Employee Whole Health

Employee Whole Health Monthly Highlights

Announcement:

Join us in the EK Wellness Spot Teams Channel this holiday season! We will have tips for wellness during this busy season as well as you will get the inside scoop on our Holiday Wellness Challenge coming up in the month of December. Email us at vhaekhwholehealthconsultants@va.gov to get added! 

December is for Self-Compassion

Employee Whole Health (EWH) plays a vital role in advancing Whole Health for Veterans by fostering a work environment that supports the well-being of employees. When employees are healthy, engaged, and supported, they are better equipped to provide high-quality care to Veterans.  You are at the center of the Circle of Health.  Practicing self-compassion positively impacts overall health and well-being.   

Components of Self-Compassion

Self-compassion is treating ourselves with the same kindness, understanding, and support we would give a colleague, friend, or family member during a time of struggle, failure or inadequacy.  Self-compassion involves three core components:

Self-kindness-the act of being warm, gentle and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer, fail or feel inadequate rather than ignoring our pain or punishing ourselves with self-criticism

Common humanity-recognizing that suffering, flaws, and feelings of inadequacy are part of the shared human experience.  Understanding everyone experiences these things at some point or another helps us feel less along and isolated.

Mindfulness-being present in your feelings without judgement.  By stepping outside of our usual way of looking at things we can put our own situation into a better perspective.

Truths About Self-Compassion

• Self-Compassion is a more effective motivator than harsh self-criticism
• Self-compassion reduces self-focus, increases perspective, and helps us to feel connected to others when we struggle
• Self-compassionate people are more likely to exercise, eat well, get regular medical care, and generally engage in health-promoting behaviors
• Self-compassionate people are better able to deal with stressful situations like natural disasters, military combat, health challenges and other unfortunate situations Healthy Relationships Start with Self-Compassion

Self-compassion is not something that you either have or don’t have. Like many other skills it takes practice. Practicing self-compassion is not a selfish practice. In fact, self-compassion lays the foundation for us to have deeper and more meaningful connections with others.

Employee Wellbeing and Yoga

Employee Whole Health is here to support your wellbeing! Whether it be through quick breaks during the day or offering additional resources to help foster a resilient and connected workplace, there is something for everyone! Check out additional resources available to  help support your wellbeing by clicking on the link below.

Employee Wellbeing | VA Eastern Kansas Health Care | Veterans Affairs

Check out our Yoga Quick Breaks we offer on Teams Wednesdays at 10am and Friday at noon. Let us know if you need a calendar invite or if you have any questions at vhaekhwholehealthconsultants@va.gov. Namaste!

Begin Your Personal Journey Today

The Personal Health Inventory is a tool created to walk you through the Circle of Health and assist you in identifying your mission, aspiration, and purpose (MAP).  Once your MAP is clearly identified, you can use this tool to help evaluate where you are and where you'd like to be in your health and wellbeing journey, and consider how your personal goals might best align with the things you value most. Click the link below to access this resource!

Personal Health Inventory

Health Coaching for Employees

Are you ready to prioritize your health and wellbeing, but not sure where to start? VA Eastern Kansas is proud to offer you individualized health coaching to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Our coaches will work with your schedule to find a convenient time to provide accountability, identify proactive goals, and help problem-solve barriers. Coaching can be offered virtually to all staff or face-to-face on the Topeka and Leavenworth campuses. Simply email vhaekhwholehealthconsultants@va.gov to get started!

VAEK Employee Whole Health Classes

Here are just a few of the classes that are available locally and from VISN and National Whole Health.  These classes can be a part of rediscovering what is important to you and what you want your health and wellbeing to look like.

Whole Health for You & Me

Job Crafting: Finding Fulfillment in Your Work Life

Well-Being for Leaders: Walking the Talk of Self Care

Whole Health for Pain and Suffering

Eating for Whole Health

Whole Health for All: Social and Structural Determinants of Health

Whole Health for Mental Well-being: Bridging the Mind-Body Divide

Whole Health for Emergency Medicine

Whole Health for Nurses: Inpatient Care

59 Minutes of Whole Health and many more….

For registration and more information on additional local, VISN and National Whole Health classes, visit the EK Whole Health SharePoint  or reach out to VHAEKHWholeHealthconsultants@va.gov . 

Whole Health Coaching Skills for Clinicians

Whole Health Coaching for Clinicians occurs in 2 hour segments over a 4-week period and is designed to be highly experiential, with an emphasis on taking coaching skills back to your clinical practice. The focus of this virtual course is on meeting Veterans where they are in readiness for change, providing information in a Veteran-centered fashion ( a ‘coach’ approach), and supporting actionable steps toward improving their health and wellbeing. Please reach out to VHAEKHWholeHealthconsultants@va.gov if you are interested in taking this class!

VISN 15 Offerings

Visit our VISN 15 Sharepoint to explore whole health classes that allow you to engage and learn with your peers from other organizations throughout our VISN. Through these courses, you'll have the opportunity to learn about and explore your own Whole Health as well as how Whole Health fits within your clinical or work practice!

National Offerings

Visit the National Whole Health Education Sharepoint to explore whole health classes that allow you to engage and learn with your peers from other organizations throughout the country. You'll have the opportunity to learn anything from Eating for Whole Health, to Empowering and Equipping staff, to using Whole Health principles to Lead Change in your organization!

Whole Health Minute

A Whole Health Minute involves taking 60 seconds prior to the start of a meeting or huddle to engage in an activity as a team that supports employee health and wellness components within the circle of health.

Activities can be anything from mindfulness or breathing exercises, riddles or jokes, to stretching or gratitude practices. 

The goal is simply to come together as a team, pause and take a moment to kick off autopilot and connect.

Benefits of a 1-minute mindfulness exercise:

•  
  • Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system dissolving stress and anxiety
  • Slows down and calms the mind
  • Activates and strengthens the prefrontal cortex, enhances mindfulness
  • Allows us a moment in our day to consider and prioritize our self-care
  • Creates and strengthens our sense of community together

Ready to get started? Reach out to vhaekhwholehealthconsultants@va.gov and our team would love to support you!

Facility Resources

Employee Gym

Pursue your health and physical fitness goals by utilizing the VAEK 24-hour employee fitness center! Enjoy the use of our cardio equipment, free weights, circuit machines, and resistance trainings. If you'd like to gain access to the employee gym, please email vhaekhwholehealthconsultants@va.gov to get started. Employee Fitness Centers are located at the following locations:

Topeka: Building 3, Ground floor at the end of the hall

Leavenworth: Building 90, T150

Employee Whole Health Relaxation Rooms

In the midst of a busy work day, please remember that YOU matter! Our Employee Whole Health Relaxation Rooms are designed to give you protected space away from your duty station to engage in a mindful moment and rejuvenate. In these rooms, please enjoy the use of massage chairs, essential oils, yoga mats, exercise bands, and more! Relaxation rooms can be found in the following locations:

Topeka: Building 2, Room A2; Building 1, C519, G1 Key

Leavenworth: Main hospital, Room 404B, Building 122, Room 240, any VA key will give you access