Fiorella Garrido, LSW, is the program manager of CGE’s Adult Residential Mommy & Me program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in family studies from Montclair State University and a master’s degree in social work from Rutgers University. Fiorella began her career at the agency in February 2019, as a primary clinician for the agency’s Roots to Recovery outpatient program, then as its trauma specialist, assisting individuals in discovering their skills and improving coping strategies to better manage and respond to emotions. In December 2021, Fiorella transitioned to the Adult Residential program, first as a clinician, then as program manager, where she has the privilege to serve pregnant and/or parenting women in recovery and their children. In this role, she implements a trauma-informed approach to substance use treatment and focuses on practices that minimize negative impacts associated with these disorders.

Prior to joining CGE, Fiorella provided in-home therapy for at-risk youth and young adults, served for five years as a social worker in the Scotch Plains and Elizabeth school districts, and for a decade in an outpatient setting, serving youth, teenagers, and adults living with mental health disorders.

Fiorella believes that what makes CGE unique is how we view addiction through the lens of trauma and not as a symptom of one’s moral failure. She is a firm believer that substance use disorders are a manifestation of underlying traumatic experiences, and that addressing and understanding these events can better explain the brain disease of addiction. Fiorella is passionate about her role as a social worker and substance use therapist, and feels she is most privileged to serve at CGE.