With the unforeseen challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, how we deal with and adapt to change will determine our ability to weather the pandemic. Taking care of your physical health is important, but so is taking care of your Whole Health—adding emotional, mental and spiritual to the physical.

Life has always been a process of evolving and adapting to change. That’s what makes finding ways to stay balanced and strong so important: learning new skills to stay healthy and care for ourselves and our families is now more important than ever.

Starting Monday, April 6, we will be posting weekly Whole Health resources, including video sessions, that you can follow along with from your own home.

Sessions will pull from a variety of existing VA resources, and may include breathing exercises, stretching, meditation, fitness, yoga, tai chi, and more. We will also be highlighting various VA informational resources to support you and your families.

To get started, follow along with this 5-minute guided grounding meditation with Christiane Wolf, MD, PhD.

Meditation is a practice or technique that primarily focuses on training attention-regulation processes. That is, it’s a practice that trains you to focus, to concentrate, to cultivate mental well-being.

Meditation is one of the complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches within the VA Whole Health System of care included in the Veteran’s medical benefits package when deemed clinically necessary by a Veteran’s care team.

Taking care of your well-being, including your mental health, is essential during this time. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. Experiencing stress, fear, anxiety, or feelings of depression is normal.

More information

For more information on Maintaining and Enhancing Your Mental Health and Well-Being During the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak, visit VA’s Mental Health Coronavirus webpage: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/coronavirus/

For more information on self-care through the Whole Health Components of Health and Well-Being visit: https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/circle-of-health/index.asp

For information on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Alison M. Whitehead, MPH is the Acting Director for the Integrative Health Coordinating Center in the VHA Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation.   

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11 Comments

  1. Tim April 11, 2020 at 11:31

    Thanks. This was very calming.

  2. Esther Alvarado April 10, 2020 at 14:47

    Thanks!! It took me back to when I was stationed in NAS Corpus Christi. I would sit and watch and hear the ocean for hours!!! Very relaxing!!! Thanks! Will use often!

  3. william berman April 10, 2020 at 14:17

    I think that the meditation is good for me….especially now during this necessary stay home drill….Think I will try more of this and maybe some mindfulness and stretching…

  4. Lori Davis April 9, 2020 at 17:55

    Umm…sorry, but am I the only one who thinks the logo looks… Interesting

  5. John Thompson April 9, 2020 at 09:14

    Very poor sound quality even with sound all the way up on quality speakers.

  6. Robert Hall April 8, 2020 at 21:10

    I am a yoga & meditation teacher and veteran of the US Air Force. Currently located in Brooklyn, NYC.

    How can I help others?

  7. Henry David Luther April 8, 2020 at 20:14

    Can’t hear a word she is saying. You need a more experienced person to produce your videos.

  8. DAVID ALAN JONES RIDGE April 8, 2020 at 18:18

    Hey, Guided Meditation is more Oriental than what it is Occidental, so how about a verse a day, New American Standard Version, on the news letters.

  9. Rev. Dr. Daniel Medina, ACS Chaplain, District 7, USCG AUX April 8, 2020 at 17:47

    I am a ACS US Coast Guard Auxiliary Chaplain. I live in Miami and have plenty of experience with leading guided mediations. Please, if you need help and volunteers, I am available.

  10. Donald L Thornton April 6, 2020 at 22:33

    I liked the meditation very much. It took my mind off the fact that I am having problems breathing and that I am on my own in this situation. I’ll watch and work with this some more. Thank you>

    • Hugh Blanchard April 9, 2020 at 11:39

      Sir: If you’re having trouble breathing or other COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your health care provider. The VA web site also has numbers you can call for help. Please don’t suffer in silence.

      Best Regards,

      Hugh

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