Celeste Tinkoff's reflection on her first semester in the EC-SEBRIS program

This fall semester during the EC-SEBRIS program at SDSU I have gained a lot of new knowledge, reinforced prior knowledge I had obtained during my undergrad, and have been exposed to new horizons and new experiences in which I gained field experience. Coming from a background in psychology, the EC-SEBRIS program has exposed me to more in depth child and family focused ways of approaching mental health and the importance of early development, relationships with both young children and their families, and the role I have as an early childhood caregiver and advocate. The EC-SEBRIS program has introduced me to new information, such as various types of assessments and how they are to be used, administered, scored, explained, and interpreted. I have learned how to formulate a comprehensive assessment on a child, and which assessments are best to use for specific situations and children given their circumstances. I have also learned more about the importance of early relationships and how they affect the internal working model of children. The EC-SEBRIS program has refined my idea of presence when working with young children and I have learned through the program how much young children look to me as a caregiver and teacher. I am not only a role model, but a source of secure attachment, trust, security, guidance, and love for the infants and preschool children I work with. Lastly, I have been able to take part in, what I feel the majority of graduate school programs do not offer, this being our reflective supervision course. Although my time so far has been filled with excellent professors who have truly cared about their students’ success and rich new information, it has been a demanding journey in our otherwise hectic lives as students/employees/interns/parents/etc. The reflective supervision program has been a way for us to connect as peers and also seek guidance from a professional who is ready to listen and give constructive advice to help us navigate through our studies and site responsibilities. Having friends in law school and other graduate programs, I feel lucky that we have our weekly group meetings and biweekly individual meetings to reflect on our experiences, emotions, and struggles during the semester. We grow and learn about ourselves as individuals and how that affects us as early childhood mental health advocates. We also interact closely with our peers and share our journeys together. Overall I have enjoyed my first semester as an EC-SEBRIS candidate, and I look forward to the spring semester as well as the continued master’s program in 2016-7. For more information on the EC-SEBRIS graduate certificate program, visit website.

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

Amy Gregory's Thoughts on the EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program

My experience seven months into the EC-SEBRIS has continued to be positive, eye opening, and very rewarding. I have learned so much about myself through our reflective supervision class. This has helped me become not only a better teacher, but also a better person overall by being mindful of others in everything I do. I constantly catch myself thinking about how others might be feeling in any given moment, how my tone of voice and facial expressions are going to be taken into account when I speak to children, how can I best help serve the children in my care, and the list goes on and on. Also, throughout my reflective supervision class I have become more confident in advocating for children and families by not only having the necessary tools to do so, but also by having the support and guidance of my reflective supervision group. We have been able to remain in the same small reflective supervision groups we begin the school year with in August, which has made us a tight knit group of people. It is a special attribute this program is able to offer students in which I feel I now have a contact list of other professionals in the child development field to contact for support, questions, and guidance in my future, even after this program ends.

In our SPED 676 class, applied behavior analysis, we are learning how to conduct functional behavioral assessments. I have learned how to collect data on challenging behaviors that my students exhibit in order to find out the function causing the behavior. This has helped me begin to work on providing replacement behaviors in order to help my students challenging behavior decrease over time. In our CFD 671 class, positive behavior support and early interventions, we are learning about making behavior support plans. We will be taking the data collection from our functional behavior assessment in SPED 676 and using it to come up with a behavior support plan in CFD 671. The behavior support plan will include interventions that will directly address the problem behavior being worked on. I really like how the EC-SEBRIS is comprehensive in the sense that these two classes we are taking go hand in hand with each other. We are able to directly correlate and use the information learned in one class and apply that knowledge further into another class, which makes this program rather unique as well!

- Amy Gregory

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

Graduate school infographics on early childhood education

San Diego State University offers a Masters of Science in Child Development and a Graduate Certificate degree in early childhood socio-emotional and behavior regulation intervention. Check out the following infographics to learn more about these programs. 

The application period for Fall 2015 is open until March 2nd. 

For more information on our graduate and certificate programs, visit coe.sdsu.edu/cfd. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for program and application updates. 

Amy Gregory on becoming a change agent in early childhood education

Amy Gregory is a current student in the EC-SEBRIS Graduate Certificate program at San Diego State University. She shared what she is learning about becoming a change agent in the lives of children and the field early childhood education. 

My experiences in the EC-SEBRIS program so far have been eye-opening, rewarding, and exciting. I never envisioned a graduate level program that could be so hands on, practical, and comprehensive. The EC-SEBRIS has encompassed all of these qualities for me so far!

I like that the information I am learning in my classes can be taken and directly applied to my work in the classroom. For example, thanks to my Ecobehavioral Assessment and Intervention class, I am able to pick out which assessment would be useful for each of my students. Then I can serve them better or get a better idea of their home life and family background.

Each class relates to one another in way that ties different areas of child development together that I had never considered before. Being able to analyze the teaching practices of others as well as your own in the reflective supervision class definitely makes you a change agent in recognizing best practices.

Presenting group research at the We Can't Wait conference

Taking a class dedicated exclusively to reflective supervision is great. It is an opportunity to review and share videotape interactions of my teaching practices with my 18-month old class.

