Dr. Garber was born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, received his M.D. (1937) from Jefferson Medical College, interned at the Cooper Hospital in Camden, New Jersey, and took his residency at Trenton State Hospital (1938–42). He served during World War II in the U.S. Air Force (1942–45). He returned to Trenton State Hospital as Clinical Director and Acting Superintendent. In 1952, he became the Medical Director of the N.J. Psychiatric and Neurological Institute, where he remained until 1958. He left the state system to become president and CEO of the Carrier Clinic in Belle Meade, New Jersey, which changed into a nonprofit psychiatric hospital. He remained there until retiring in 1982.
Dr. Garber served as a professor at Temple, Jefferson, and Rutgers Medical Schools. During his career, he was a noted writer and publisher and contributed over 100 articles to the psychiatric literature. He was active in psychiatric organizations. He helped organize the APA Assembly of District Branches and was the Second Speaker of the Assembly in 1963. He was President of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (1965–67) and President of the National Association of Private Psychiatric Hospitals (1972–73). He received an APA Certificate of Commendation (1958–71), the Nolan D.C. Lewis Award (1964), and the first Mount Airy Gold Medal (1971).
Dr. Garber was elected Secretary of the American Psychiatric Association (1965–69) and served as President (1970–71).