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Whole Health at TVAMC

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Tuscaloosa VAMC Whole Health
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Empowering and equipping Veterans, their families, and staff to enhance their health and well-being by providing education, resources and individualized services.
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What is Whole Health?

Whole Health is VA’s approach to care that supports your health and well-being. Whole Health centers around what matters to you, not what is the matter with you. This means your health team will get to know you as a person to develop a personalized health plan based on your values, needs, and goals.

Will Whole Health help me?

Studies show Veterans who use Whole Health services report being able to manage stress better and note the care they receive as being more patient-centered. Veterans with chronic pain who used Whole Health services had a threefold reduction in opioid use compared to those who did not. Veterans report that pain management is not the only benefit of using Whole Health services. They are having success with weight loss, improved mental health as well as better vital signs and diagnostic test results because their goals focused on the eight self-care areas of the Circle of Health.

To learn more or to make an appointment with Whole Health, please email us at vhatuawholehealthteam@va.gov

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Pathway to Whole Health Introductory Courses

  • Whole Health Introduction is a one-time, 2-hour class that introduces Veterans to eight key areas that impact our health and well-being (e.g. nutrition, relationships, moving the body). This class also teaches steps to take back control of your health and well-being and begins a process of self-reflection about what is most important to you.
  • Taking Charge of My Life and Health is a class that walks you through the process of reflecting on what you want your health for and what changes may be needed to reach your goals. In this process, you will learn how to set specific goals that maximize your chance of success.
Classes
  • Tai Chi
  • Relax and Paint
  • Tan Pan Happy Drum
  • Professional Development
  • Personal Development 
Resources
  • Zen Room (BLDG 63, Room  2B) 
    • Hours of Operation:  Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM
    • Check-in with staff in the Resource Center (BLDG 63, Room 6) for access
Circle of Health
  •  “Me” at the Center. Whole Health accounts for each individual’s story and uniqueness. Patients are invited to explore what really, really matters to them their life aspirations, not just their symptoms. That exploration guides goal setting for their care. To make a change, people have to be aware of what they need.
  •  Mindful Awareness. Central to mindful awareness is the ability to be fully aware and present in a non-judgmental way. This means noticing symptoms, as well as noticing our behavior and thought patterns, and how they affect our health. Mindful awareness is about noticing what is happening when it happens.
  • Self-Care. Your everyday actions make up the green circle. Your options and choices may be affected by many factors. Whole Health emphasizes the power of each individual to shape his/her health. Each of us has the innate capacity to heal, if only we are empowered to do so. Even people who cannot be cured, who cannot make their diseases go away, can experience a deeper sense of meaning, peace, joy, or comfort.
  • Professional Care.  While self-care is fundamental, all of us also rely on the support of others, including our team of health care professionals. Professional care focuses on tests, medications, treatments, surgeries, and counseling, and includes complementary approaches like acupuncture and yoga.
  • Community. The outer ring includes the people, places, and resources in your community. Community refers to the spaces in which we live, the resources we have available to us day-to-day, and our relationships with others in our broader environment. It includes where a person lives, works, worships, and more. It includes all the people and groups a person connects with; it is everyone a Veteran relies on, as well as those who rely on him or her in return. Community also connects with social determinants of health, such as education, socioeconomic status, and access to care. From public health to health policy to quality improvement initiatives, many different factors shape health beyond the personal level. Just as there is a “Whole Me” at the center of the circle, there is a “Whole We” that enfolds it. This “We” can extend beyond individuals to social services, support groups, neighborhoods, culture, religious groups, Veteran organizations, and local and national health care systems.
Circle of Health

Contact

For more information about TVAMC Whole Health services and resources, email us at vhatuawholehealthteam@va.gov

Staff profile
LaShaunda Lark-Darien
Staff profile
Rochelle Wilson Walker