A Few Last Words Before the End of the Year

As I end my year in the ECSEBRIS program, I am thankful for the knowledge I have gained overall. Learning about functional behavior assessments, behavior support plans, evaluation plans, data collection, assessment/measurement testing procedures/instruments, and regulation plans are tools that I feel confident using in the community for families.

Topics such as intervention techniques, atypical and typical development, emotional development, attachment, response to intervention, brain development in association to emotional regulation, and interpersonal neurobiology theories have provided me with so much growth. I have definitely enjoyed the benefits of personal reflection, and self-awareness skills. The staff and professors in this program have become a team of mentors for me along the way. I really feel that my level of growth is due to this cutting edge program with best practices and support! I highly recommend this wonderful program.

- Ashley Virgilio

Strong Recommendations from Mariah Rideaux

I came into this program on a last minute whim to strengthen my background experience for a Marriage and Family Therapy Masters Degree. I had intended it to be a stepping-stone, but instead I experienced a full 360 transformation. In addition, I have awakened a new passion I never knew existed within me. The EC-SEBRIS program has expanded and strengthened my skills of working with families. I have 6.5 years of experience working with children and thought I didn't have much room left to grow. However, I have blossomed in the way I work with children from a social-emotional perspective. I have learned to be more patience, understanding, and caring with the families I serve. The EC-SEBRIS program has also helped me learn to navigate my new position as the supervisor of a brand new preschool program in a hospital setting. To have the appropriate boundaries in working through a sensitive environment is a gift to both the families I serve and myself. I have an enormous appreciation for how important social and emotional development is in early-childhood and this appreciation drives me to create the most nurturing and supportive preschool environment possible. Instead of switching over into an MFT program upon finishing the EC-SEBRIS program, I have decided to finish this journey and obtain my Master's Degree in Child Development. I feel my time in this program is not ready to expire and I want to continue building myself into a strong early-childhood professional. I have already and will continue to strongly recommend this program to anyone interested in working with children and families. Having the EC-SEBRIS program as a foundation to fall back on will help any individual aiming towards a social service career-whether you want to work with young children or adults!

Mariah Rideaux

Semester Reflection of the EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program

Throughout the semester I have seen a tremendous growth in myself as a person and as a caregiver. Being part of the EC-SEBRIS program has given me the opportunity to integrate feedback from the classes and comments and suggestions that have been given to me from our reflective groups. One of the things that I have learned and have continued to develop skills in is how I have linked what I have learned in class and by putting it into practice at my site at the Chabad Hebrew Academy. I have shared a lot of information that I have learned with co-workers, friends, and family members by informing them of the positive changes when becoming aware of children’s social and emotional behaviors.

The classes that I took this fall semester allowed me to gain so much knowledge in the social emotional development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers focusing on attachment, self-regulation, and developing theories that are applied in childcare. I also learned to use various behavioral assessments that suggest intervention and support showing me techniques on how to best provide the help and resources for children, parents and caregivers. One of the major things that I learned was, that when interacting with children I will continue to pay attention to their cues and remember that they are the ones who guide us. We as caregivers are there to make children feel protected, safe and secure, especially when they are independently exploring their environment. I believe that talking to children enriches their vocabulary as they hear and grasp new words, helping them build up vocabulary, as they get older and begin to talk.

I consider this program to be very helpful as I learned to self-reflect on who I am as a person and caregiver. I am very pleased to say I have enjoyed each class and how incredible of a journey it has been. I am eager for the spring semester to begin, to see what the program has for us EC-SEBRIS students; and for us to become aware and grow into advocators for early childhood.

-Stephanie Zapien

The EC-SEBRIS certificate program is an interdisciplinary program for early childhood professionals who want to improve skills for working with young children who demonstrate socio-emotional and behavioral concerns, and their parents. Certificate courses can be applied towards a Master of Science in Child Development.

The EC-SEBRIS program will accept applications for Fall 2015 admission from Oct. 1, 2014 to March 2, 2015. For more information on the EC-SEBRIS graduate certificate program, visit our website. Apply now to take the first step toward your a career that will change lives!