My reflective supervision group is very helpful in giving me constructive criticism on how I could improve my teaching practices as well as helpful tips on how to deal with some of the challenging behaviors taking place in my classroom.

Seeing myself teaching on videotape really helps me identify what I do well and what I can improve on. It gives me the opportunity to review things that happen in my classroom that I may have missed in the moment. Being able to view videotapes of my fellow students' interactions with children in their worksites is helpful to me too. I make mental notes of positive ways to interact with children and creative activities to do. Seeing several different early childhood work sites gives me ideas of how to design classrooms that are effective.

Having a reflective supervision group is like having free help to support what you are trying to accomplish. Being a first year teacher myself, I have greatly appreciated this free help as my support system during a new life experience!

For one of my classes I worked on a group project about the effects of adverse childhood experiences relating to premature deaths. We completed research and created a professionally printed poster on our topic.

It was the first professional poster I have ever made and having my own work reflected in such a manner made me feel high up in the world. We had the opportunity to present our posters at the Early Childhood Mental Health We Can’t Wait Conference.

The opportunity to present at such a well renowned conference in the field made me feel like a real professional. Getting the opportunity to share my research with other professionals in the field, get their feedback, and in some cases teach them something new felt great. Seeing so many people in one place who all cared about the growing field of child development made me even more excited about my future career.

The EC-SEBRIS Graduate Certificate program is housed in the Department of Child and Family Development at San Diego State University. Certificate courses can be applied towards a Master of Science in Child Development.

The EC-SEBRIS program will accept applications for Fall 2015 admission until March 2, 2015. For more information on the EC-SEBRIS graduate certificate program, visit our website.

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. 

A supportive staff and time to reflect

We asked EC-SEBRIS Certificate students to share their experiences in the San Diego State program. Current student Karina Desai discusses the program's workload and resources. 

My experience in the EC-SEBRIS program so far has been great. It was very overwhelming at first, just receiving all the information regarding our classes and assignments and also knowing all of our big projects and tests that we would have to complete.  

But I quickly learned that we had a great staff and other great resources. Our reflective group supervisors and our site coach that were more than happy to help if we ever needed. I absolutely love the site that I have been placed at (Head Start- La Mesa), and I enjoy being there every day with the kids.  

My favorite class is the reflective group because it gives me a chance to talk to Dr. Kent and a few of my cohorts about any issues that I have. She gives me great advice on any problems that I am having trouble with.  

I am really looking forward to the rest of this semester and applying what I have learned in my classes to my every day experiences with children.

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.

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. 

Student chooses EC-SEBRIS certificate over doctoral program

We asked students to write about their experience in the EC-SEBRIS Graduate Certificate Program. EC-SEBRIS student Traci Sackett shared her thoughts as a part of our student blog series: 

The EC-SEBRIS Program at San Diego State University, through the Department of Child and Family Development, works both as a foundation for further study in child development as well as a supplemental body of knowledge for professionals working in the field of childhood mental health. 

It is an intensive one year program covering critical material. The Attachment Theory and Behavioral Neuroscience components are especially applicable, whether a classroom teacher, counselor or instructor of parenting education classes. 

I chose to supplement my Master’s degree in Counseling with the EC-SEBRIS certification in lieu of pursuing a doctoral program. I am fascinated by the burgeoning field of neuroscience as it applies to human behavior, as well as the practical application of Attachment Theory in working with children. 

I found that the time and expense of a doctoral degree was more than I wanted to commit to, and that the EC-SEBRIS program offered me the option in furthering my education and deepening my experience in a practical and attainable manner.

Applications for the certificate program are available Oct. 1st. 

The EC-SEBRIS certificate program is an interdisciplinary program focusing on professional preparation and skills enhancement of early childhood professionals who work with young children who demonstrate socio-emotional and behavioral concerns, and their parents. 

This one-year program is targeted towards working professionals and classes are offered in evenings on two nights each week, and admission is accepted only in the Fall semester. 

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

Student Blog: Amelia Broome shares her experience in the EC-SEBRIS graduate certificate program

We asked students to blog about their experience with the EC-SEBRIS Graduate Certificate Program. Master of Social Work student Amelia Broome shared her thoughts:

The EC-SEBRIS Program is a wonderful opportunity for those interested in expanding their knowledge in the field of child development. This program is highly educational and practical as it transfers easily to real-world settings, and is supported by strong research and well-established theoretical models. 

The program is fit for working professionals and has partnered with the School of Social Work at San Diego State University, making the EC-SEBRIS program feasible to complete at the graduate level. 

I am in the process of completing my Master of Social Work Degree at San Diego State University, and was fortunate to hear of the opportunity to complete this certificate during the MSW program. 

This opportunity came in a very timely manner, as I have gone through most of my higher education without receiving any specialization or classes in child development. I have known this is to my personal detriment, as the population I would like work with is children! You can imagine my relief knowing I could receive this education and the benefits it will bring.

By completing this program I will have a significantly better understanding of early child development and interventions including, applied behavioral analysis, assessment methods, behavior strategies, treatment planning, attachment, emotion-regulation, and more. 

