Infuse YOU
I'm a mother, wife, fitness pro, empowerment coach and entrepreneur. But most of all I'm an imperfect human who enjoys helping others, especially women and young girls. My mission is to spread love and joy through movement, motivation and education. This podcast will allow me to reach people across the worldl
I hope that something is said in each episode that will help you along your life journey. Are you ready to fill up your cup with LAUGHTER, with SELF LOVE, with INSPIRATION, with MOVEMENT, with YOU!! Tune in weekly for these topics and more. Let’s get into it! You GOT this! Remember, it’s progress, not perfection.
Infuse YOU
Finding Strength in Grief: Kamisha Allen on Supporting Bereaved Parents & Navigating Loss
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Experiencing the indescribable loss of a child, Kamisha Allen found solace and purpose through her grief by establishing the HP Foundation. This organization, based in Arizona, is a lifeline for bereaved parents, offering crucial support and understanding to those enduring the unthinkable. Through our conversation, we shine a spotlight on the significance of Bereaved Parents Awareness Month, the beneficial services the HP Foundation provides, and the transformative power of community during times of heartache.
Can counseling truly help navigate the turbulent waves of grief? Is life insurance really worth it? These questions and more are addressed as Kamisha candidly shares her personal experiences. She sheds light on the lifeline counseling can provide, the importance of understanding and possessing life insurance policies, and emphasizes the vital need to be gentle with ourselves in times of mourning. Kamisha's wisdom and insights are not just thought-provoking, they're life lessons wrapped in the guise of adversity.
Self-care, an often overlooked aspect of our lives, becomes pivotal during the grieving process. Kamisha shares the techniques that aid her in keeping her spirits high and her positivity flowing. From focusing on oneself to staying motivated, she gives us a masterclass in resilience. So, be prepared for an enlightening, heartwarming, and at times, challenging conversation with Kamisha Allen on this episode of the Infuse YOU Podcast.
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All right, happy Sunday everyone. Welcome to season two of the Infusion Podcast. My name is Teresa and I am your host. The goal of this podcast is to help women and young girls fill up their cups. Oftentimes, we are so focused on supporting and helping others that we forget to take care of ourselves as well. I would also like to educate and share my real life experiences, in hopes that it gives others the courage to keep smiling, no matter how hard life gets.
Speaker 1:July is bereaved parents awareness month, and I'm live today with our special guest, camisha Allen. I'm going to share a little history about bereaved parents awareness month and then we're going to get into the conversation. So bereaved parents awareness month. For those of you that may not be aware, it is observed every year around the world in the month of July.
Speaker 1:For a lot of people, it can be very difficult to talk about openly about their grief. Many of them feel it's too personal or too private and they don't want to share. Even though talking about the events that cause their grief is crucial to their recovery, people are still hesitant to talk about it. It is universally accepted that parents should not have to bury their children. The pain is immeasurable and parents carry this grief with them throughout the rest of their lives.
Speaker 1:But even in these dark times, it is important to remember that you are not alone. Whenever you need to look for help, you will always find communities of people other parents and family members who will be willing to help and support you, and that is the reason why we observe bereaved parents awareness month. Camisha is a mother who lost her son and today she's going to share with us her journey as a mother and entrepreneur and the creator of the HP Foundation. If you don't know, the HP Foundation is a local Arizona nonprofit organization and they are dedicated to assisting bereaved parents by providing support and resources to aid in the healing process. So I'm going to go ahead and let Camisha give a little introduction about herself.
Speaker 2:Hi thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for the invite. I feel like this doesn't get enough attention, so I'm super excited to be a part of this today. My journey, of course, began when I lost my son in 2014. He went out typical summer. He went out to the river to go tubing with his friends, and that summer he didn't make it home.
Speaker 2:So, of course, i was devastated behind that and I had to just do something about that. So, of course, i jumped into gear because my grief was so heavy and it was at first. It was really really hard for me to talk about it or to even walk this walk, of course, like any parent, but I was at a place in my life back then where I didn't know what to do. So I had to do something with that grief and, of course, that's why I started the HP Foundation. Before that, i was in the financial aid arena for different colleges across Phoenix and then sort of kind of just talking to my students and talking to parents who actually lost their kids as well Just a handful of them I just felt like, you know, this was something that was needed. So that's how and why I started the HP Foundation.
Speaker 1:Awesome. What type of services can people expect to receive if they reach out to the HP Foundation for help?