What the EC-SEBRIS Program Means to Ashley Virgilio

My experience so far has been wonderful. The ECSEBRIS program has a philosophy that I have adopted as mine. Positive socio-emotional development for young children is a key foundation so they are able to thrive in all other areas of development. The program has taught me professional tools so I can help children to have strong socio-emotional skills. My professors are wonderful and full of knowledge. I enjoy the reflection time I am getting as well through group meetings from my supervisor, conducting videos of myself working with the children, and my coach.  I previously attended SDSU for my undergraduate work in the Child and Family Development program and love how the skills I have learned during that time have carried over to the ECSEBRIS program. I really appreciate that consistency!

- Ashley Virgilio

Student Post by EC-SEBRIS student Suzanne Severance

The EC-SEBRIS program has been a great experience this far. It is really enlightening to be taking classes about child development while working with children ages 1-5 at the same time. To simultaneously be taking relevant classes that I can apply to my every day work environment really allows for enhanced hands on learning. The placement portion of the program enriches the learning
since I can have actual examples and ideas in my head of behaviors and actions that we discuss in class. It is a bit overwhelming at times to have the practicum site requirement on top of classes, but it is worth it for the overlap of learning we receive between them.

The assignments we receive in class serve to give us a better feel for future assessments and observations we will have to do later on in our careers. It is nice to get a feel for administering these types of assessments while we have professors to guide us through it. The reflective practice course is a wonderful opportunity for us to get specific feedback about any questions we have with our placement site. It also gives us an opportunity to hear what other students’ experiences are like, so we have a wider scope of understanding.

- Suzanne Severance


The EC-SEBRIS certificate program is an interdisciplinary program for early childhood professionals who want to improve skills for working with young children who demonstrate socio-emotional and behavioral concerns, and their parents. Certificate courses can be applied towards a Master of Science in Child Development.

The EC-SEBRIS program will accept applications for Fall 2015 admission from Oct. 1, 2014 to March 2, 2015. For more information on the EC-SEBRIS graduate certificate program, visit our website. Apply now to take the first step toward your a career that will change lives!

Kristen Eberly on the impact of early childhood trauma

SDSU graduate student Kristen Eberly shares why she decided the curriculum in the EC-SEBRIS certificate program was important to her career. 

I am completing my Master of Social Work in the one-year Advanced Standing Program at San Diego State University. During orientation I was presented with the opportunity to pursue the EC-SEBRIS certificate. I was hesitant to enroll in this program, in addition to the MSW program, due to the additional classes and requirements. 

However, in numerous social work classes and interactions with clients I began to see a common theme. Early childhood trauma and/or a difficult parent-child relationship continues to make a tremendous impact in adults’ lives. 

While society is making strides in raising mental health awareness and reducing stigmatization, more focus is required on early childhood mental health and intervention efforts.  As a result, I decided I wanted to work in an early intervention setting and applied for the EC-SEBRIS program. 

The EC-SEBRIS program is instrumental in linking clinical social work with early childhood intervention efforts. The program’s focus on attachment theory, neurobiology, emotional regulation, ecobehavioral assessment and intervention, applied behavior analysis, and positive behavioral support provides the knowledge and skills that will be essential and valued in the social work field. The classes and books are engaging, interesting, and relevant. In addition, the information learned during class can be applied immediately to my internship setting.

I strongly encourage anyone who is interested in social work and would like to work with children to look into this program. Linking both the MSW program and the EC-SEBRIS program provides an excellent opportunity to specialize in early childhood mental health.

EC-SEBRIS 2014 Orientation

The EC-SEBRIS certificate program is an interdisciplinary program for early childhood professionals who want to improve skills for working with young children who demonstrate socio-emotional and behavioral concerns, and their parents. EC-SEBRIS 2014 Orientation The EC-SEBRIS Certificate is a program of the San Diego State Department of Child and Family Development. 

The Dept. of Child and Family Development also offers a Master of Science in Child Development. The Master of Science degree is one of only four child development programs available in the CSU system. The EC-SEBRIS program is accepting applications for Fall 2015 admission until March 2, 2015.

For more information on the EC-SEBRIS graduate certificate program, visit our website. 

Three things that set the EC-SEBRIS certificate program apart

Three facets that make the EC-SEBRIS certificate program at SDSU unique:

1. Immediate practical application
2. Guided reflection
3. Flexibility

Molly Brennan told us why these were important to her during the program:

"I'm really enjoying the EC-SEBRIS program. I'm learning so much in the classes and applying the information in my practicum site. I truly am getting so much out of the reflective class. 

