Registered nurse and DoTerra consultant Caroline Roxberry, at right, discusses aromatherapy fragrances with pharmacy tech Brenda Rivera at VA Butler Health Care's stress relief workshop Thursday.

Chuck Jennings sailed into a state of meditation.

“For meditation, it lifts you away from your pain for awhile,” said the 71-year-old Vietnam veteran, who was also transported to a lake through virtual reality technology. “You're taken someplace else and you're not focusing on your pain.”

After an accident, it became one of his therapies, said Jennings, who has practiced meditation for more than 30 years.

Jennings was one of the veterans who relaxed Thursday afternoon inside the Abie Abraham VA Health Care Center, located at 353 North Duffy Road, at the VA Butler Health Care System's stress management event, where attendees learned about resources to help manage everyday and holiday stress.

Jennings attended the event for the meditation session.

“I did my breathing,” he said. “Just like meditation, it takes a while to get there.”

Eucalyptus is one of the aromatherapy fragrances that captured his attention. “I didn't know they had one for stress or I would've grabbed that,” he said.

Meditation is a start for people who want to de-stress, he said.The event was held in prior years for just employees, said Karen Dunn, health promotion and disease prevention program manager and patient-centered care coordinator for the VA.“Veterans are asking for different things,” said Dunn who added this was the first year the program was open to veterans. “The culture in health care is changing.”During the holidays, finances become a stressor, she said, and each person manages stress differently.Stress comes in many forms, and can have a negative effect on health if it continues too long or feels overwhelming.Relaxing holiday music filled the air as attendees had the opportunity to have their Christmas presents wrapped.

Take time for yourself and relax, Dunn said, is her advice for people to de-stress during the holidays.“Sometimes with our veterans, because they get stressed out over the holidays, one because it's a lot and two people have lost somebody,” she said, “the holidays are not always happy for everyone. Sometimes people forget about that.”Tools to help manage and reduce stress include aromatherapy, chair yoga and stress-relieving coloring books. Activities on demonstration included cycling, hand massages and tai chi.“Self-management is what this is all about,” Dunn said. “Utilizing whatever it is we do here and going home and practicing it ... It's giving them the skills and confidence.”

These are examples of pleasant activities to de-stress, but remember to focus on what you enjoy:- Stop at a park on the way home from work to go for a walk by the lake- Go for a bike ride- Cut some flowers to put in a vase in your home- Go fishing- Sit outside and watch for birds or wildlife- Call an old friend- Take a warm bathSOURCE: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Navy veteran Chuck Jennings uses virtual reality goggles at the Butler VA's stress relief workshop Thursday.

Emily Gelacek performs a Reiki relaxation technique on Kala Yenick at the Butler VA's stress relief techniques workshop Thursday.

Butler VA compliance officer and licensed massage therapist Heather Weiland gives a hand massage to Ashley Hevesy during the event.