When a military service member deploys, the family deploys as well. Children are often silent sufferers when experiencing stress related to a family member’s military service. In this presentation James Corbin will discuss common characteristics of military families and some of the risk factors that can make military children particularly vulnerable to stress and secondary trauma. Both Type 1 and Type 2 trauma will be defined and discussed.



Additionally, this presentation will explore various forms of play therapy often used to treat children of military families, as well as examine play therapy's benefits and its history and use with childhood trauma. In particular, James will discuss techniques for the application of child-centered play therapy with children experiencing trauma and grief. This presentation will also identify and provide resources for clinicians working with both children and parents in military families.   



This introductory instructional level web conference is designed to help clinicians:




  1. Identify and explain the stages of the Deployment Cycle.

  2. Explain the benefits of play therapy with military children.

  3. Describe and distinguish between various forms of play therapy.

  4. Adapt and apply techniques for working with trauma and grief to military children and families.

  5. Describe the unique strengths of and risk factors for military children and families.

  6. Identify local, regional, and national resources for military children and families.



If you have any questions or concerns about this web conference, or would like more information, please contact us here.


How the Web Conference Works

This CE web conference will include lecture and question-and-answer periods. Attendees who register for this event will log in to the web conference center by using a computer and calling in to the teleconference line. Attendees will be able to ask live audio questions via phone and/or submit text chat questions via computer. Live streaming video and/or document sharing will also be available to participants. Alternatively, attendees may dial in to the teleconference line only, though attendees dialing in by phone only will be unable to ask questions. Attendees may also access the web conference on a smartphone or tablet. 



Before the scheduled event, all registered attendees will be sent a reminder email from GoodTherapy.org with specific instructions on how to log in to the web conference center, as well as links to optional handout materials if applicable.



After the live event, a recording and a written transcript of the event will be available in the GoodTherapy.org Member's Area. At the conclusion of the event, attendees will receive an email from GoodTherapy.org with information about how to request a CE certificate. To download a CE certificate, attendees must enter the start and end codes announced at the beginning and end of the web conference and complete an online survey. 


Continuing Education (CE) Information

Two CE credits will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety. GoodTherapy.org is also an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within counseling services.

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 3/30/2019 – 3/30/2022. Social workers completing this course receive 2 clinical continuing education credits.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395.

Registration Information

This web conference is available at no additional cost to GoodTherapy.org members.

Event Reviews from Members

Meet the Presenter

James R. Corbin, MSW, LSW

James Corbin is the co-developer of the Family Center at Temple—a counseling center for military service members and their families—where he is also the Clinical Director and Lead Clinician. Since 2008, he has served as a full-time clinical faculty member and instructor in the graduate school of social work at Temple University and was appointed in 2014 as Assistant Program Director in their School of Social Work. Most recently, he has developed an online Postgraduate Certificate in Military Counseling (CMC) for clinicians who are interested in developing a practice specialization with military populations. 

James received his bachelor of arts degree in political science from Pennsylvania State University, his master’s degree in social work from Temple University, and completed his postgraduate studies at the Clinical Social Work Institute in Washington, D.C. He has worked for over 20 years in the mental health field and is a licensed social worker in Pennsylvania with a specialty in childhood mental illness and individual and family therapy with children, adolescents, and their families. He is a Give An Hour volunteer therapist and active member of the Harrisburg Regional Team of Operation Military Kids (OMK) and PACares, a regional networking team of military service providers. For more information about James and his work, please visit cph.temple.edu/ssa/faculty/james-r-corbin.