Mission
Empower myself and others with skills to heal from trauma, so together we live in a state of contribution and joy.
Life Vision
Create a world where people treat themselves, others and children with gentleness and dignity.
Professional Biography
Cherisse Thibaut earned her Masters in Social Work from St.Louis University and holds a Clinical Licensure (LCSW). She began her career as a child advocate at a Child Advocacy Center. Then advanced into the position of Prevention Specialist and Liaison for the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at Missouri KidsFirst. To work more closely with children, Cherisse worked as a supervisor in both a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center for children and a Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Center for adolescence. She returned to Missouri KidsFirst in the position of Prevention Manager.
Cherisse has trained over 7,000 individuals in the topics of preventing and responding to child abuse/neglect and healing from vicarious trauma. Currently, Cherisse is a child abuse and neglect prevention consultant, Board Member of Missouri Children’s Trust Fund, professional trainer and the owner of LoveWorks LLC.
Personal Statement
From a very young age, I just wanted to help people. The Social Work profession was a natural fit and I pursued it with vigor. I quickly discovered that people did not want my “help”, they wanted my acceptance and presence. When my intention changed from “helping” to “accepting” my interactions with everyone that I came into contact with become nothing short of a miracle. I no longer felt the pressure to “solve” a problem and I was no longer distracted by own judgements and agenda. Ironically, once I let go of my ego’s urge to help, I become profoundly more helpful to others.
I wondered, "could I apply this effective approach to my life, internally?" Believing for so long that to be happy I had to figure out what was wrong with me and fix it. I labeled, criticized, judged, and punished myself so that I could fix what was wrong with me, knowing this would make me happy. Of course, that did not work, it just caused more suffering and stress than ever before.
People are not problems to be solved. Once we give ourselves acceptance and presence miracles begin to occur. And that is exactly what is happening in my life. In every area of my life I practice asking, "How do I respond with love?," because it works… Love works!