Dr. Candice Metzler, PhD, LCSW

Psychotherapist • Educator • Consultant • Advocate

My journey to becoming a therapist began after a college psychology class sparked a fascination that ultimately led me to study subjects like neuropsychology, human development, and ecopsychology. Since I can remember, I have had a fascination with learning how things work, and the human mind became one of the most fascinating areas to explore. Despite significant learning challenges at school as a child, my insatiable passion for learning about the world helped me overcome those setbacks and led me to complete my undergraduate degree in psychology in 2010 and a master’s degree in social work in 2012. Eventually, I completed a PhD from the University of Utah in 2020.

I began working with vulnerable youth in 2007 as a volunteer with Volunteers of America, preparing meals and participating in street outreach programs. Working with vulnerable youth through street outreach was and continues to be one of the most moving and humbling experiences of my life. It changed me as a person and sparked a lasting interest in working with vulnerable youth and other underserved populations. In 2010, I began facilitating youth support groups at the Utah Pride Center.

My work in community advocacy and organizing actually began in 1997, when I started visiting Utah classrooms to teach young people about the state's amazing natural and cultural treasures and to encourage them to help protect and care for these special places. With the help of some amazing friends and community members, I eventually co-founded a 501 (c) (3) organization called Wilderness Watch of Utah in 1999. As a formal organization, we expanded programs to educate the public and organize cleanups throughout Utah, in partnership with government agencies such as the Forest Service and BLM. We also worked with government officials and law enforcement to record and protect Native American rock art sites along the Wasatch Front.

Through community advocacy work, I have had the privilege of serving on several community and nonprofit boards, including Transgender Education Advocates of Utah, Equality Utah, LGBTQ+ Therapists Guild of Utah, and Reconciliation and Growth Project. Community advocacy and organizing continue to play an important role in my life, but to a lesser degree due to time constraints with running a private practice and spending more time writing.

My clinical training as a therapist began in 2011 as an intern at the University of Utah Counseling Center, and continued through the University of Utah Bridge Training Clinic and the Utah Pride Center, where I worked extensively with underserved populations. I also began teaching social work classes at the University of Utah in 2014, a role I continued until 2020, when I completed my PhD.

My clinical work continued with the founding of Metzler Counseling and Education Services in 2021, which continues today. My licensure expanded into Colorado in 2025, and I am developing support groups that will start in 2026.

Outside of work, you will often find me in the backcountry with my dog, family, and friends. Most often, that is somewhere in the amazing red rock country of the Colorado Plateau, which I have been exploring for many decades. I have spent much of my life learning about and experiencing the breathtaking mountains, deserts, and canyons of Utah and beyond. I am a professional photographer and an avid backcountry skier, whitewater rafter, rock climber, and backpacker. My love for the outdoors has always been and will always be part of my life.

Being in outdoor environments that spark awe and wonder has helped me learn so much about myself and get through some of the greatest challenges of my life. Today, research shows that outdoor experiences are an effective treatment for things like trauma and PTSD. Being in outdoor settings with others can strengthen social connections and foster greater personal growth and a sense of meaning. My goal has always been to eventually create opportunities for others to share in these types of healing experiences as part of a therapeutic process, which will be the next chapter for Metzler Counseling & Education Services.