InBusiness Magazine article on Shelly Dutch
Connections Counseling: A chief executive heals herself
Article Date:
June 21, 2011
Shelly Dutch has come a long way in life, but she’d be the first to tell you she didn’t do it alone.
A recovering cocaine addict, Dutch knows better than most the importance of a support system, and so when she started Connections Counseling, an outpatient substance abuse and mental health clinic, in 2003, it was clear that it would be a commitment, not just a business.
“I’m in recovery myself, and that’s part of the reason I started this clinic,” said Dutch. “I needed someone to believe in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I was in my 20s when I went through this, and know that people, both the counseling staff and community support, is how I kept working on my life, and that’s the kind of direction we’ve gone here.”
Connections Counseling, which recently won a Dane County Small Business Award in the “woman-owned” category, employs a “strength-based” approach that relies on a caring, supportive environment “where growth is fostered and recovery becomes reality.”