Today we’d like to introduce you to TamLa (T.J.) CRUTCHFIELD.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have been suffering from all types of trauma and abuse since I was about 8 y/o and it continued through my adult life that led to chronic illnesses and disabilities of PTSD and fibromyalgia. After not being able to work anymore and had to leave Cleveland State on a disability withdrawal, I attempted suicide multiple times due to feeling hopeless & worthless.
In February 2014, I met a woman named Arlene Peterson and we bonded immediately. Before Christmas of 2014 Arlene was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Within 1 year it went into remission then within 1 year it came back an aggressive stage 4. We started a Spiritual & Holistic Journey that lasted 5 years until Arlene passed in 2019. During that 5 years, we traveled and researched for holistic/natural medicines, treatments & therapies to help put Arlene’s cancer in remission for good and I was all in, in the hopes that these methods would help me too. We turned our health journey into a business called Naturally Essential to create a safe healing support community for other strong women like ourselves to help get back up on our feet. We learned how to make our own natural soaps, lotions, body butters, cancer salves, etc., infused with essential oils and cannabis (CBD) to help reduce the toxic footprint left by commercial products that contribute to and feed illnesses like ours.
Things were really taking off, then Arlene passed March 12, 2019. I struggled with trying to carry on in life and the business due to grief and my illnesses/disabilities, then in 2020 I turned our business & journey into The ArTam Foundation, Inc., a Faith-Based nonprofit organization dedicated to our mission of helping others create and maintain A Better Quality of Life while trying to manage their severe & terminal chronic illnesses, creating a Legacy for us both by infusing our names into the foundation. I still continue to try to build the foundation but it has been hard trying to find the right people with Faith filled giving hearts to support our cause of saving the lives of people who want to continue making a difference in their personal lives and in this world.
Arlene would often tell me that us meeting, our friendship/sisterhood and the business were “Bigger Than Us” and we were brought together by divine intervention/higher power. So I have done my best to continue on in her absence, through the pain & illnesses. I was doing good and had built a client base in Ohio, North Carolina, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas. Then had to scale back because I could not handle the volume alone and anyone that claimed they wanted to help or be a part of the foundation, only tried to use it for their own personal gain.
I then restructured the foundation to create a Holistic Wellness and Medical Cannabis Network that brings together other businesses as the network providers to serve the ArTam’s clients so I wouldn’t have to try to help everyone alone. More information can be found on the website I created: https://artamholisticwellness.org/artam-website06-04-2025/#home-page
I have created the website, the logo, business cards, brochures, and all social media content, including YouTube channel, all by myself because I could not afford to pay anyone. I believe My Faith is pulling me in this direction to give Hope to those who need it but have not found it in their personal friend and family circles, just like Arlene & I.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definately not easy!!!
Losing my best friend/business partner/spiritual sister due to lack of support. No one should lose their lives due to lack of support and not being able to afford the care they need!!!
Knowing that GOD has put me on a mission that no one else seems to understand or support!!!
Selfish people wanting to use our business for their personal gain instead of trying to help us live.
Being taken advantage of financially by business people.
Trying to navigate the current “sick-care system” that only makes us sicker and not listening to their patients by supporting their Holistic choices.
Trying to build a 1st of its kind, historical nonprofit organization that actually functions to help others and not making the people rich who built it while managing my own severe and terminal chronic illnesses.
Finding people who actually care and want to support our cause!!!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Some of this should have been under my personal but it all kind of intermingles.
I am the Founder ArTam & a Holistic Practitioner, certified in Holistic & Herbal Health. Once I created The ArTam Foundation, I furthered my education to become my own healthcare advocate for myself and for others in order to better serve. I have a degree in Medical Office Administration Specialist and continue to do research to find as many types of Holistic medicines, treatments & therapies that will help me and the people that come to me.
I specialize in bridging the gap between “Traditional” and Holistic/Alternative Healthcare. Offering Holistic Wellness & Medical Cannabis Education, Resources & Support for head of household individuals that are struggling financially to maintain their households and healthcare due to having to stop working because of their illnesses.
What sets me and The ArTam Foundation apart from others are; Our goal is to provide our services as close to FREE as possible by using all of the funds that come to ArTam and going straight to our clients and the support they need. Not using any for the personal use of the founder, providers or ArTam Foundation members.
I founded a nonprofit based on Faith and on my life’s experiences to share with others the education, resources and support that Arlene & I struggled with obtaining, and found or created solutions to offer others more options than our healthcare providers were willing to in order to bring REAL support & healing to those who are often forgotten about and bringing the care they need within realistic reach.
Also, keeping the primary focus on helping others through their healing journey with Faith at the center of it all while making sure the client is cared for in the way THEY want and need, while others say they do but really are more focused on the money that goes into their own pockets. This is the main reason for creating the foundation. The concept came from a show on the vice channel called Black Market hosted by the belated Michael K. Williams who started the show by saying ” When the System Fails you . . . Create Your Own System” So that’s what I did, except I’m not just doing this for myself, I am creating an environment for REAL healing and support and sharing it with others through my foundation in order to help others looking for the same!!!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Anything that’s worth it and built for longevity is not going to be easy, so keep going and never give up.
Failures or setbacks are learning lessons needed for your specific journey, so don’t be discouraged.
Every individual is on a journey made just for them and others may not understand until you get to where God is leading you.
You may feel like you are not getting what you want when you want it but know that if you stay in alignment with your Faith, you will get everything you need in the timeframe it’s supposed to be.
Make sure your Faith is at the center of everything you do, especially your career goals and dreams.
When you feel like you’ve hit a brick wall, pivot and take a different direction to get back in alignment with your goals.
If your friends don’t support you…find new ones!!!
If your family don’t support you, look to strangers or support groups with similar struggles & goals to help you get back on track.
Only you can cause your failure!!!
Stay positive, work hard and you will make it happen!!!
Pricing:
- Donations/Support Link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=V75JWE6UT3QS8
- Tree of Life Monthly Support Link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=V5JZNXXJ9XK9Y
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artamholisticwellness.org/artam-website06-04-2025/#home-page
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artamfoundationinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheArTamFoundationInc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theartamfoundationinc.2565
- Other: Google: https://share.google/euBo0oRrxSN6LKwgu
