About The EMDR Center of Southern California (ECSC)
Hi and welcome to the EMDR Center of Southern California (ECSC). I’m Christine Sells, Ph.D., Founder and Director of Training at ECSC. While I loved working with clients solely via talk therapy for over two decades, I became passionate about incorporating EMDR therapy with my clinical caseload when I started my EMDR therapist journey in 2014. After earning the advanced designations of Certified EMDR Therapist and Approved Consultant via the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), I knew the opportunity had finally arrived for me to become an Approved Trainer with EMDRIA. I knew quickly in my EMDR therapist journey that I had tapped into a great passion bringing EMDR training to other mental health professionals, and by 2019 the EMDR Center of Southern California (ECSC) was born! At ECSC we now have trained over 400 mental health professionals from all over the world to become EMDR Trained clinicians!
We are proud to announce that advanced EMDR courses are part of the offerings from ECSC. These advanced courses are taught by Christine Sells, Ph.D., and are approved for EMDRIA and American Psychological Association (APA) continuing education credits. Please be sure to visit our Training Courses page to view our current EMDR advanced course offerings.
About our founder
Christine Sells, Ph. D.
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF TRAINING
Christine Sells, Ph.D., is the Founder and Director of Training of the EMDR Center of Southern California (ECSC). She has been a Licensed Psychologist since 1996 and currently practices in Newport Beach, CA, specializing in the clinical application of attachment theory to complex trauma and dissociative disorders, and the EMDR treatment of children, adolescents and adults.
She is an EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) Approved Trainer, Approved Consultant and Certified EMDR Therapist. Dr. Sells is passionate about assisting clinicians on their EMDR therapy journey toward becoming EMDR Trained and achieving EMDRIA Certification and EMDRIA Approved Consultant status. She incorporates her expertise in attachment theory into all aspects of EMDR therapy and is a Certified Reliable Coder for the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). She has also earned the Certificate of Reliability in Reflective-Functioning (RF) Scoring from the Center for Attachment Research at the New School for Social Research, New York City.
Currently, Dr. Sells is writing an invited book chapter “Incorporating the AAI in EMDR Therapy” for the second edition of Clinical Applications of the Adult Attachment Interview edited by Drs. Howard and Miriam Steele and will be published in 2026. She was a co-presenter at the 2019 EMDRIA Conference on the topic “Consultation for EMDRIA Certification: Challenges, Ethics & Best Practices.” She is co-author of Consultation for EMDRIA Certification in EMDR: Best Practices and Challenges (May, 2020-Journal of EMDR Practice and Research).
She is also Certified in Clinical Hypnosis from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) and has earned an Advanced Certificate in the treatment of complex trauma and dissociative disorders from the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISST-D).
Looking for an EMDR therapist or EMDRIA certification consultant? Contact one of our instructional team members below.
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Donna Hunter, CMHC
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA-APPROVED CONSULTANT
Donna Hunter, MA, CMHC, holds graduate degrees in both Counseling and Leadership. Her career path includes being a Clinical Mental Health Counselor at Weber State University and being the founder of Embodied Trauma Therapy in Ogden, Utah. She is passionate about working with intersecting identities in college students and provides EMDR as an early trauma intervention for young adults. She specializes in providing therapy to adults for PTSD, complex PTSD, and dissociative disorders.
Donna is inspired as an EMRIA Approved Consultant in EMDR therapy to help clinicians build EMDR therapy into their clinical workflow--in part by her history in consultancy work with the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center to aid in their quest to build safe and effective wildland fire programs. With her guidance, this organization has been able to integrate high-reliability organizing into national processes.
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Sarah Callow-St. George, MA, LPCC
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA-APPROVED CONSULTANT
Sarah Callow-St. George, MA, LPCC, is an EMDRIA Approved Consultant in EMDR therapy. She is the owner of SCS Professional Counseling in Huntington Beach, CA, where she runs a private outpatient mental health practice serving all age ranges regarding their mental health needs in individual, family, and couples treatment. For the past three years she has served as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the California Association for Licensed Professional Counselors (CALPCC). Ms. Callow-St. George maintains a specialization in the treatment of sexual assault survivors and perinatal mental health. Her expertise and passion for EMDR consultation has roots in her past history being a Project Coordinator within higher education and through her research experience in the Rwanda Project partnership with The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
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Kristina Butner, LCSW
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA-APPROVED CONSULTANT
Kristina Butner, LCSW, is a licensed Clinical Social Worker providing both child and adult psychotherapy in an outpatient psychiatry service setting, since 2009. Kristina specializes in EMDR Therapy for children and adults. She is an EMDRIA Approved Consultant in EMDR therapy and is a practicum facilitator for the EMDR Center of Southern California (ECSC). Her clinical background includes individual, group, family and crisis therapy for youth in a special education emotionally disturbed program. She also has experience conducting developmental assessments and community parenting trainings in both Spanish and English. Kristina’s skill and passion in providing EMDR group and individual consultation is accentuated by her past experience working as a consultant for mainstreaming special education students via the San Jose Unified School District.
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Christina Grabowsky Viani, MA, LMFT
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA-APPROVED CONSULTANT
Christina Grabowsky Viani, MA, LMFT, earned her MA in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Santa Barbara, with a Healthy Aging Concentration. Her career path includes a specialization in alcohol and drug counseling, domestic violence advocacy and treatment, and working with co-occurring mental illness in forensic populations. She is currently the Assistant Clinical Director at Sanctuary Centers in Santa Barbara, CA, and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.
