Brenda Garro, M.D.

Dr. Garro is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine. She is originally from Puerto Rico and completed medical school at Autonomous University of Guadalajara and New York Medical College. Following a year of internship in general surgery, Dr. Garro found a passion for psychiatry and went into residency program at SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital in Long Island, NY. Dr. Garro was chief resident in Consultation Liaison service as a 4th year resident. She then completed a fellowship in Psychosomatic Medicine at Long Island Jewish/North Shore Health Care System in NY. Dr. Garro has worked in addiction medicine with veterans in Northport, NY, and later was recruited to join the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) at Stony Brook Hospital, where she was an attending psychiatrist caring for psychiatric emergencies. Dr. Garro was also Clinical Assistant Professor with SUNY Stony Brook Residency program and collaborated with residents and medical students. Dr. Garro enjoys teaching.

Dr. Garro moved with her family to Southern California. She worked with chronic persistent mentally ill patients at the Orange County Health Care Agency. In recent years, Dr. Garro worked with the underserved community at numerous locations with St. Jude, St. Joseph, Hoag, and Mission Hospitals, providing psychiatric assessment and treatment to patients that could not access care elsewhere. She has been a guest speaker at NAMI and has collaborated with families of mentally ill patients.

Dr. Garro believes in a holistic approach in caring for her patients; which includes things like mindfulness, good sleep hygiene techniques, balanced diet, counseling, and medication management. Dr. Garro has experience (but not exclusive) in women’s health, anxiety, mood, psychotic, ADHD, trauma related, and sleep disorders.

Dr. Garro is fluent in English and Spanish, she is bicultural, and has a passion for providing cultural sensitive psychiatric services.

Dr. Garro enjoys spending time with her family; the outdoors, live music, and traveling.