ODL 417: Military Cultural Competence: Building Trust, Understanding, and Effective Support 

Created On:  6/8/2026                 

Target Audience:

This course is targeted for social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses and case managers.

Counselor Skill Groups: 

4. Counseling Services
6. Case Management

Overview:

This intensive 5-hour training is designed to deepen participants’ knowledge, awareness, and practical skills for working effectively with service members, veterans, and military families. Military culture shapes identity, communication, stress responses, and help-seeking behaviors in ways that differ significantly from civilian life. Without an understanding of this cultural context, even well-intentioned providers may unintentionally create barriers to trust or engagement.

Through interactive learning, case discussion, reflection, and applied practice, participants will explore military structure and terminology; rank, hierarchy, and roles; the realities of deployment and reintegration; and the unique strengths and stressors experienced across the military lifecycle. Special attention will be given to trauma-informed, equity-centered, and systemic perspectives, recognizing the intersections of gender, race, family role, stigma, and identity within the military community. Participants will leave with increased confidence, cultural humility, and practical tools for building rapport, communicating effectively, and supporting culturally responsive care.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:

• Describe core elements of military culture , including rank structure, customs, values, and the impact of hierarchy on communication and decision-making.
• Identify common experiences and stressors across the military lifecycle, such as training demands, deployment, reintegration, relocation, and transition to civilian life.
• Explain how military culture influences identity, relationships, resilience, and help-seeking behaviors among service members, veterans, and families.
• Recognize barriers to care including stigma, confidentiality concerns, mistrust, systemic inequities, and institutional pressures related to readiness and performance.
• Integrate resource awareness (VA, TRICARE, community supports, crisis resources) into appropriate referral and care pathways.

Presenter:

Erika Wallgren, MS, LMSW, and Doctoral Candidate

Erika Wallgren is an integrated therapist, educator, and doctoral candidate dedicated to advancing trauma-informed mental health care for underserved and military-connected populations. She currently serves as an integrated trauma therapist at Thrive Wellness & Recovery, where she provides evidence-based treatment for individuals navigating co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.

In addition to her clinical practice, Erika is an adjunct professor of communication, teaching courses in interpersonal communication, conflict management, rhetorical thinking, and professional public speaking across diverse higher-education platforms. Her teaching emphasizes experiential learning, effective communication strategies, and empowerment-oriented practice.

Erika is currently a Doctoral Candidate in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky with a concentration in Military Behavioral Health. Her research focuses on Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) among military spouses, exploring systemic barriers to care and developing trauma-informed, family-systems-based frameworks to promote resilience and access to culturally responsive support.