Complete Profile

Hello! I am Cindy Powell, owner and director of Mount Olympus Counseling Center. Thank you for visiting my page. I am a social worker, which means I get to meet and work with a lot of great people who need a little help. Everyone needs help at some time in their lives, so I hope you seek help with pride, knowing you are doing what is right for you!

My journey as a social worker started more than a decade ago when I was looking for help for a family member. I loved the work and knew I was good at it. I volunteered for a national mental health advocacy organization and then went to work for them as a paid employee. While there, I worked as an advocate in two Utah Mental Health Courts, one on the State level, and the other at the Federal level. Then, I worked as a Family Resource Facilitator assisting families who had children with complex needs and advocated for youth who were involved in C3 Court, which is a mental health court for teens.

I returned to college and studied Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Utah, where I received a B.S. in H.D.F.S. and graduated Cum Laudé. I chose family studies because I believed it would be a great foundation for graduate studies. After completing undergraduate studies, I worked for a community mental health provider in an Adult Forensic Unit providing case management services for low-income and homeless adults, most of whom participated in court-ordered treatment. Most had chronic mental health problems, like Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and many also had Substance Use Disorders. While there I helped people locate and access community resources they needed and coordinated services with their probation or parole officers, the courts, physicians, and other professionals. Because of my case management experience, I am familiar with many local resources and I refer people to them whenever needed.

I attended graduate school at the University of Utah College of Social Work and earned a Master of Social Work degree with a 4.0 grade point average. For practicum, or internship experience, I worked at Decker Lake Youth Center, which is a secure care facility for teen males. There, I provided individual, group, and family therapy services for youth in custody. To broaden my experience, I worked as an intern at a small private mental health agency in Holladay, Utah. While there, I provided individual, group, and couples counseling. I also helped many people who lived with Autism Spectrum Disorders (like Asperger's or High Functioning Autism) learn social skills specific to the workplace. While in school, I worked for Salt Lake County Criminal Justice Services and taught psychoeducational groups for adults who were receiving probation, parole, or pretrial services. Many of them had problems with substance use disorders.

Since graduating, I worked in an agency-setting and also in private practice. This helped me gain more experience working with a variety of people who were experiencing many different kinds of problems. What is important is that I have helped people from a wide range of demographics and with a variety of mental health needs. I've worked with children as young as 8 but now generally work with individuals 13 and older.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are your specialties?

I am a trauma specialist and trained in EMDR, Eye Movement and desensitization therapy. EMDR therapy reduces stressful feelings about things that have happened. In general, people who do EMDR therapy will always remember whatever happened but don't usually feel overwhelmed by them. Let me know if you want to find out if you may be a candidate for EMDR.

I also specialize in grief and loss and particularly like the work of Dr. Pauline Boss. Grief and loss include death and dying and other events that are often minimized by our society and culture. Changes in roles, chronic illness or pain, brain injuries, divorce, faith transitions, and having a loved one with a severe mental health problem or substance use disorder are some other forms of loss. It is important to process grief so that it doesn't become "frozen."

In addition to specialties already mentioned, I regularly help people who have mood and anxiety disorders, individuals questioning faith and belief systems or who are post-believers, LGBTQ+ issues, and people having problems in their relationships. Family and couples counseling services are available.

What other kinds of therapy do you know?

I am certified in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or CBT, which helps people change thinking patterns that lead to distressing emotions or behaviors they would like to stop. I am also trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Solution-Focused Therapy.

What is your therapeutic style?

I utilize an eclectic therapeutic style tailored to each individual, couple, or family.

How much will this cost?

The truth is that cost depends on your insurance benefits. It is recommended that you contact your insurance company to find out what your mental health or behavioral health plan covers. Bishop pay is accepted and Sliding Scale fees may be available. I do my best to make services affordable for those who need them.