Whole Health
Whole Health is VA’s cutting-edge approach to care that supports your health and well-being. Whole Health centers around what matters to you, not what is the matter with you. This means your health team will get to know you as a person, before working with you to develop a personalized health plan based on your values, needs, and goals. Find out how you can #LiveWholeHealth from home through VA’s ongoing self-care blog series. This series highlights Whole Health resources—such as video sessions for yoga or meditation—that you can follow along at home to live healthier and happier.
How to Get Started
Start a conversation with your health team about your needs and priorities, or learn about Whole Health practices from other Veterans through the Introduction to Whole Health and Taking Charge of My Life and Health courses.
VA staff and Veteran peers will support and guide you through the Personal Health Inventory self-assessment and help you create your Personal Health Plan. What matters to you will shape your plan and drive your choice of Well-being Programs and clinical treatments.
The road to better health and well-being starts here, with you.
Whole Health Classes Offered:
Mind-Body Medicine: A class that recognizes that the mind and emotions influence the body and physical health. The Veteran is exposed to activities that explore their present state of mind and move them through a journey to find the state of mind they desire. The long-term results are development of effective coping skills that enhance full body wellbeing, and increase self-awareness.
Tai Chi: Tai Chi is a Mind-Body exercise combining slow-flowing intentional movements with breathing, awareness, and visualization. Rooted in the Asian traditions of martial arts, Chinese medicine and philosophy, Tai Chi enhances relaxation, vitality, focus, posture, balance, strength, flexibility, and mood.
Taking Charge of My Life & Health (TCMLH): An 8-week course with specific curriculum to help break down each component in the circle of health, that impacts your health. We explore if one component is overwhelming the others, or if another component needs attention. We learn how to recognize our values and set our goals to match our values. Hence keeping every component balanced so that our health is optimal. Through the use of SMART goals, the Veteran sets a personal health plan and is empowered through group support to maintain their goal for 6 weeks. Learn how to: Hold space, listen & reflect, self-manage, & use different types of meditation.
Getting Better Sleep: Focuses on underpinnings and tips of good sleep. Develop long term goals and action steps. Learn deep relaxation techniques---autogenics and biofeedback.