Cherie Dorotich is The Corporate Rebel and she has consciously directed herself toward the task of challenging the norms and narratives of the leadership industry. Being a naturally critical thinker, willingly rebellious in nature, and eternal seeker of growth and expansion, Cherie has traversed through almost three decades of her career in Psychology, most recently graduating her Masters of Leadership at Deakin University. She is the Owner and Director of her successful group private practice All Round Wellness, in Mandurah – Western Australia, where she blends client work with training and developing the next generation of Psychologists and Counsellors.
Beyond her professional achievements, Cherie is a devoted mother to an ‘awesomely autistic’ (as she refers to herself) daughter, whose journey has inspired her even on the toughest of days. Balancing motherhood and a demanding career, she has supported her daughter in embracing her unique self, encouraging her to confidently dance in her world to the beat of her own drum.
The challenges along the way and the courageous experiences of altered states processing have provided rich experiences that have supported her own personal learning of how to unapologetically expand herself as a woman. This personal experience enriches her professional insight, adding depth and empathy to her work with clients and support and training of her and others’ teams. Cherie is now bringing together the woven tapestry of her knowledge and skills, ignited by her passion for a global alignment to integrity, to support women in leadership in the immersive integrative journey to emerge as a true leader of people, and of their own lives.
Cherie Dorotich, Clinical & Organisational Integrative Therapist
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
I am not sure that words can capture a person very well, and often feel that we lose a lot of substance and meaning as we try to translate into language. However, as a brief introduction, I am a woman of deep spiritual connection to the natural world and a lover of beauty in all of the forms that we can witness. I craved a career in Psychology from the age of 8 years, instantly recognising it to be a vehicle of access to people who were vulnerable and in need, to whom I could bring recovery, support and growth.
So that was the path I developed, working sometimes in the trenches of domestic violence, trauma and deep grief, other times in the exciting space of people’s existential expansion experiences that led to bright and abundant outcomes for them. I hold a deep passion for psychedelic medicines and integrative therapy that can assist people who access these medicines. I love the freedom, autonomy and inspiration that developing and nurturing a business provides. Mostly…alongside of all that, I like life to be simple, travel to be frequent, my food to come from my own garden, the company of animals, and deep, high-quality connections with others.
How have your experiences as a psychologist and businesswoman deepened your understanding of leadership?
My career as a psychologist and businesswoman instilled in me the importance of understanding the human psyche. This understanding became a cornerstone in developing my leadership style. I realised that effective leadership is not just about guiding teams but about understanding individual motivations and fostering environments where these motivations thrive. My dual roles have given me invaluable insights, especially into understanding myself.
Recognising my expectations, reactions to others, and how I form or break alliances, I've learned to see myself in totality – embracing both preferred and previously rejected aspects of self.
This self-awareness has been pivotal in shaping my leadership style. It's less about the people I lead and more about how I lead myself. This focus on deep, integrative experiential development mirrors the idea that better self-understanding in a parent leads to better parenting. Similarly, in leadership, the more profoundly a leader understands themselves, the greater their capacity to make a significant impact on those they lead and beyond. It’s about leading from within, ensuring every interaction is imbued with authenticity and depth.
What inspired you to steer your career in this direction?
The realisation that I was living the life of the exhausted female leader who was experiencing significant disconnection from herself, constantly working to prevent burnout, yet also struggling to find meaning and purpose in what I was doing each day. I saw the fleeting nature of time and the urgency to make a meaningful impact. This existential awareness motivated me to shift from a top-down approach to one that is more integrative and preventive, addressing toxic leadership at its root. This was not a sharp turn though. Over a 4-5 year period I watched changes occurring in my industry, changes occurring in the global community, and noticed the changes occurring in myself. It was less of a career shift and more of a life’s purpose shift.
What is your approach to supporting women in leadership?
I focus on helping women leaders create and live their own success narratives. It’s about breaking free from societal expectations and writing their own narrative of what success looks like for their life. My aim is to provide them with the tools and confidence to lead on their own terms. I want women to become the creators and masters of their own lives, and then ripple this ‘way of being’ to all of the women that they lead and influence so that ultimately and collectively we disrupt the current narratives and bring about change for our industry community but also for our global community.
Unlike many businesses and practitioners, my aim is not to work with many, but to work with the few who can influence many. So I work with a small number of women each year who then become a ripple in our world to bring about change for others. In this way, I can ensure that the quality and depth of the work I do with women is maintained, and their experience from the outcomes of the work in their lives is noticeable and sustainable.
