out of the woods therapy story

Naming a practice by Jamie Brazell, practice owner

I chose a name that really meant something to me personally. 

The name of this practice, "Out of the Woods Therapy," was inspired by Dr. James Rentz. He was an incredible teacher, clinical supervisor, and one of my greatest influences as a therapist.

During his lectures, Dr. Rentz often used the phrase, “We’re not out of the woods yet” when talking about the importance of the work we do in the field of mental health. The irony was that there were few places Dr. Rentz would rather be than in the middle of a forest. It's kind of like that for a lot of us Asheville residents - we may love being outdoors and in the woods, but not in that metaphorical sense of feeling lost. 

The name Out of the Woods Therapy makes me think about how things can happen sometimes in life that feel overwhelming and a person can start to feel lost and really stuck. We all have moments when we could use an ally, a guide, or someone to simply accept us for who we are and where we are in our lives. We may need someone to help us find the way back to movement and stability during those times and to remind us that post-traumatic growth is possible. The name of my practice is dedicated to honoring those moments and, of course, to honor Dr. Rentz as one of the most compassionate human beings I’ve ever known.

It also occurred to me recently that there may be another significance to this practice name.

I grew up in the Pine Barrens of NJ.

Most people from NJ are from the northern part of the state and it is far more accurate to imagine Tony Soprano or other cliches from the Garden State when thinking about this region. But the Pine Barrens - that’s where the magical lore of the Jersey Devil was born. And so was this practice owner.

I will always love NJ. I will always blame it on my inability to let go of swear words.

In many ways, I have left one set of woods for another.

They are all beautiful spaces in their own unique way. Just like the human experiences we shift in and out of.

I understand that now.

the expansion of out of the woods therapy

In January of 2021, the expansion of Out of the Woods Therapy began. I wrote a blog post about the inspiration and intention behind growing this therapy practice. If you’re curious, you can read it here.