health and wellness coaching for veterans

Written By Laura Demeri Health Coaching

By Karen Jurgens, NBC-HWC

October 10, 2026

There are abundant benefits of health and wellness coaching for veterans. Male and female veterans of all ages are discovering that health and wellness coaches are nonjudgemental, genuine support partners who inspire people to enhance their overall health and wellbeing on their own terms. The focus is on the whole person, rather than just one aspect of a person’s life. Coaches help veterans discover their most important values and reasons for wanting good health. Veterans identify behavioral changes they want to make, and coaches support them in establishing goals for improved health and wellness. Veterans are accustomed to fitness, camaraderie and accountability. Health and wellness coaching for veterans serves as a positive social connection offering accountability for those who want to enhance their health and wellbeing.

Health and wellness coaching for veterans can be especially helpful to those who have recently transitioned out of the military. The transition to civilian life can be voluntary or involuntary, planned, or sudden due to injury or illness. It can also be lonely. Some individuals experience a loss of identity and purpose after leaving the military. After being told what to do and when for so long, it can be hard to manage life’s responsibilities and set priorities without that familiar structure in place. After full-time service, a lot more time is available for a veteran to live life on their own terms instead of dictated by others.

A wide variety of personal needs and interests are addressed in health and wellness coaching for veterans. Some examples include exercise and flexibility, nutrition and healing, relationships and social connections, sleep and rest, spirituality, career and personal development, physical surroundings, and other aspects of wellbeing that are personal to each individual. Readjustment needs after separating from the military often land career, housing, education, health and social connection at the top of the list for health and wellness coaching for veterans.

Military service can result in injuries that need time and care to heal. Health and wellness coaching for veterans can help fill in between doctor visits with ongoing support for specialized treatment and care, or general medical care. Most coaches are not medical professionals, but they are a valuable part of the healthcare team helping people adhere to a specific treatment plan. Coaches help people stay on track with lifestyle changes instead of being left to manage on their own.

Health and wellness coaching for veterans is not a substitute for therapy or counseling. A coach’s role is to help people move forward and bridge the gap between their current state and desired state of wellbeing. Veterans partner with coaches to enhance overall health and wellbeing in alignment with their values.

Health and wellness coaching for veterans is similar in design to coaching for other populations. However, a health and wellness coach that chooses to focus on veteran care often has additional training in military culture and veterans issues.

Authors note: If you are interested in learning more, I offer health coaching free of charge to the veteran community. You can find my bio and contact information here.

Laura Demeri Health Coaching

If you believe in the 10,000 hours theory, I’ve surpassed it twice—once as an educator and again as a health coach.

For more than twenty years, I’ve taught health and wellness topics—first in traditional classrooms and now on Zoom. My teaching style emphasizes community and connection, creating a student-centered environment where everyone feels challenged, respected, heard, and seen.

As a health coach with Kaiser Permanente, I had the privilege of supporting members across the Pacific Northwest. I worked with diverse populations on a wide range of lifestyle topics and contributed to a Randomized Controlled Trial on smartphone-guided self-help for adults with binge eating, under the guidance of Drs. Tim Hillabrand and Rebecca Greif at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. This experience strengthened my expertise in supporting individuals with disordered eating and weight loss.

Equally valuable was the opportunity to collaborate daily with nine talented coaches in a shared space. Having constant access to peer consultation and the chance to observe different coaching styles was an invaluable experience—one that has become increasingly rare post-COVID.

That’s why I’m honored and excited to create this platform—a place where coaches can come together to learn, share, and find genuine support. It’s also a co-op for individuals who want to connect with coaches dedicated to continually growing their skills to better meet each person’s unique needs.

https://www.laurademeri.com
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