Speaker 2:Well, we do an array of services, but our main two focal points in our programs is one we assist parents if they did not have life insurance and their children are between the ages of 1 and 21. We help them with the burial expenses for their children and, on the back end, we also educate on how important it is to have life insurance. And we go out and do free workshops within the community to, you know, to educate people on just the basics of life insurance, and then we also help them find ways to fit it into their budget. Another thing that we do, and speaking of those Go ahead, what were you?
Speaker 1:going to go ahead. I'd like to finish, No.
Speaker 2:I wasn't.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry, i was wondering on what else we do.
Speaker 2:But we also help parents along the process, like we have different parents. We just helped a mother just recently who just begun her journey and we were there to sort of kind of show her that You're starting here. I'm 9 years in and it I can't say that it gets better, but we are that sort of kind of light at the end of the tunnel for parents to say This is 1 of the most ugliest moments of my life, but I see someone else who had already started along this journey And that sort of kind of gives them that, that inspiration that they can make it through this because they are physically watching someone else who already walked that walk. So we also provide like peer support, if you, if you'd like to call it that. We also help in funeral arrangements as well, because some people don't know where to start, they don't know what they should do or how they should go about doing it, and we we are there to help hold their hands through that process as well. And that's pretty much it in a nutshell Awesome.
Speaker 1:And I know that you guys have a couple of events that are coming up by solving your website, so do you want to share with everyone what those events are that you guys have coming up?
Speaker 2:Yes, our most recent event that we have coming up is 1 of our life insurance matter workshops. We call them the limb workshop life insurance matters. That is July 22nd at 1230 in Tempe, arizona. If you look on our website, you'll get all the information, so sign up. Please are limited.
Speaker 2:We also have our brunch coming up. We have an annual brunch every year in September, which is also life insurance awareness month. So we do that during that timeframe since we're so strong on making sure parents and families get insured. But that's also 1 of our main events where we invite all the brief parents out that are part or brand new to this journey that they're on And we bring them in so they can meet other parents who understand where they're coming from. And that's in September, i do believe on the 18th or 19th this year, but it's on the website, like you said, and trying to think what else we have coming up. I know we have some stuff down the pipeline. We have a benefit concert coming up at the end of the year, but there's nothing out on that. But stay tuned. Support your local nonprofit organizations because we definitely need the help And it's much needed. It just really is.
Speaker 1:And speaking of the support and help that you guys need, how can people reach out to make a donation or to volunteer for any of the events that you have coming up?
Speaker 2:Yes, you can go on to any of our social media platforms and leave a message, and or go to our website. You can log in. There's a place where you can leave your name just information on what you're looking for to be able to be a part, or even make a donation from any of those pages on social media Facebook, what else? Instagram and our website.
Speaker 1:Awesome And Camisha. what words of encouragement can you provide to parents that are it's their first? you know they're going through the initial stages of losing a child. I know you're nine years in, but what would you say to a new parent if they just lost their child today?
Speaker 2:I would say take one day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time, one second at a time. Be gentle with yourself. Be understanding to those around you, because it's difficult for them as well to see their loved one going through that loss. Because it's, like you said, something no parent should ever have to go through and that pain is so deep, it cuts so deep that you really have to be gentle with yourself. Give your time self to heal. Like if you need that time, take that extra time, because your self care is going to be one of the most important things, and especially if you have other children. So I just say, just be gentle with yourself and take one second at a time. Allow yourself the space to grieve.
Speaker 2:I sort of held mine back a little bit so it was bottled in and, of course, when it flowed out, it flowed out as the HP Foundation. But just be gentle with yourself, because I went to a very dark place and that's not a good place for anyone to be. So definitely take your time. Seek help if you have to get it. Don't be too ego driven. Where we don't get assistance, we don't need counseling. Because I needed it, i went and got it and of course, i had a pastor and a first lady who was there to help support as well. But within that community of support that assisted me, it really gave me the light to be able to get to a better place. Today The grief is still there, but I'm in a better place with it. I carry it better. So just be gentle with yourself and give yourself time Like, don't rush the process.
Speaker 1:Awesome. And speaking about counseling, a lot of people are. They shy away from counseling.
Speaker 2:Yes, they do.
Speaker 1:When my parents died I made sure. When my mom died I didn't like you said, i kept it bottled in. I didn't want to go to counseling, but it was the best thing that happened to me. And when I lost my dad a couple of years ago, it was just instant Find a counselor, because my old counselor was no longer practicing. but we have to make sure that people know it's okay to seek help.