What makes your leadership development style unique?
My approach blends training, coaching, mentoring, and integrative therapy. My focus is on supporting the emergence of metacognitive shifts and expansion, allowing leaders to understand themselves and their teams on a deeper level. It’s not just about imparting skills but about fostering a personal and internal growth that is then transferred into daily life as conscious choices about how we show up, who we are to others, what we stand for, and how we function.
The science and assessment of psychology is present, the deep integration of therapy is present, the relational experience of coaching and mentoring is present. I don’t provide people with training. I provide people with an experience of themselves that organically shifts their choices of how to live and lead.
How do you incorporate your rebellious nature in your leadership style?
I advocate for showing up as you are, even in the most formal settings like the boardroom. My style challenges conventional norms by emphasizing authenticity over conformity. Leaders should feel empowered to bring their whole selves to their roles, breaking down the barriers of traditional corporate personas. My favourite expression of myself in this way is that I am ‘barefoot boho in the boardroom’! Some people judge, some criticise, some stare. Most adjust and then recognise the value that I bring to their lives and organisations.
I know that I can walk into any professional setting, wearing my own style, showing my much-loved sleeve of ink, sporting my turquoise long hair, speaking my truth in my own language, and yes – sometimes even barefoot! – and bring value to the boardroom table. In fact, I believe when we allow people to be in their own style and way of being, they can bring greater value to our boardroom. This is what inclusion is actually about and I think it’s time we called out the politically correct banter using this word and started to ask if those implementing ‘inclusion’ in their workplaces really hold an open acceptance of being surrounded by ‘all types’ regardless of the setting norms.
Do you have a foundation of spirituality that influences your approach to leadership and life?
In my journey, the spiritual self plays a crucial role. I firmly believe in the wisdom that the natural world offers. The rhythms and cycles of nature are not just metaphors but real guides that can mentor and heal us. As women navigating the demanding realms of corporate life, reconnecting with nature is essential. This connection ensures we don't lose sight of our true selves, our dreams, and our innate knowledge.
It’s about maintaining an internal harmony that resonates with the external world. In my work, I encourage leaders, especially women, to embrace this connection, helping them to stay grounded and authentic. This spiritual alignment is vital for making decisions that are not just effective but also deeply fulfilling and aligned with one’s inner truth.
Simultaneously, I recognise that everyone holds their own unique foundation of spirituality and working with the foundation that is ‘yours’ is essential. So my foundation does not need to be yours. I am no spiritual guru, just a woman who knows the value of including a foundation into daily life to maintain my own connection to self. Some women who work with me have never allowed themselves to develop a spiritual belief system or foundation as the corporate norms have slandered this to be a fluffy and non-conforming thing to do. Giving women permission and safe space to explore this opens their awareness of self on new levels and brings to their toolkit many effective internalised resources that are much needed.
How have altered states of consciousness influenced your journey to becoming a leader?
That is actually a huge question! Firstly let me clarify that altered states work can be done through many pathways – psychedelic medicines, breathwork, meditation, exercise – there are a lot of ways to create an altered state of consciousness. The function of doing this work paired with effective clinical integration of the experiences in the altered state, is to see self and existence from an expanded view to the usual.
Altered states of consciousness opened doors to a deeper view of myself, revealing the parts of myself and experiences of my existence that I was actively trying to repress or push away. It was a ‘getting honest with yourself’ journey if you like, and the integration work after the journey brought these new truths into my daily life and how I chose to be in it, including in my relationships with others.
I was able to own my experiences as a leader as being of my choice and therefore stop resisting or complaining about them. I was able to invest more completely in the role I play in the lives of others. I was also able to invest more deeply in the role I play in my own experience of living and leading. There was a balance and an openness that infused into my leadership style as a result of these experiences.
What advice would you give to those aspiring to be authentic and impactful leaders?
To aspiring leaders, I say: There are no rules, so flex your corporate rebel a little. Do the deep personal development work to become a more masterful human being, and use that to design your own narrative of success and show up as you are to infuse joy and purpose into your daily life. THAT will inspire and positively influence those that you lead.
You can connect to Cherie’s work here. A great place to start is with weekly short inbox drops of inspiration and guidance by subscribing to The Integrated Leader Newsletter. This will make sure that you are first to be informed about all of the exciting new releases planned for 2024! You can contact Cherie directly with any questions or comments here.