Christina is inspired as an EMDRIA Approved Consultant to assist other mental health professionals in becoming excellent EMDR therapists by bringing a combination of her exceptional level-headedness and calming presence while focusing on adherence to EMDR protocol fidelity. Her personal and professional assets support EMDR clinicians who are experiencing burnout, vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, competency struggles, confidence challenges and professional vulnerabilities.
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Megan Dejean, LCSW
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA-APPROVED CONSULTANT
Megan Dejean holds a Master’s Degree in Social Science Administration Case Western Reserve University, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California. Her career path includes managerial and clinical social work with adolescents engaged with inpatient treatment, adolescent residential substance abuse recovery, adult residential and intensive outpatient addiction treatment and crisis intervention. Ms. Dejean has extensive experience in a managerial and clinical supervisory role since 2009. Currently, she is the Clinical Director at Framework Recovery in Huntington Beach, CA, and runs her own outpatient private practice specializing in CBT and EMDR via teletherapy.
Ms. Dejean is inspired as an EMDRIA Approved Consultant as she has seen amazing, positive change in individuals suffering from long-standing trauma that had previously exacerbated their addiction issues. With EMDR therapy, she has witnessed successful treatment outcomes in clients that have traditionally struggled with their addiction recovery. She is inspired to assist in developing the next generation of EMDR therapists because of the successes she has witnessed. Ms. Dejean brings a compassionate and solid presence to her EMDR therapy and consultation services as a result of over a decade of managerial, supervisory and clinical practice.
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Diane Di Grazia, LMFT
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA-APPROVED CONSULTANT
Diane Di Grazia is an EMDRIA Approved Consultant, Certified EMDR Therapist and holds a certificate in neuropsychological assessment. She has a private practice in Sonoma County, CA, specializing in EMDR therapy with individuals for the treatment of PTSD, dissociative disorders, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Diane has provided her clinical expertise working with the California National Guard soldiers and their families, the Family Service Agency – Santa Rosa and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department - Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit in collaboration with the YWCA Sonoma County Domestic Violence Services.
Diane is inspired by providing EMDR consultation to clinicians on the application of EMDR therapy and assisting in their professional development. She has been a practicum facilitator and consultant for EMDRIA approved EMDR basic training programs in California since 2010 and provides individual EMDR consultation to clinicians. She offers professional and community educational trainings on complex trauma, PTSD, Domestic Violence and EMDR therapy.
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Denise Levine, LCSW
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA CONSULTANT IN TRAINING
With over 28 years of experience, Denise operates a private practice dedicated to assisting individuals in the healing of symptoms, with a primary focus on treating complex trauma and dissociation. Her compassionate and attuned therapy helps clients navigate the effects of trauma, facilitating mindful adjustments that enhance self-understanding, emotional health and healing.
As an EMDR Consultant in Training, Denise Levine plays a crucial role in guiding and supporting clinicians who are looking to deepen their EMDR practice and work towards certification as EMDR Certified Therapists. She offers expert consultation to help therapists navigate the phases of EMDR therapy, providing insights and practical strategies to enhance their proficiency. Denise’s supportive approach ensures that clinicians receive tailored guidance to refine their skills, adhere to EMDR protocols, and overcome challenges in their practice. Her dedication to fostering professional growth helps therapists excel in delivering effective, transformative care to their clients.
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Barbara Hall, LCSW
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA CONSULTANT IN TRAINING, AND REGISTERED PLAY THERAPIST™ (RPT™)
Barbara is dedicated to helping individuals three years and older overcome challenges, manage anxiety, and heal from trauma. She integrates EMDR therapy, Play Therapy, Internal Family Systems-informed and Ego States-informed care into her work with children and their caregivers, teens, and adults who have experienced complex or sudden trauma.
Barbara has extensive experience working with diverse populations including children and caregivers referred by Children Advocacy Centers, victim support groups, and child welfare agencies in California and Nevada. She specializes in strengthening caregiver-child relationships, addressing trauma-related behavioral and emotional concerns, and trauma therapy for individuals of all ages facing anxiety, low self-worth, sexual trauma, abuse, neglect, and other traumatic experiences such as interpersonal violence, human trafficking, and various types of accidents.
Barbara is inspired by the transformative effects of EMDR therapy. She provides warm, collaborative guidance to help therapists refine their skills, build confidence, and adapt EMDR techniques to meet client’s unique needs. Barbara emphasizes protocol fidelity while empowering clinicians to navigate complex cases with creativity and compassion. Her dedication to fostering a supportive consultation environment ensures therapists feel prepared to deliver effective, transformative care to those they serve.
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Briana Ferron, LMFT
CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST AND EMDRIA CONSULTANT IN TRAINING
Briana Ferron, LMFT, is the owner and clinical supervisor at Sweetgrass Therapy in Los Angeles, CA. She blends EMDR with equine-assisted psychotherapy, offering clients a holistic and transformative approach to healing. Briana holds a certificate from the University of Denver's post-master’s Equine-Assisted Mental Health Practitioner Program, enhancing her ability to integrate the therapeutic presence of horses into her practice.
Briana’s passion for EMDR comes from the profound healing she has witnessed in her clients. She specializes in working with individuals who struggle with the dysregulation that frequently comes with complex PTSD, attachment wounds, and trauma. By using EMDR, she helps clients break free from old patterns and build healthier relationships, fostering a deep sense of healing and resilience. Sticking to the original fidelity of EMDR is something Briana deeply values, which is why she finds joy in supervising and consulting with the next generation of therapists. She looks forward to passing the torch to those who will continue to uphold these standards.