It's important to have this class to talk to everyone and see how we are all doing, while giving us time to reflect and slow down. It's nice knowing that others are going through this with us as well, having that extra support whenever we need it! 

The program being flexible is great because I having my own job as my practicum site. I'm taking information from the classes and using it in the field. It continues to help me understand different perspectives while gaining knowledge on how to work in different environments. 

For more information on the EC-SEBRIS graduate certificate program, visit our website. Applications for the graduate and certificate programs are open on Oct. 1st, 2014. 

Some final thoughts from our graduating EC-SEBRIS students

Here's what our graduating EC-SEBRIS students are taking away from the EC-SEBRIS Graduate Certificate Program:

The EC-SEBRIS program has provided me with a new foundational understanding in early childhood education that has played a crucial and pivotal role when working with both children and families.

–Brook Armstrong

I feel the EC-SEBRIS program has given me in depth knowledge regarding attachment and assessment that will inform my direct practice work with children and families.

    –Alena Cansler

After completing the EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program, I've gained personal growth as well as an expanded lens on early childhood education. I learned many approaches in early intervention and also the importance of reflective practice. It has been beneficial at my workplace as well as at home because I have a preschool-aged daughter.

–Jessica Cardozo

I graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in Child Development.  Earning a degree has helped me advance in the child development field, and this has generated the interest in me to further my education and consider a career as a child development community college professor.  Having the experience of being in the EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program has been exceptionally beneficial not only for my professional growth, but also for my personal development. 

–Juan Miguel Diaz

The EC-SEBRIS program taught me the importance of children's social emotional development. I hope to one day start my own preschool based on the principles I have learned in this program.

–Jessica Frazier

What I gained from the EC-SEBRIS program was a theoretical framework for understanding child development through psychology, and how the first three years of life are critical in shaping who we become in adulthood.

–Serge Galy

I have gained so much knowledge from the program. I learned the effects of having meaningful relationships with families and children and I learned so much about the development and behaviors of children.  All the knowledge I have learned will definitely apply in my life and career!

–Eula Isabelo

The EC-SEBRIS program has been an excellent experience— one of knowledge and insight into the development of children that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

–Sylvia Jimenez

This program has given me the confidence to recognize and respond to behavioral challenges while using ethical and professional standards.

–Vivyana Jordan

I have greatly appreciated the time and effort each professor took with me during my time in this program. The individuals I have had the privilege of getting to know taught me a lot about different interventions, making and implementing plans to help me while working with children in the classroom. I have learned a great deal from the hands on experience that I received while working at my site. My future plan is to work in a preschool setting and eventually open up my own preschool in Texas.

–Brittany Martinez

From the EC-SEBRIS program, I learned to build better relationships with families and to understand and value every child. I also learned to help children with challenging behaviors and to create a regulation plans.

 –Maria Martinez

The EC-SEBRIS program has taught me the importance of socio-emotional development in early childhood, and ways in which to support children with behavioral challenges. This program has given me the necessary skills and abilities to work closely with families in order to support their child’s development.

 –Luciana Pacheco-McEvoy

In just a short year in this program, not only have I gained confidence to become a better educator, but also tremendous knowledge for early childhood intervention and how important it is for community development.

 –Linda Yang

During my experiences in the EC-SEBRIS  program, I have gained so much knowledge from topics like secure attachment, where we gained an understating of the primary regulatory sites in the brain associated with emotional regulation and the role of the early parent-child relationship in the brain development.

–Luis Sanchez

The most important skill I take from the EC-SEBRIS program is the ability to regulate myself, and to stay regulated when presented with extremely difficult behaviors in children (and, let’s be honest, sometimes their parents). I decided not to apply for the master’s program this year, so that I may take some time to explore the field and see where I feel I can make the biggest impact.

 –Megan Sullivan

The EC-SEBRIS Program has taught me so much. I am blessed to have met colleagues, mentors, and teachers that have fueled my passion for the field. Thank You. My school year was much more challenging because my eyes and heart were opened to things I would not have normally seen. However, I am confident that I touched more young lives than I would have normally touched without.   

–Cherryl Vivar

Congratulations to all of our EC-SEBRIS graduates! And good luck in your future careers!