Bridging the Gap on Addiction
Between Academia, Professionals and the Public
Dr. Garland Gerber, PhD, MA, MFT, CADC-II
The Practice
Academic and Experiential Credentials
Garland has a unique strength for speaking about Addiction and Mental Health.
She is a person in recovery, a clinician and a researcher. Having a membership in all three areas, she envisions herself assisting to bridge the gaps between academia, policy & law, professional practice, and the public.
Garland holds a PhD from UC San Diego- School of Medicine, specializing in research on substance use. She has a master’s degree in clinical psychology with a training emphasis in psychotherapy and specializations in addictive disorders and psychological trauma. She also holds a certification in alcohol and drug counseling (CADC-II) through the state of California.
With over 15 years of clinical experience in mental health and addiction, her work spans interventions, outreach services, providing education, assessments, groups, consulting, family and one-on-one counseling.
As an academic, she researches mental health and substance use-related issues within the criminal legal system, advocating for trauma-informed, evidence-based, non-punitive approaches.
Dr. Gerber is also deeply committed to exposing how larger systems exploit the vulnerabilities of individuals struggling with substance use disorders and mental health challenges, as well as their loved ones. She advocates against predatory financial practices and abuses within the treatment and recovery industry and speaks on the importance of integrating harm reduction philosophies into more traditional recovery settings.
Garland aims to inspire policy changes and interventions that address critical challenges in the legal system and beyond.
The Mission
Her goal is to foster dialogue on substance use and mental health to bridge the gaps she has experienced in all of her positions.
She believes that bridging these gaps can create an alliance that reduces stigma, produces more impactful treatment, research and policy, resulting in improvements in addressing the crisis of addiction.
Garland is proud to provide a high quality level of psycho-education, counseling, research, consultation, outreach, advocacy and commitment to understanding health and wellness for all.