Curiosity Got Me Here.
I'm Cherie Montou, and my story with sexual wellness started in 2010, when I began questioning some of the beliefs I had absorbed about sex, desire, and what was considered acceptable.
I became curious about where those ideas came from, why they could feel so deeply ingrained, and how many of them we carry without ever consciously choosing them.
That curiosity never really left. It turned into years of reading, studying, questioning, and learning about sexuality, kink, purity culture, relationships, culture, history, and the science behind why we believe what we believe.
And today, the people I work with continue to teach me all the time. Their experiences, fears, questions, and the ways they grow and heal constantly challenge me to keep learning.
That is what keeps me obsessed with this work.
I Don’t Teach This from the Sidelines.
My own relationship with sex has changed enormously over the years with more self-awareness as well as aging. I know what it feels like to carry shame, question what you were taught, disconnect from your own desire, and slowly realize that some of the rules you’ve been living by may never have been yours to begin with.
That experience is a big part of why I care about keeping this work real and honest. Sexuality is not neat or linear. It can be awkward, hilarious, painful, liberating, traumatizing, confusing, playful, deeply healing, and sometimes all of those things at once. I bring education and clinical experience into the room, but I also bring my own humanity.
Very Little is Off-Limits.
I work with people exploring sexual shame, purity culture, low desire, infidelity, sexual pain, aging and menopause, kink, BDSM, non-monogamy, disability, identity, religious trauma, relationships, communication, and sometimes the simple question of:
“Is this normal?”
I hold a Master of Education (MAEd) from Western Carolina University and I’m a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA) and National Certified Counselor (NCC). I’m also a Licensed Professional School Counselor, a Sexual Wellness Coach, and I’ve completed Level 1 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy.
Yes. I offer psychotherapy separately from Unbroken You through The Mend Collective for clients who are residents of North Carolina. Unbroken You focuses on sexual wellness education, coaching, courses and groups. Learn More
Psychotherapy is individualized and built around you and your agreed treatment plan. Unbroken You is topic-based: we come together around a specific area of sexual wellness through education, coaching, courses or groups. If something comes up that needs psychotherapy or medical care, I’ll recommend the right kind of additional support.
Yes. I’m available for podcasts, speaking engagements, panels, workshops and collaborations around sexual wellness and related topics. Contact me here.