Cherishing The Rainbows After Grief with Dr. Kameika Hinson

The road to motherhood is unique for every woman. Some find motherhood naturally or through alternative methods such as adoption or surrogacy. However, some health challenges often throw a wrench in the family planning process. For many women of color, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a health condition that dramatically alters their outlook on having children. According to the Resilient Sisterhood Project, Black women are disproportionately affected by PCOS. This common disease of the reproductive system affects both teenage girls and adult women as it causes a hormonal imbalance.

Changemakers like Dr. Kameika Hinson are using their personal testimonies of having PCOS and being challenged with infertility. As the President of Chasing Rainbows Grief Coaching Services, LLC and the Founder of Jeremiah’s Journey to Healing Ministries, she teaches women who have had pregnancy or infant loss how to cope, heal and flourish through purpose discovery and storytelling. “My story will impact the lives of millions of women around the world,” Dr. Hinson states. “My legacy will provide for my family for infinity and beyond,” she adds.

Here’s what Dr. Kameika Hinson shared about her personal journey, advocating for other women, and beyond:

The journey after grief can seem like an uphill battle. What tips would you give to someone as they journey to wellness after loss?

“The first tip that I would give anyone on the grief journey is to allow yourself to grieve. Grief does not have a set timeline and I find that so many people try to conform to the timeline of others. This is not their journey to dictate how long you should grieve nor is it their journey to tell you what you should or should not be doing. Take control of your grief journey to wellness after loss.

The next tip that I would give is to show gratitude. It is so easy to focus on the negative things in life. I chose to show gratitude for my loss and turn the situation into something positive. Showing gratitude can often change the mindset of a person but they have to be willing to make a conscious effort to turn the negative into a positive. I’m forever grateful that God chose me to have a miscarriage because now I can truly say that I’m walking in my purpose.”

What motivating factors helped you push through your tough times with infant loss and grief?

“First and foremost, I would have to say my Heavenly Father. I was given a divine assignment to help grieving mothers grow from their grief of losing a baby and the last thing I would want to do is to be at the pearly gates and have to explain why I didn’t complete my assignment. I also believe that if I’m obedient then God would give me the desires of my heart and that is to have another child/children.

Another motivating factor that helps me push through is that people would hear my story and look at me now and want to know what I did to get to where I am now. Just knowing that I can motivate someone else to go from a place of depression to dynamic gives me what I need to keep showing up and making a difference.”

What does motherhood mean to you?

“To me, motherhood means so many different things but if I had to define motherhood it would be the act of giving unconditional love to someone or something that is totally dependent upon you. Although my baby lives in heaven, I still consider myself to be a mother. I didn’t get to experience all of the things that comes along with motherhood, such as 4am feedings and sleepless nights because of a sick child, but I have still experienced motherhood.

My experience just looks a little different than what most people think of when they think about motherhood. I helped my cousin raise her son because I was the live-in babysitter. So I experienced motherhood without the cravings and labor pains. Although my journey through motherhood may look different than what is perceived to be mainstream, I am still very much a mother.”

Why is it important to help serve other women through their motherhood and/or grief cycle?

“It is important to me because I remember feeling so alone. None of my family could understand what I was going through because they had never experienced the loss of a child. I know that the statistics say that 1 in 4 women will experience pregnancy or infant loss but I still felt lost in a world of chaos. This is when I decided that there was a need for this specific group of women and I made it my mission to help them. I’m extremely proud of myself because not only am I pursuing my passion, I’m also walking in my purpose.”

How do you practice self-care?

“Honestly, my self-care routine is directly related to my bank account. I love a good spa day to just unwind and get back centered but a day at the spa can be rather costly. When I’m a little low on funds, a good bottle of red wine and a bubble bath will definitely serve the same purpose. But let’s just say that you couldn’t afford a bottle of wine and bubble bath, learning to say the word “NO”, can be just as effective on your mental health as a weeks worth of spa days. The word “NO” has proven to be very powerful in my life and I’m sure that it can be just as powerful in your life if you let it be.”

What can we expect from you and your brand in the near future?

“I’m planning my 1st Annual Growing From Grief Summit, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 26, 2022. The conference is virtual this year but I plan to do a physical conference the years after. The speakers range from coaches to psychologists who are prepared to teach people how to grow from their grief. To register for the summit, go to www.growingfromgriefsummit.com

I’m also planning to launch an addition to my G.U.I.L.T. to Greatness program. Along with my 6-week group coaching program, my clients will be able to become published authors as well as attend my semi-annual retreat. I’m especially excited about the collaboration book project because I started my journey as a part of a collaboration book. I found it to be a disservice to coach women on telling their stories without offering them the opportunity to be able to do that so I created a solution to this problem.”