I am a licensed clinical psychologist providing services in:
California (PSY# 31888)
New York (#024158) and
Nevada (PY 1017)
providing online psychological and neuropsychological services in both Spanish and English language.

Marlene Garza, Psy.D.

As a Chicana and bilingual and bicultural, my aim is to privilege cultural contexts in assessments as well as to promote more effective strategies for change and growth in individual psychotherapy treatment. I use a strength-based and holistic approach when helping people to develop emotional emancipation and liberation from harmful beliefs and behaviors that may be holding them back from healing.

I empower people to identify and maximize their personal strengths to help them develop positive coping mechanisms and new ways of living healthy and functional lives. Each person is unique and treatment is individualized using a multitude of techniques from traditional evidence-based practices, all within a Liberation Psychology framework.

I work with adolescents and adults of all ages who are struggling with physical and racial trauma, chronic and complex medical conditions, medical rehabilitation, substance use, maternal and postpartum issues, and gender identity.

I grew up in the Coachella Valley, in a small town called Thermal, CA on the land of the Coahuilla people. I was the first in my family to graduate college.

My training as a psychologist really began as an undergraduate when I started counseling as a peer advisor through a Student-Initiated and student-run retention program at UCLA. I was able to help first-generation students achieve academic success while I was an undergrad. I continued my trajectory by completing a Master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of San Francisco. The emphasis on my degree was in educational counseling (I continue to hold a credential in school counseling in CA). After working as a high school counselor for many years, I decided to complete a doctor of psychology degree from Pepperdine University in clinical psychology. During my training, I provided psychological services for individuals at the Union Rescue Mission, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Los Angeles County-USC Department of Neurology, and the Center for PCS and PTSD treatment. I completed a doctoral level internship at Mt. Sinai Hospital (NY) department of Rehabilitation Medicine. My post-doctoral training was completed at Harbor UCLA Medical Center department of Behavioral Medicine (CA). I currently provide neurobehavioral evaluations in Spanish with Nexus Clinical Solutions. I volunteer therapy services with Immigrants Rising Mental Health Connector.

I also am a marathoner (x21) and volunteer with Students Run Los Angeles to help support the thousands of Los Angeles students that complete the LA marathon every year. I am a CrossFit level 1 trainer. I also foster dogs and provide canine physical and psychological rehabilitation so that they may find forever homes.