Whole Health Program
Our Whole Health approach empowers and equips you to take charge of your health, well-being, and quality of life. Whole Health goes beyond your illnesses, injuries, or disabilities, and focuses instead on your values, goals, and overall health. It includes self-care and complementary therapies along with conventional medical care.
Getting Started: The Pathway and Coaching
The Pathway component of Whole Health empowers Veterans to discover what really matters to them through mindful self-exploration of their mission, aspiration, and purpose or MAP. The Pathway also invites Veterans to set personal goals that allow them to be actively engaged in living their fullest and healthiest life.
The Pathway groups are provided by trained and qualified fellow Veteran partners, designed to help Veterans begin and maintain their journey to well-being.
If you would prefer an individual experience instead of group sessions, our Health & Wellness Coaches can help you focus on goals, identifying your strengths and values, finding motivation, and work toward what matters most to you.
Health and Wellness Coaching
Whole Health includes all areas of health: body, mind, personal development, community and surroundings, spirit and soul, relationships, sleep, and nutrition. Health and Wellness Coaches partner with you in exploring these areas to help you live your best life. They support you in focusing on goals, identifying your strengths and values, finding motivation, and working toward what matters most to you.
If you’re not sure about your goals yet, your coach can help you find an area to focus on. Coaching is available to all Veterans enrolled in VA, at no cost.
Learn more about Health and Wellness Coaching here: Whole Health Coaching - YouTube
To schedule a session with a Coach: Contact us by calling
Introduction to Whole health
In this 2-hour introductory workshop, Veterans explore their mission, aspiration, and purpose with the guidance of a Whole Health Coach or Veteran facilitator. Veterans have the opportunity to learn about using a Whole Health approach in their own lives, explore Whole Health resources, and begin making a plan to support their health and well-being based on what matters to them.
Learn more about Intro to Whole Health here: Introduction to Whole Health (youtube.com)
How to Join: Contact us by calling
Taking Charge of My Life and Health
Taking Charge of My Life and Health is a six-week Whole Health course facilitated by Veterans, for Veterans. The class helps you do exactly as its name suggests: take charge of your health and well-being. This course takes Veterans on a journey into the Circle of Health, exploring what matters to you, and discovering your personal mission, aspiration, and purpose in life. This course also allows for a “deeper dive” into the 8 areas of self-care. The Veteran facilitator will guide you in creating goals and action plans and will support you as you work toward those goals.
Learn more about this and other Veteran-to-Veteran Whole Health classes here: The Pathway To Whole Health - YouTube
How to Join: Contact us by calling
Well-Being Program
The Well-Being Program is designed to equip Veterans with the skills to move toward living their healthiest and fullest life. The Well-Being Program includes resources such as well-being skill-building classes and workshops, guided imagery, meditation and mindfulness training, tai chi, and yoga.
Veterans will need to complete Intro to Whole Health or a session with a Health & Wellness Coach prior to enrollment in well-being group offerings.
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery involves using a series of multi-sensory images designed to trigger specific changes in physiology, emotions, or mental state for the purpose of increasing healing response or unconscious changes. Guided Imagery often begins with a series of relaxation techniques, although this is not always so.
Whole Health offers guided imagery in group sessions for relaxation. Sessions are usually 20-30 minutes long facilitated by an instructor certified in guided imagery.
While more study is clearly needed, Guided Imagery has shown particular promise with the following:
- Anxiety (in multiple conditions)
- Cancer: Better outcomes with chemo- and radiotherapies
- Childbirth
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Improving athletic performance
- Reducing blood pressure, cholesterol, and A1c levels
- Managing chronic illness in general
- Nightmares
- Pain, including from arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.
- Parkinson’s disease tremors
- Post-operative pain
- Preparation for surgery or procedures
- Speed up fracture and burn healing.
- Stress management.
- Tobacco abstinence
- Weight loss
How to Join: Contact us by calling
Meditation and Mindfulness Training
Mindfulness and meditation help us to cultivate a greater ability to be attentive to ourselves and our surroundings in the present moment. This increased awareness allows us to make healthier choices moment-by-moment, and to choose more adaptive responses in stressful situations. Research has suggested that practicing mindfulness can heal the mind and body by helping to lower blood pressure, boost immunity, and reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Sessions are 30min long and facilitated by an instructor certified in yoga, meditation, or tai chi. Learn more about meditation & mindfulness here:
Introduction to Meditation and Mindfulness (youtube.com)
The Benefits and Science Behind Meditation (youtube.com)
Finding Your Breath (A Guided Meditation) (youtube.com)
Body Scan (A Guided Meditation) (youtube.com)
How to Join: Contact us by calling
Social Circle
Connect and meet new people while building skills that support your mission, aspiration, and purpose. This fun social group is led by a Health & Wellness Coach. Topics and activities are based on the circle of health.
