Take Whole Health With You
Practicing on-demand self-care with mobile apps is convenient and beneficial. There are many mobile apps and online resources you can access from your phone, including yoga, tai chi, health coaching and more. An app providing mindful breathing exercises is pictured above.
Many Veterans and VA staff are discovering digital technologies that are easy and effective tools to manage stress and promote overall health and well-being, all from the comfort of your home. Whether you consider supporting your Whole Health with a VA resource or other digital tool, the overarching goal of mobile apps and online resources is to support positive self-care practices.
VA has developed many mobile apps as resources for Veterans. In addition, VA’s Office of Patient Centered Care & Cultural Transformation (OPCC&CT) has identified and reviewed many non-VA resources that inform, equip, and empower Veterans to practice self-care. Items listed below and on this page have been identified by OPCC&CT as options for your consideration, but the on-line resources are not endorsed by VA.
OPCC&CT Acting Director Dr. Ben Kligler says, ”An effective Whole Health approach includes leveraging both VA and non-VA resources to help us move towards better health and become more empowered and equipped to reach for what matters most in our lives. Digital tools like mobile apps and online resources are available 24/7 and are often free or low-cost, and can be an important piece of the Whole Health toolbox.” The following list is a small sampling of non-VA resources for your consideration and convenience.
Meditation and Guided Imagery
- Health Journeys Guided Imagery Audio Library: guided imagery and meditation have been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep, reduce pain, generate confidence, enhance focus and, maybe best of all, clear the way for finding your own deep inner peace. Find your favorites, listen regularly, and enjoy the benefits. Invite your family to use the page, too.
- Meditation Oasis Podcasts: guided meditations, instructions for meditation, and music for meditation. Play by clicking on the play buttons.
- Military Meditation Coach App/Podcast: Learn and practice meditation techniques for the military and Veteran community during this mindfulness podcast hosted by experts in the Military Health System, the Defense Health Agency, and the Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control.
Yoga
- Veterans Yoga Project: a collection of mind-body practices to be used to further develop practices related to Breath, Meditation, Mindful Movement, Guided Rest, and Gratitude. In this library you will find downloadable audio files of each of the five tools of Mindful Resilience Training.
- Warriors at Ease: this resource offers a guided iRest Yoga Nidra session, experiential breathing techniques, and yoga demonstrations.
- Comeback Yoga: free yoga classes to help military personnel, their families and supporters develop resiliency in response to their experience.
Tai Chi
- 7 Minute Chi: move and meditate at the same time with simple moves from Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Decompress and energize with moving meditation.
- Tai Chi Fundamentals - Standing: an experiential video sharing the basic moves of Tai Chi. Train your posture, balance and coordination.
- Tai Chi Fundamentals - Adaptive with Walking/Walker Aid: this video provides an overview of tai chi for participants who use a medical walker or walking aid.
In addition to the great apps and online tools noted above, the MyHealthe Vet website is designed for Veterans and caregivers to better understand and manage health and wellness topics. MyHealthe Vet empowers Veterans to communicate with their health care partners, manage prescriptions, access an online library of trusted consumer health information, access their own personal health records and much more.
