters body alienation and parallels other bodily losses, including physical disability, illness, and injury. Participants will examine the intersection of ableism and body functionality loss, uncovering how these experiences compound grief. Through a Health at Every Size (HAES) and anti-diet lens, the workshop introduces self-compassionate approaches to healing one’s relationship with the body.

Presenter: Tina Maczis, LCPC, LCPAT, ATR-BC
Tina Maczis is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Licensed Clinical Professional Art Therapist (LCPAT), and a Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC). She specializes in embodiment work, expressive therapies, and trauma-informed healing.

Grief, Conflict, and Healing for Families of Justice-Involved Individuals

Families of justice-involved individuals often experience a silent, complex grief that is rarely recognized or validated. This workshop explores disenfranchised grief, emotional regulation, and conflict navigation techniques to support families as they navigate their emotions, relationships, and personal healing.

Participants will:

• Recognize and validate their grief—understanding why this experience is real and significant.
• Learn emotional regulation techniques—using breathwork to move through moments of frustration, anger, or helplessness.
• Develop conflict navigation skills—exploring ways to communicate emotions and needs without blame.
• Gain insight into resilience and healing—finding ways to support both their loved ones and themselves.

This session is designed for families, friends, community members, and others seeking to understand the emotional impact of justice involvement and learn practical skills for navigating grief and conflict.

Presenter: Dawn Valentine
Dawn Valentine is a facilitator at the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center in Howard County, Maryland. She is also the founder of Blossoming Bodhi Tree, an environmental health advocate, evaluation consultant, and yoga therapist integrating ancient healing practices with modern conflict resolution.

Cultivating Wonder: A Climate Grief Intervention

The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue—it is a deeply human one, stirring feelings of loss, anxiety, and helplessness. In this workshop, we explore the climate crisis through the lens of grief theory, recognizing that mourning is a necessary process for healing and resilience. By acknowledging our grief, we create space for deeper connection, renewed purpose, and collective action.

Through guided discussion and an arts-based mourning activity, we will engage with our emotions in a way that fosters meaning, creativity, and hope. This workshop offers a supportive space to process ecological loss, cultivate wonder, and explore pathways toward healing and action.

Presenter: Kaili van Waveren, MA, CTP, GC-C, CMIP
Kaili is an alumnus of The Johns Hopkins University and Hood College, where she earned a Master’s degree in thanatology and later taught in the Department of Psychology and Counseling. Kaili has years of experience in end-of-life care and grief counseling and managed the bereavement program for Frederick Health Hospice.

In 2023 Kaili became the Executive Director at ThorpeWood, a nature-based mental health and social-emotional learning center.

Liminal Grace Dance with Redbud Dance Company

Herbs for Grief & Loss with Fox Haven

Grief affects not only the heart and mind but also the body, manifesting as fatigue, tension, digestive issues, and emotional overwhelm. This workshop explores how herbs can provide gentle support during times of loss, helping to ease sorrow, calm the nervous system, and restore balance.

Participants will:

• Learn about herbs traditionally used to support grief, including nervines, adaptogens, and heart-soothing botanicals.
• Explore herbal preparations such as teas, tinctures, and baths to nurture the body and spirit.
• Discover rituals and practices that integrate plant allies into the grieving process for comfort and resilience.

Presenter: Ashley Renee Hoffman
Ashley Hoffman, a lifelong resident of Frederick County, integrates her deep connection to the region into her role at Fox Haven. Advocating for accessibility in herbalism, Ashley leads garden tours and classes to foster positive connections between individuals, their health, and the environment. Currently enrolled in the clinical mental health graduate program at Hood College, Ashley explores the intersection of mental well-being and nature. Beyond these pursuits, Ashley’s artistic touch enhances Fox Haven’s promotions, infusing creativity into our work. Her contributions underscore a sincere dedication to nurturing a community where wellness, nature, and creativity harmoniously come together.

Wendy Baracka, MSW, LICSW currently serves as the Director of Counseling Services at Shepherd University. Wendy is also a certified yoga instructor, advanced trainer in The Nurtured Heart Approach, working toward certification in Accelerated Resolution Therapy, a student of mindfulness, an amateur pickleball player and humble gardener. Wendy lives in Shepherdstown, WV with her family and is originally from Alexandria, VA.