How to Join: Contact us by calling
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner, and accompanied by deep breathing. Each posture flows into the next without pause, keeping your body in constant motion.
These classes are accessible to Veterans who are medically stable and can independently follow the tai chi instructor. Sessions last 30-60min.
Learn more about Tai Chi here: #LiveWholeHealth: Seated 7 Posture Form (youtube.com)
How to Join: Contact us by calling
Yoga
Yoga is a mindful movement practice originating in India. It brings together the mind and body by incorporating breathing and meditation with movements and body poses designed to encourage relaxation and reduce stress.
These classes are accessible to Veterans who are medically stable, able to get on and off the floor unassisted, and can independently follow the certified yoga instructor.
Learn more about yoga here:
Why Everyone Should Practice Yoga (youtube.com)
Morning Yoga Wake-Up Practice (youtube.com)
A Short Yoga Practice for Better Sleep (youtube.com)
How to Join: Contact us by calling
Whole Health Clinical Care
Whole Health Clinical Care is not a new project or program, but rather represents a cultural transformation in the way we do healthcare, with an intentional focus on treatment that sees and cares for the whole person.
Whole Health Clinical Care also incorporates complementary and integrative approaches to health such as acupuncture and massage therapy. CIH approaches don’t replace traditional medical and mental health care, but can complement and be integrated with the excellent traditional treatments already being offered at VA.
The services below are aligned with Whole Health but may be provided through care lines or organizations outside the Whole Health program. Because most of these services are considered clinical treatment, a referral from your licensed clinician might be needed.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of several techniques that make up the system of care provided by those trained in traditional medicine from China and other Asian countries. Most frequently we think of acupuncture as the penetration of thin needles into the body at acupuncture points to effect a change. Acupuncture is used to restore or maintain health. Acupuncture is available through a consult from a primary care provider.
Battlefield Acupuncture
Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) is a limited auricular (ear) acupuncture protocol taught by the Veterans Health Administration and Department of Defense (DoD) for the purpose of pain management. BFA is available through a consult from a primary care provider.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback is real-time technology that makes it easier to see how stress shows up in your body by providing “feedback” about your body’s signals, such as heart rate or body temperature. Biofeedback is available through a consult from a primary care or behavioral health provider.
Chiropractic Care
The chiropractic approach to health care is holistic. Drugless, non-surgical methods of chiropractic treatment rely on the body's inherent recuperative abilities to promote healing. Chiropractic care restores, improves, and maintains your function, activity, and health. Chiropractic care is available through a consult from a primary care provider.
Clinical Hypnosis
Clinical Hypnosis is the process of (a) deliberately triggering a trance state and then (b) utilizing that state to encourage helpful cognitive, emotional, or physical healing responses. A trance is a natural biological state of inner absorption, concentration, and focused attention. Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy are advanced skills in which a trained professional uses hypnosis to cause specific change. Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy are used extensively in the medical and Mental Health fields. Clinical Hypnosis is available through a consult from a primary care or behavioral health provider.
Massage Therapy
Clinical massage therapy is the manipulation of the soft tissues of the human body for therapeutic purposes. Based in ancient traditions, massage therapy is a professional health care discipline in the United States. Massage Therapy is available through a consult from a primary care provider.
Recreation Therapy
Whole Health Recreation Therapy plays a vital role in supporting the VA’s mission of serving those who served. Recreation Therapy helps Veterans lead more fulfilling lives through active therapy, while addressing the physical, emotional, and social needs of veterans, aiming to improve their overall functioning and quality of life.
Recreation Therapy fosters a sense of community and camaraderie among Veterans, providing them with valuable social support networks and connections that promote healing and rehabilitation.
Veterans will need to complete an orientation with a Recreation Therapist PRIOR to enrolling in RT Programs.
Programs supported by our Recreation Therapists include, but are not limited to:
Adaptive Sports, Fitness, and Wellness
Archery, Disc Golf, Group Exercise, Hiking, Horseback Riding/Horsemanship, Pickleball, Meditation/mindfulness, Tai Chi, Veterans Sports Clinics, Yoga, other recreation activities as available.
Coaching for the VA National Rehabilitation Programs:
- National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic
- National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic
- National Veterans Golden Age Games
- National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic
- National Veterans Wheelchair Games
Therapeutic Arts
National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, Veterans Creative Arts Clinics, Music Groups, and Creative Writing Groups.
To schedule a session with a Recreation Therapist: Contact us by calling
Learn more about Recreation Therapy here: WATCH Veterans Experience Adaptive Sports & Arts (youtube.com)
Contact us.
For more information on Whole Health or enrolling in Whole Health services, contact us directly by calling