Speaker 2:Yes, it is Absolutely, And it's weird because the counseling that they give it was very comforting, believe it or not. I did not know what to expect when I went to counseling, but just the way, the approach that he took with me, it gave me some insight to self and how to actually deal with the grief that I was going through. So, yes, if you don't be too, don't be too proud to go and get it, because it definitely helps.
Speaker 1:Awesome Now something I wanted to share and then I'll get your feedback on it. Some people may not be aware if, especially if they don't have life insurance on their parents or their kids or any of their family members. But when you get life insurance, that only covers the funeral services, and if you get cremated But to bury someone in a cemetery, some people don't understand that you can't use your life insurance policy for that. I had to learn that the hard way with my mom. My dad went to bury her and he had to pay cash out of pocket for that, for them to dig up the grave site and to bury her down. So can you explain to people how they should prepare for that if they do want to have their family member buried versus cremated? Yes, they can. What would you?
Speaker 2:recommend that they do for that? Yeah, absolutely. That's exactly why we do our life insurance matter workshops, because those are some of the key components that we go over. People have life insurance on the job. They have life insurance. You know that's not enough coverage and you really need to know what you have, because that happened to me. That's why this is one of the parts of the foundation is because when I lost my son, i had life insurance on the job. We had just lost a loved one.
Speaker 2:So, of course, when you lose someone close to you, you go out and you do all the right things to prepare, because now you know that anything can happen at any given time. So my life insurance did not pay out for my son. I did not know he was no longer covered. There was some loopholes.
Speaker 2:So it's very important to know what kind of coverage you have and to make sure you have the right coverage where your family, friends, your loved ones they don't have to stress when they have to lay you to rest.
Speaker 2:That is very important because they're already grieving and they shouldn't have to grieve and have the stress of a financial burden put on them because of the loss. So it is very, very important to know what you have Read. If you don't understand, bring it to somebody. Bring it to someone like us here at the foundation because I actually went out and went through all the process to become a licensed life insurance. I don't sell it, i never wanted to do that, but I did that so I can understand life insurance better and have that understanding while I'm standing up there helping in the workshops with some of our licensed agents. But to have that understanding to be able to assist parents and anyone who needs that information. So please know what you have, read those life insurance policies, or take it to someone if you don't understand so they can break it down for you.
Speaker 1:And then, along those lines, would you recommend that people have a separate life insurance, like a private policy outside of their employer, because I know you mentioned that you had life insurance through your job, so you recommend that they have a separate policy.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and the reason for that is just like I said, sometimes you don't know what your life insurance on your job actually covers, and when you find out, sometimes it's too late, like it was for myself. So definitely have that and a separate personal policy, because the two of those together would probably end up covering everything that's needed, from the funeral to the burial.
Speaker 1:Awesome. My next question is I know you kind of touched on this already, but what would you say to parents or people in general who refuse to get help processing their grief So the people that want to be lone wolves and just say they're going to deal with it on their own, what would you say to those people?
Speaker 2:I would say allow people to help you. Allow, like seek someone, even if if even if they don't want to go get professional counseling seek a foundation like mine, get a brief group that there's so many out there. Just talk to someone about it, because that's gonna help you in your process. To hear someone else's story, to allow someone else to pour into you at this time, because I know how dark it is, i know how how deep the pain goes and you shouldn't have to do it alone. So I would say, if not professional counseling, speak to someone like myself or another parent that you may know or that you may come across.
Speaker 2:If you have a pastor, anybody at your church or someone that you trust, just have a confidant, have someone that you can physically speak to, that you trust. That would give you the proper guidance or How can I say this or the proper love that you need at that moment to be able to process this, because it's It's definitely a journey. I'm not gonna lie. It's not easy, it's definitely tough. That's for anybody who loses anyone that they love, but when you lose that child, it goes a little deeper. So definitely allow people to pour into you. If not professional counseling, once again, who allows someone close to you to be able to be that confidant?
Speaker 1:Awesome. Now, i know today is a tough subject for some people, especially for you, because you've lost a child and I don't know what that feels like, but I'm just grateful that we can bring more awareness on this topic. However, i do want to ask you because this podcast But one of the goals is to motivate and inspire people and to help people love on themselves Can you share with the audience What is one or two things that you do to take care of Camisha? What is your self-care look?
