‘Your story is not what happened to you, but what you choose to become, given all that you have seen.’ – unknown
By Shannon Steele EBS COLUMNIST
On the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 30, the Ranch Hall at Lone Mountain Ranch will welcome a diverse stage of voices, each one offering a glimpse into the quiet gaps of life—the places between chapters, the unspoken middles, the awkward moments and the tender transitions. With the theme “Spaces in Between,” Be Well Big Sky’s second annual storytelling event will bring together our brilliantly ordinary, wildly complex community members—who step up to the mic not because life made sense, but because it didn’t. Through laughter, vulnerability, and a healthy dose of ‘wait, what just happened’ moments, they remind us that in the chaos of being human, stories are how we make sense, and how we stay connected.
Be Well’s inaugural storytelling event last year breathed life into what had once felt invisible. Those stories—raw, honest, moving—weren’t just entertainment. They were invitations to lean in, let our guard down and truly see one another in unfiltered reflection.
I kept returning to the words shared by those who were there: “It was so amazing to see these people—who you might pass on the street without knowing their story—stand up and share their most vulnerable moments with courage. I think it opens the door for real sharing in such a beautiful way,” one attendee reflected.
Another said, “I love sharing the human experience with others. Life is beautiful—but woven into that beauty is the hustle, the chaos, the emotion… and ultimately, the appreciation. This felt like such a needed space in our community.”
I can’t help but think this is what we’ve all been longing for. Not perfection. Not performance.
A chance to simply be oneself—and to be met there, by someone else’s truth.
Here we are again, answering that call.
Be Well Big Sky started from a place of real need, when access to care was scarce, stigma was even more potent, and loneliness quietly moved through our beautiful mountain town, community members came together to build something different. Be Well was created to nurture belonging, strengthen shared systems of care, and uplift the voices that make Big Sky brave enough to ask hard questions—and stay to listen for the answers.
That’s the heart behind Spaces in Between—a night that honors our messiness, our resilience, and the healing power of telling the truth out loud.
Diverse storytellers—selected from across Big Sky—will bring stories shaped by transitions, awkward starts, grief, joy, humor and quiet moments of growth. Each storyteller is supported by Be Well’s Navigator Network and guided through their narrative arc by storytelling coach, Bonnie Bishop, with Mazí Health Consultants.
This night is co-created through an intentional process with care, vision, and with the steady pulse of what this community needs most right now.
Planning began with the lived experience and perspectives of Be Well Navigators who walk beside community members every day. In a visioning workshop guided by Bishop, they listened to what was stirring in Big Sky, sensing into the seasonal rhythms, joys and tensions that mark life in our mountain town. What emerged was the theme: Spaces in Between—a phrase that holds so much of what it means to be human in uncertain times.
On June 21, in partnership with the Arts Council of Big Sky, we hosted a Story and Art Workshop led by arts educator Julie Edwards and Bishop. Through prompts, conversation, and art, participants began shaping stories they wanted to tell. Edwards reflected, “By sharing your story visually, you are offering a healing, expressive vision to someone who may be looking for connection, belonging… or simply a moment to reflect on their own story in between.”
These visual stories will be displayed leading up to the live event at the BASE Art Gallery—a glimpse into the event’s spirit in a new form.
Then came the pitch: not a polished proposal, just a two-minute voicemail. A voice cracking, trembling or strong. It was the moment of opting in, and as Bishop said, “If you’re on the fence about pitching, just do it. On the fence means there’s part of you that wants to share. Pitching is an invitation to let your story breathe.”
We received 12 incredible pitches, each raw, real, and resonant.
Now, our selected storytellers will be working one-on-one with Bishop, rehearsing together, and building a circle of support. When they stand on stage, they’ll be held—by each other, by the Navigators, and by you.
Last year’s sold-out event sparked something powerful, and stood as a clear example of Be Well’s ripple effect: designing events not just to inform, but to transform as stigma falls away while stories are shared. In the days following the event, two attendees reached out directly to storytellers, seeking help. Those storytellers responded,offering support, navigating resources, and reminding us what’s possible when the community shows up in this way.
This year, Spaces in Between goes deeper, rooted in Big Sky’s unique rhythms and real-life messiness. These aren’t polished speeches. These are real people, telling the truth from the middle of it all.
We’re deeply grateful to Lone Mountain Ranch for generously hosting this evening and providing a delicious dinner—a chance to connect over good food with old friends and new. Special thanks to Bozeman Health and Patrick Sullivan for their sponsorship and belief in this work. If you want to support, sponsor, or lend a hand, please reach out to us at hello@bewellbigsky.org. Can’t attend, but want to contribute? Visit bewellbigsky.org/support.
Tickets are available now. Seats are limited, and that’s intentional. This is an evening designed for presence, warmth, and being reminded that someone else has been where you are.
In the spaces between heartbreak and healing, the trailhead and beer at the end of the ride, fear and courage—there’s a story.
And in that story, you might just find yourself. And your people.
We hope you’ll join us.
Shannon Steele has called Big Sky home for seven years. She runs a collaborative business focused on community organizing and creative problem-solving, and serves as the contracted director (and co-creator) of Be Well Big Sky, a grassroots effort to embed care within the community. Shannon finds grounding and play in the outdoors—usually with her griffon, Greta—and draws endless inspiration from nature’s lessons on resilience and joy. She’s also part of Big Sky’s search and rescue community.
