We had the good fortune of connecting with Shelley Fourney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelley, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I love that I have the opportunity to make getting help something that is doable. It can be overwhelming to realize you need some help and then to figure out how to ask. I have lived here for over 20 years and spent 8 at our local clinic where folks were able to get to know me on a professional level. It is my honor to come alongside members of our community in a way that is useful and allows them to sort out next steps.

What should our readers know about your business?
It is my HONOR to come alongside folks so they get what they need to feel hopeful in their lives. Nobody wants to feel alone or stuck. I have the opportunity to normalize asking for help. It seems to be particularly hard to ask for help here. Our community is a very tough, depend on yourself culture, a huge strength AND as a result asking for help is hard. Additionally, living rurally options are limited in our area, so I wanted my office to be a safe place for getting this help. I believe I provide a safe and trusting place to get assistance dealing with what can be their biggest struggle.

Starting this business was exciting and scary and has taken time to grow. The hardest part at first is that I had to learn to manage billing, marketing, liability insurance… in addition to therapy. It was good to learn the process AND I have hired a couple people to help me a few hours a month now to do the things that are not my strengths. I have used social media to give folks an opportunity to “get to know me” without actually coming to my office.

Kindness and treating people the way I like to be treated is number 1 for me. I want every person I come into contact with to be treated respectfully. I am not the expert on each person’s life, I am trained to ask good questions that help them sort out their own next steps and I will walk with them until they feel it is “figured out”.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In Norwood I would book them a stay at J2F.com (owned by our family) it is a quiet location with all the basics of home.
In Norwood we would have to stop by Mesa Rose for a pastry or coffee and definitely get dinner or lunch at The Divide Restaurant(Steak Sandwich is to die for). Miramonte Reservoir is a delightful place to paddle board and relax.

We would have to visit Ouray, the hot springs and Maggie’s restaurant ( burgers and REAL fries).
A trip to Telluride to ride the gondola up the mountain and eat at Brown Dog Pizza.

Plenty of hiking at Thunder Road trails which backs up to J2F.

MOSTLY save some time for sitting on the deck and enjoying the views.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, Walt Fourney, is the quiet strength behind me. He encourages, challenges and pushes me to dream big. He loves me unconditionally and helps me be a healthier version of myself in order to serve others.

Website: https://www.intentionalsteps.us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelleysintentionalsteps/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078297429244

Other: www.j2f.com
Lodging

Image Credits
Photos are all by Punky Photography except for the large building(J2F) that was taken by Shelley Rae Photography.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.