By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
Editor’s note: the names of Wellness Navigators scheduled to speak at the event were removed after this story was published, with respect to a request from Be Well Big Sky.
Eight local storytellers will share how they went “over, under or through” to navigate a mental health challenge, during an upcoming event at Lone Mountain Ranch.
The event will be hosted by Be Well Big Sky on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at LMR’s Ranch Hall from 6 to 9 p.m. Be Well Big Sky is a grassroots, volunteer-led initiative to reduce stigma surrounding mental and behavioral health using a peer-to-peer model to help connect people to the resources they need. Event tickets are available online, and will include food served by LMR starting at 6 p.m. before stories begin at 7.
Shannon Steele, director of Be Well Big Sky, said live storytelling is powerful because it highlights shared humanity and resilience, and allows groups to experience collective healing.
“It normalizes our human experiences,” Steele told EBS. “Because when we listen to others’ stories, we see pieces of ourselves.”
Storytellers will share their personal journeys of strength amidst life’s challenges. All ages are welcome to attend, but parents are advised to consider the adult language and content that may come with these serious discussions.
“I think it will be entertainment,” Steele said. “So be prepared to be entertained, and inspired, and potentially moved. You might shed a tear or two.”
Steele said this is not only one of Big Sky’s first live storytelling events surrounding mental health, but also Be Well Big Sky’s first main event of any sort.
She hopes to see as many as 120 community members in attendance and believes the event will help increase awareness of Be Well Big Sky, which sprouted up during the past four years before spinning out from the Yellowstone Club Community Foundation in December 2023. It’s now sponsored by the One Valley Community Foundation, and continues to focus on improving accessibility and awareness of resources in the Big Sky community.
Steele said it’s a community-initiated model of healing, based on the fact that humans need connection at a biological level.
“We don’t heal in isolation, we heal in community,” Steele said. She added that ideally, people can turn to a neighbor or friend for support, instead of only being able to schedule a therapy appointment or see a doctor.
The storytelling event is not just about the stories themselves, but also about emphasizing reciprocity needed for a peer-to-peer network of support. All storytellers are trained as Wellness Navigators, meaning they are prepared to provide real-time support, often as someone’s first point of contact during crisis, as a listening ear and to help connect people to existing resources.
“[Navigators are] embedded in every corner of the Big Sky community” Steele said. “They’re well known in Big Sky, they’re often very trusted community members.”
For those who cannot attend the storytelling event, Steele said Be Well Big Sky will accept donations online, and community members interested in volunteering or becoming a Wellness Navigator can contact hello@bewellbigsky.org.
