Shenise Truesdell — Empowering Youth and Promoting Social Inclusion
Shenise Truesdell, the CEO, and founder of Behavior Etiquette Institute, is a Miami native with significant connections in her hometown community. With nearly 20 years of experience as a civil servant and a background in government consulting as a procurement professional, she brings a unique perspective to her work, combining her passion for teaching civility, decorum, diplomacy, and soft skills with her expertise in cognitive behavior therapy, customer service, and life coaching.
As an etiquette consultant, Shenise stresses the importance of what she considers Etiquette 101: Be kind to you, first! Being kind to yourself by making tough, but healthy decisions, especially in romantic connections.
She also understands that in a rapidly changing world, reinforcing etiquette and social competence is essential for young people to thrive. She specializes in developing behaviors that prepare them to progress without leaving anyone behind.
Inspired by her upbringing, she possesses a profound appreciation for etiquette and its transformative influence on society. Raised by a teenage mother, her formative years were shaped by her mom’s affection for the “Golden Rules” plus the lessons her mom gleaned from beauty school. Her mother’s experience and lessons became an integral part of Shenise’s upbringing and instilled in her a deep understanding of the importance of compassion and kindness, as well as the value of navigating various social environments gracefully and poised. Equipped with these essential skills, she thrived and succeeded as a youth, setting the foundation for the remarkable success she enjoys today.
Renowned as “The Teenage Whisperer,” Shenise understands the challenges young adults face and provides coaching to help them grow in confidence while mastering social interactions.
As a former participant of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) program, Shenise engaged with professionals from diverse backgrounds, fostering her passion for culture, diversity, and promoting social inclusion. She has also contributed to community engagement and youth initiatives as a former board member of United Way, exemplifying her commitment to supporting young people.
Shenise holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in legal studies. She is a mental and behavioral health advocate pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in social psychology. She firmly believes that improving consciousness, employability skills, mindfulness, and social skills can empower individuals to lead happier & healthier lives, form healthy relationships, and positively contribute to society.
With the world becoming increasingly connected and interdependent, Shenise Truesdell is on a mission to maximize youth’s personal and professional growth, enabling them to positively impact the world they will inherit.
Interview with Tamika Newhouse: Creator of “A Girlfriend’s Guide Book Series”
What is “A Girlfriend’s Guide Book Series” and what inspired you to write the book?
The series is a three-part book series of guides helping women to get out of or prevent getting into unhealthy relationships. I was inspired to write the book for these various reasons:
- I ended a not so good relationship and needed to have SOMETHING good to come out of it.
- It was therapeutic for me to get most to all of my thoughts about the ordeal onto paper.
- Promote a message of accountability for staying in toxic situations and how letting go is up to us.
- Encourage Etiquette 101: Be Kind to You First and how it can help forfeit heartbreak.
- Release those from the fear of stigmas that are placed on single women, so they stay in unhealthy relationships just to say they have a man!
What was the process of creating the book?
I literally wrote down all of my bad experiences of a previous relationship and realized it was something that could help women who are having a tough time letting go or leaving an unhealthy relationship. So, I turned it into a book.
How has creating this book impacted your life?
Creating this book birthed the “Girl, Let Go!” movement promoting letting go of any and all things toxic in our lives whether it is beliefs, family, fear, friendships, a job, a relationship or etc.
In Chapter 5 you wrote “So, how are we supposed to know when someone is playing us and whether or not they deserve our trust? …this may be accomplished by simply having patience and honesty with ourselves first…” could you expound on this?
When we take the time to reflect on our interactions and not be in denial with what we discover, it can help us decide if they deserve our trust or not. Also, assessing the motives of others, can often help detect signs of manipulation and if they’re outright playing us.
Could you explain the title of Chapter 9, “Does He Hide You?”
We must be wary when men refuse to take us out; it might mean something more than we could imagine. This chapter tells the story of a woman, we’ll call her Jazzy… Well, Jazzy got dragged! Her boo didn’t take her on dates or anywhere. All the signs were there, but she was in denial (that word denial again!) and continued with the relationship. Ultimately, she found out why he wouldn’t be seen with her in public.
The chapter titles of your book are rather compelling, but interesting — love it! How did you develop them?
They were all based on the indiscretions of a former lover. Some may call it petty, but as my friend Katt Williams said “If you wanted me to speak more highly of you, then perhaps you should have treated me better…” My experience is my experience… I turn lemons into lemon meringue pie — and I stand on that!
What’s next for the “Girl, Let Go!” movement and A girlfriend’s guide book series?
Continuing the mission of helping women let go of all things toxic. We have some upcoming lunch & learn workshops, fun and interactive programs, empowerment workshops, and more. Mostly all events are advertised on Instagram @girl.let.go.
Find the Author
Instagram: @girl.let.go
Website: shenisetruesdell.com
