Veteran teaches others to go with the flow
After finding healing through the ancient practice of tai chi, Army Veteran Dan Mitchell is showing other Veterans how to do the same.
Living with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be very hard, and Dan Mitchell knows this well. He served as an Army medic during the Gulf War and later faced PTSD, just like many other Veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. The VA’s National Center for PTSD says that as many as 20% of these Veterans may experience PTSD.
Mitchell didn’t want PTSD to control his life. With help of VA Whole Health and the ancient practice of tai chi, he reconnected with himself and built a better life. Now, he is working to guide other Veterans on a similar journey.
Fighting off negative energy
Mitchell first learned about tai chi more than 30 years ago while on active duty. He began practicing by following a book. He said, “The choreographed movements allow for a better understanding of how the body moves … in relation to time and space and connection with other people … most importantly through the energy that flows through the system.” Even though he saw the benefits, he never guessed how important tai chi would become later in life when he began struggling with depression and isolation.
After leaving the military, Mitchell moved to Buffalo, New York. Adjusting to civilian life was difficult. For years he dealt with mental health problems he didn’t fully understand. Later, he realized these issues were signs of untreated PTSD. But with support from the VA, he found hope and began to heal.
Wanting to share this hope with others, Mitchell started teaching the “Introduction to Whole Health” course. When the Buffalo Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center began offering tai chi, he quickly signed up to teach it. He taught both online and in person during the COVID 19 pandemic.
After finding healing through the ancient practice of tai chi, Army Veteran Dan Mitchell is showing other Veterans how to do the same.
Finding balance
Tai chi helps bring the mind, body, and spirit into harmony. Its slow, controlled movements, deep breathing, and focus help people relax, heal, and understand themselves better. This makes it especially helpful for Veterans with PTSD.
“A lot of folks that find themselves in difficult mental and emotional conditions can benefit greatly from an exercise program that focuses more on internal energy, more on internal strength … than they may from other methods of exercise,” Mitchell said.
Tai chi helped him mentally and physically. It improved his flexibility, lowered his pain, and helped him relax—especially after a serious accident that left him with a broken pelvis and two broken legs. While on bedrest, he practiced tai chi in his mind until he could move again.
Now that he can walk again, Mitchell is determined to help others. “I know what [PTSD] feels like when you’re in it and you can’t find a way out,” he said. “Getting out of that, getting those illnesses manageable in my life, made me want to translate the method to get out the best I could to other Veterans.”
Supporting your health
Every day, Whole Health complementary and integrative health (CIH) services like tai chi help Veterans strengthen the connection between their mind and body so they can focus on what matters most. With World Tai Chi Day coming up on April 25, Whole Health invites Veterans to contact their local VA to learn more about CIH options.
Other Whole Health CIH services include acupuncture, biofeedback, clinical hypnosis, guided imagery, medical massage therapy, meditation, and yoga.
