Photos by Hillary Ehlen
Harvala painted the door purple for prosperity.
Men have their man-caves, but more and more women are longing for spaces to call their own. For local psychic medium Jodie Harvala, that place is her she-shed. “What is a she-shed,” you ask? It can be anything you want it to be, although it usually involves a small structure just outside of the home where you can practice your hobbies to your heart’s content or spend a relaxing evening. Join us as we visit Harvala’s she-shed-slash-office and discuss the strong, feminine energy that positively radiates from its walls.
Meet Jodie Harvala
Jodie Harvala of Fargo is a local psychic medium and entrepreneur. She offers private mentoring, intuitive services and online classes, all of which she conducts out of her she-shed-slash-office. Harvala is married to her husband Eli, and together they have fifteen-year-old Foster and twelve-year-old Keaton.
“If you do a she-shed, put some love into it.”
He Said She-Shed
In the past, Harvala has gone back and forth between renting an office and working out of her house. However, neither option was truly ideal. Then, Harvala was inspired by the she-sheds she saw on social media. She said, “I was looking on Facebook and I thought, ‘How can I get one of those she-sheds? That’s the coolest idea ever! How can I convince my husband to do that for me?'”
It must have been fate because her husband came home from work that night with an idea. “He came home late because he was working nights at the time, so he came in the door and said, ‘Wife, wife! I know what you need. Me and the guys figured it out. You need a she-shed!'” Harvala explained.
Harvala’s husband and sons then proceeded to build her a she-shed behind their house using mostly salvaged and reclaimed materials. “It was the best gift ever. I think it adds a lot of character to the backyard,” Harvala said.
Creating Balance
Harvala has had her she-shed for a little over a year-and-a-half now, and the balance between her personal and professional lives has noticeably improved. When she was working from home, Harvala had a tough time keeping her work life and family life separate. Now, when she goes into her she-shed, she is able to focus on work.
“I was the main caretaker for the kids, and to have this in the backyard was amazing because I could come in and work for a few hours and then go check on the kids. As an entrepreneur, I had to learn how to be flexible, and this space really gave that to me in ways that I didn’t expect it to,” Harvala shared.
An Intentional Space
From adding a touch of sparkle to the walls to filling the space with meaningful decor, Harvala has poured her heart and soul into her she-shed. “It really is a sacred space for me,” she said.
In addition to being temperature controlled, Harvala’s she-shed has wifi. She conducts most of her consultations over the phone, but has a colorful tapestry behind her desk that serves as a backdrop for when she is using her web cam to host online classes.
Harvala has also placed objects with personal meaning throughout the space. Many are gifts from friends, including a beautiful crystal that is currently on Harvala’s desk. She even has affirmations hanging directly across from her desk so she can always be reminded of her intentions.
Harvala loves seeing positive affirmations in her she-shed.
Harvala brought this piece back from a trip to Sedona, AZ.
Harvala loves having her she-shed and wishes all mothers could have spaces of their own. “I think all moms need a she-shed. I really do feel like I have an intentional space set up to support me, and many women don’t have that. We just go and work hard and take care of everybody else, but this is the place where I get to receive,” she said.
For anyone who is thinking about building a she-shed, Harvala says “If you do a she-shed, put some love into it.” The last thing anyone would want is to put their time and effort into a space that doesn’t get used. For that reason, Harvala thanks her husband and sons for all of the hard work they put into her she-shed. “I think that this was definitely one of those projects he [my husband] did just because he loves me,” she said.
If you or anyone you know would like to have their she-shed featured in an upcoming issue of Design & Living Magazine, please email [email protected].
