VA’s online resources for Veterans now more convenient

After many months of facing the COVID-19 pandemic, many are feeling on edge. Worrying about catching the virus, financial difficulties, isolation: these challenging times are causing a lot of anxiety.

VA’s Veteran Training website offers free online self-help programs to help. VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention developed the programs specifically for Veterans, service members, and their families.

These online tools and resources now work on both computers and mobile devices.

Veterans, service members and families: online programs help you cope with stress

Experiencing stress and anxiety, especially now, is not a form of weakness. If you find yourself struggling to cope, you may find these online programs helpful:

• Moving Forward: This course teaches problem solving skills to help you better handle life’s challenges, such as managing stress and adjustment issues, as well as balancing school, family life, and financial difficulties.
• Parenting for Veterans: In this updated course, you will find tools to help reconnect with your kids and strengthen your parenting skills.
• Path to Better Sleep: If getting a good night’s rest is a nightly challenge, use Sleep Check-Up to better understand your sleep problems. If you’ve been diagnosed with insomnia, try the Path to Better Sleep course. It can help you develop habits that promote a healthy pattern of sleep.
  • Sleep Apnea: This is a new resource on the Veteran Training website. If you have been diagnosed with or may have sleep apnea, try the Sleep Apnea page. This page has useful resources, such as videos, fact sheets and links to other helpful sleep health sites.
• Anger & Irritability Management Skills (AIMS): This course can help you control your reactions to irritating events and manage angry feelings. AIMS is a Veteran-specific. Veterans and service members around the world have used it.

COVID-19 Coach mobile app for support

As the pandemic stretches into the holiday season, we also recommend using the newest VA Mobile App, COVID-19 Coach, to support your overall mental health during these challenging times.

Don’t wait to seek out the help you need. If these self-help programs do not work for you, we recommend talking to your VA health care provider about next steps.

Dr. Carolyn Greene, Ph.D., is national manager of web services for VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.