About Garland

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 gap between academia, clinical/professional practice, and the public.

Garland holds a PhD from UC San Diego, School of Medicine/San Diego State University, School of Social Work specializing in Research on Substance Use. She has a master's degree in Clinical Psychology with a training emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy and specializations in Addictive Disorders and Psychological Trauma. She has completed specialized training in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback and obtained a Certification in Alcohol and Drug Counseling (CADC-II) through the state of California. 

Garland works within the community providing Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Mental Health awareness education to clinicians, law enforcement, families, and students. 

Her research has focused on Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health related stigma, primarily within the criminal legal system. Currently she is working  on research exploring and assessing legal professional burnout and how it affects occupational wellness, as well as case related practices. She also has completed work on the San Diego Sheriff's Department Naloxone Training Program rescope project.

Garland is in long term recovery and has dedicated her life to studying Addiction and Mental Health, helping others get educated, as well as recover.