Top 7 Holistic Health Tools for Veterans in 2024
Veterans returning from service often bear the unseen burdens of their experiences, grappling with a myriad of health conditions that demand comprehensive care. The conventional medical approach, while valuable, often falls short in addressing the interconnected nature of these conditions. Fortunately, it’s becoming more widely known that holistic health modalities are a great way to address not just the symptoms, but the entirety of a veteran’s well-being, considering mind, body, and spirit. In this guide, we will share seven credible holistic tools for veterans.
Why Do Veterans Struggle With Health Challenges?
Veterans face a distinct set of health challenges due to the physical, emotional, and transitional demands of their service. Their experiences in combat, rigorous training, and the adjustment to civilian life often lead to unique physical and mental health issues [link to blog post #6], requiring specialized care.
From chronic pain and disabilities to conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and depression, veterans require a holistic approach that addresses their individual needs. This calls for comprehensive care that respects their experiences, offering tailored support across physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions.
Veteran Healthcare in the U.S.
For many veterans, the challenge of obtaining proper health benefits is multifaceted. The struggle lies in finding healthcare professionals who comprehend their comprehensive needs, encompassing physical, emotional, and mental aspects stemming from their service.
Compounding this issue is the financial burden, with many clinicians operating beyond budgetary constraints, particularly for those without coverage due to undiagnosed service-connected disabilities. Additionally, the scarcity of providers specializing in the necessary health services further exacerbates the problem, contributing to prolonged wait times—a concerning trend amid a growing number of military professionals seeking essential care.
Holistic Treatments for Veterans
While clinical methods offer valuable strategies, holistic approaches recognize and treat the interconnectedness of mental and physical well-being, providing a more comprehensive route to healing psychosomatic symptoms. Integrating holistic treatments with clinical treatments, like EMDR and prolonged exposure therapy, is a highly effective way to address the root causes of health conditions among veterans.
Give Veterans Access to Holistic Health Tools
Veterans don’t just need affordable access to conventional healthcare. They need fast, affordable access to health and wellness treatments that target their specific conditions. That’s where Healing Can’t Wait comes in. Through our healer vetting system, we connect veterans and active duty members with holistic practitioners that address health conditions through an understanding of the mind-body connection.
When an individual begins scheduling their treatments through Healing Can’t Wait, they significantly reduce the wait time that is commonly experienced when using mainstream medicine. All treatments are either partially or 100% compensated, alleviating clients of financial stress.
This accelerated process is only made possible through community support. We’re asking for financial donations (of any amount) so we can be a lifeline for veterans seeking holistic health solutions. Click the link below to contribute and help us provide these essential services to those who have served our nation.
Top 7 Holistic Health Tools for Veterans
As more practitioners make themselves available for alternative forms of healing, our population of veterans and active duty members are given more opportunities to live fuller lives. Among the best holistic health tools are:
Chiropractic
Acupuncture
Massage therapy
Specialized yoga & somatic therapy
Guided breathwork
Equine therapy
Energy healing
Chiropractic
Chiropractic care is a powerful tool for correcting spinal misalignments, known as subluxations. Chiropractors are also trained to adjust other joints in the body, enhancing overall nerve function and circulation. This non-invasive approach provides relief from physical stressors like musculoskeletal discomfort, joint pain, and headaches, offering veterans a drug-free solution. Chiropractic adjustments not only manage immediate discomfort but also promote long-term wellness.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture, rooted in ancient Chinese medicine, uses thin needles to enhance the body's vital energy, Qi. By inserting needles at precise points beneath the skin, acupuncturists unblock and balance Qi flow, providing relief from chronic pain, PTSD symptoms, and other ailments commonly experienced by veterans. Acupuncture is also known to induce the release of endorphins, promoting relaxation and stress reduction.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy uses skilled touch and soft tissue manipulation to alleviate tension, reduce pain, and enhance overall well-being. For veterans carrying the physical and emotional burdens of their service, massage therapy provides a nurturing space for relief from muscular discomfort, joint stiffness, and psychological stressors. Proven to enhance circulation, reduce inflammation, and trigger the release of endorphins, massage therapy contributes to both physical and mental wellness, which are interconnected.
Specialized Yoga and Somatic Therapy
Specialized yoga and other somatic therapies offer veterans transformative tools for holistic well-being. Yoga harmonizes mind, body, and spirit through postures, breathing, and meditation, building physical strength and emotional balance. The serene poses and intentional breathwork involved in yoga act as a doorway to tranquility, unraveling both physical and emotional knots. Similarly, somatic therapy employs techniques like bodywork and breathwork to release stored trauma, allowing veterans to gently unfold layers that have shielded their wounds.
Guided Breathwork
Guided breathwork – experienced with or without yoga – aids veterans in managing anxiety, insomnia, and PTSD symptoms. As the breathwork guide gives prompts for inhaling and exhaling in specific patterns, the veteran learns how to navigate internal and external challenges in a mindful way. As these breathing exercises are integrated into daily routines, they allow for emotional resilience, enhanced sleep quality, and overall improved health.
Equine Therapy
Equine therapy uses the natural demeanor and intuition of horses to give veterans a sense of support and camaraderie. Through therapeutic sessions, veterans form a non-verbal bond with horses, providing a unique space for self-exploration. As horses respond to individuals' emotional states, they foster trust and empathy, where these qualities might be lacking within human relationships.
Energy Healing
Energy healing can be facilitated in a variety of ways; overall, it is rooted in the belief that emotional experiences can manifest as energetic imbalances. Various energy healing modalities target specific trauma points through gentle touch or non-contact techniques. Energy healers can provide veterans with both physical and emotional relief, as tension is dispersed, repressed feelings are brought to the surface, and bodily balance is restored.
What We Covered
Veterans continue to emerge as true heroes, in spite of a lack of healthcare resources. Physical and emotional wounds linger, and that's where holistic health tools have an opportunity to make a beautiful impact. In addition to conventional healthcare, deep healing can be found through holistic tools like:
Chiropractic
Acupuncture
Massage therapy
Specialized yoga & somatic therapy
Guided breathwork
Equine therapy
Energy healing
As we honor our veterans and their service, let us also celebrate their resilience and the path they take towards holistic health. In their journey, we find inspiration, joy, and a reminder that the human spirit has an incredible capacity for healing and transformation.
Thank You for Giving!
Are you ready to take a stand against health inequity among veterans who have selflessly served our country? As we coordinate free and affordable health treatments for veterans and active duty members, we invite you to support us financially. With each monetary donation we receive, we become better equipped to vet holistic healers and wellness professionals who provide services that address the root causes of military professionals’ suffering. Within 2023 and early 2024, our growing fund will specifically be applied to building our San Diego network of healers, as well as our mobile app used for health treatment scheduling. Please see your donation options here.
Healing Can’t Wait is a 501(c)(3) organization founded by Aspen Bentley, who has endured the loss of dear military soul family members, as well as her own health battles while deployed in Bahrain. Read Aspen’s story here.