Speaker 2:like my self-care looks like me actually saying no to some things and Being able to take time for myself like I have to. What is that word I'm looking for? meditate. I go into a lot of prayer. I read my Bible a lot. That's how I take care of myself. I keep myself full of positivity, positive things. I try to listen to positive music, things that are going to keep me lifted up and not keep me stuck where I'm at. So I just take the time to actually give myself a moment.
Speaker 2:I there's so many things going on around us in this world that we have to take care of we were just talking about that prior to the podcast starting and that we have to have a moment of downtime to be able to Recenter ourselves and just have a like a Looking from the inside out, so to say. And I take that time and that's what I do to self motivate, to Preserve myself, self-care. I'm I'm big into taking a moment for myself now. I wasn't always like that, but I do it now. I do it now because it's The foundation running the foundation and doing all the other things that I have in my life going on that you really have to take the time for yourself, and I don't care if it's going to sit Outside an ice cream shop for 30 minutes of the day just so you can have a moment of silence To yourself. Like you have to be able to give yourself that time away from the world so you can recenter, and that's what I do.
Speaker 1:Thank you for sharing. And then, what are some things other than this amazing foundation that you've created for parents that are going through The grieving process? what other things they do you do to inspire people in your community, or just people in general, people in your family?
Speaker 2:I guess I would say I'm that like the person that's always going to give that compliment. I'm the person that's always going to throw you a smile or I can read the room and the energy is so real that you can like tell when someone's going through something. And I just always like to motivate and encourage and uplift those around me. Everybody doesn't receive it the same, but that's the energy that I give, So that's why I have to keep myself full of positivity, because that's what I like to give out to those around me, to the people I love, even to strangers Like I've met strangers who they just look like they were having a bad day and you know, give them a compliment and that turns their day around sometimes and you know you can see them light up and that's that's what I like given in the world And I wish it was more people.
Speaker 2:I know you do that because you like me up. I remember when we first met. it was a beautiful moment. I was like, oh, she's a dancer, I love her. But I say just that energy, you know what I'm saying. Give that positive energy out. and as long as I can keep myself grounded and keep that love and positivity coming out of me. I do believe that's how I affect those around me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i always tell people that we can't give from an empty cup, so we have to fill ourselves up first before we can give to others. Amen, you got it. Yes, all right, kavisha. Is there anything else that you want to share with the world Why you have your your time here? This is going to be posted on all social media platforms. It's going to be on YouTube, so anybody that's watching. What else do you want to share? Is there anything else you want to leave them with before we close?
Speaker 2:out. Absolutely. I would just say support your local nonprofit organizations. I'm going to say, support the HP Foundation, and that's because it's in the heart, it's the heart of the community. When something hits a parent that's so deep and so so like, it can be very dark, trust me, and that's where you want to start building, that's where you want to start giving that love back is in the heart of the community. Because if you can touch a parent and keep them positive and keep them strong and keep their mind right, their mental, they're going to give that to their children, who then go into this world and do either positive things or negative things. So please support your local nonprofit organizations because they need you and they need you to show up, because they can't do it alone. They actually need the community's help to help others. So that is my shameless plug for my HP Foundation and other local nonprofit organizations Find something to believe in and give to it. Awesome.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, camisha. Today we talked about bereaved parents and the resources available to help them during this most difficult time. Camisha shared some great information and I hope that this interview was helpful for you. I would like to thank everyone that joined this live broadcast while we didn't have anybody live, so I don't want to thank anybody, but I know you guys are going to watch the replay, so I'm just going to keep it 100. But we appreciate all of the people that have shared and invited people to join And even though there's nobody here with us live, we're going to still get the message out and spread the word for the resources that the HP Foundation has to offer. Camisha, thank you so much for being my special guest today. I very much appreciate it very much And all of you guys that are watching this replay. You can follow the HP Foundation on Instagram, at the underscore HP underscore foundation and on Facebook under the HP Foundation.
Speaker 1:And as we kick off season two of this podcast, i want to thank everyone that supported me on season one for listening, sharing, commenting, sending messages, and I'm super excited about what season two has to bring Next week. Tune in We're going to get into the history of a black woman's hair and how it has impacted the way that we are received. I'm very excited for that, so stay tuned for that. You have been listening to the Infusion podcast. I hope that something that was said today will help you along your life journey. Until next time, continue to do you, be you, infuse you and be blessed Toodles.