If you are certain you would like to specialize in working with children, this program is a true investment of your time and will greatly enhance your career development. I am excited for those who choose this program and wish you the best of luck in your journey working with children.

Applications for the certificate program are available Oct. 1st. 

The EC-SEBRIS certificate program is an interdisciplinary program focusing on professional preparation and skills enhancement of early childhood professionals who work with young children who demonstrate socio-emotional and behavioral concerns, and their parents. 

This one-year program is targeted towards working professionals and classes are offered in evenings on two nights each week, and admission is accepted only in the Fall semester. 


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

Apply for the EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program

Find out how the EC-SEBRIS Graduate Certificate Program at San Diego State can help you develop as an early childhood professional and propel you forward in your career.

Applications for Fall 2015 are available Oct. 1st.

The Early Childhood Socio-Emotional and Behavior Regulation Intervention Specialist Certificate Program is targeted towards working professionals and classes are offered in evenings on two nights each week. Applications are accepted only in the Fall semester.

18 units from the EC-SEBRIS Certificate can be applied to the MS in Child Development and LPCC.

For more information on our program: 

Visit our website

Read our brochure

Contact earlychildhood (at) mail.sdsu.edu

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EC-SEBRIS Student Poster Presentations

On April 17, 2014, our EC-SEBRIS Graduate Certificate students presented research posters at the Inaugural Partnership Conference co-hosted by the Department of Child and Family Development at San Diego State University. 

At the end of each semester, our students showcase their research at an event open to the public. The intent is to share "fact sheets" with mental health providers regarding key strategies to successfully impact the lives of young children and their families.

This semester our students shared the posters they created last semester, reaching a much wider audience than we could have anticipated– 350 conference attendees! The content focused on the importance of early assessment and intervention related to language development, social-emotional development, sensory motor development, fine motor skills and parent-child attachment.

More information on the EC-SEBRIS Graduate Certificate Program in early childhood mental health can be found here.

Aitor Sendino Fernández from Spain Shares What he Took Away From the ECD Program

My experience at SDSU was very rewarding at a personal, academic, and professional level. I first came to SDSU as an exchange student for two semesters, taking several classes in the Child and Family Development department. Needing to adapt to such a different educational environment and methodology, compared to my country of origin, was a really interesting challenge.

All the professors and classmates were very helpful and I soon started enjoying the learning experience at SDSU, finishing with great academic results as well! After my two semesters as an exchange student, and thanks to one of my professors from the Child and Family Development department, I had the opportunity to come back to SDSU for a third semester working as a research assistant at the Youth Violence Research Lab, supervised by Dr. Emilio Ulloa and Dr. Audrey Hokoda.

I'm sure that the experience and the skills I gained working with such a great team will be very useful for my professional future. With the help of my mentor at the lab, I developed my own research project on dating violence, which resulted in a research manuscript. This manuscript in particular, and my international working experience at SDSU in general, are now helping me find better job opportunities back in Europe, giving me a competitive advantage over other candidates without any experience working or studying abroad.

In the next months, I'll be starting an internship abroad with a program sponsored by the Basque Government and the European Union through the Leonardo da Vinci scholarships.

Saba Borjianboroujeni from Iran provides an international look inside the Master's Program

When you get admission to go abroad and study in a different country, you have no idea what you are going to experience. In my first week at SDSU, I felt like Alice in wonderland. Everything was new and the system was not familiar for me, on top of the language barrier. However, the professors were very friendly- they helped me with all the new things. The program requires lots of writing and reading, which is more difficult for international students, so the first few weeks is all about adjusting to the language and new system.

After the first month, I started to realize how interesting my program is. In every assignment, the professors forced us to apply what we had learned in the texts and articles to real situations, which helped to understand the techniques more deeply. The professors make plenty of time for each student and clarify all the tasks. They explained all the assignments over and over for me; therefore, they tried to speak more slowly and simple in class, which I really appreciate. In total, I found my school and my faculty very friendly and helpful. This is an experience that is very unique and I wouldn’t exchange it with anything in my life.

International Student Defne Kabas of Turkey Tells her Experience in the EC-SEBRIS Program

The EC-SEBRIS program got me closer to my dreams of becoming a psychologist. It
taught me a great deal about the biological, psychological and the behavioral aspects
of children's development and how we can assist them reaching their potentials. I
learned to become a team with the teachers, the families and other students in order
to strengthen specific children’s abilities and support them in any struggles they were
having growing up. I learned many valuable lessons that I can speak about in my
interviews now, from the questionnaires that we learned to use, to presentations we
prepared in small groups.

I'm also very appreciative to have met amazing teachers and students in the EC-
SEBRIS program and learned so much from them. As an international student, I felt
very welcome and supported by many amazing people and encourage anyone who is
interested in children's development to enroll. They will not only be informed of socio-
emotional and behavioral development of children, they will also be able to intervene
and experience it with children in their field practice.

I just found a job in the Istanbul Medical Faculty, Psychiatry, doing projects about bipolar
disorder. We are investigating if there are any genetic influences on kids that have
bipolar parent/s. I will do my master’s in Clinical Psychology very soon.