Quitting smoking is more successful with support. Public tobacco cessation support groups are offered at the People’s Place Community Center in Gardner, MA and in the Briggs Conference Room in Athol, MA.
Professionally facilitated classes at your location bring a high-value and life-changing resource to the people you care about. Workbooks and interactive teaching materials give every smoker a chance to develop their unique Quit Plan.
Groups are always offered without cost to participants – no cost, no co-pay, no insurance requirements.
Quitting smoking or other unhealthy relationships with a substance is more successful with support.
This morning I came to the desk where I sit when working from home. As I internally expressed gratitude that my work is continuing, I looked at the small fleet of mobile phones plugged into their various charging cables and the “easy” button which I use to celebrate various tasks I accomplish. The subject of …
We have probably all heard some variant of the expression “you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” As a facilitator of groups I have countless times witnessed how one person’s truth can also set other people free. That’s why I am such a proponent of gathering in groups. Sharing one’s …
Beat anxiety in uncertain times by staying calm and connected! Some timely advice from Dr. Jud Brewer to help us reduce the anxiety we feel in uncertain times like these.
BESOCHEMPS If you haven’t yet heard of the 5-Headed Dragon, BESOCHEMPS, you’re either new here, or I haven’t been doing my job. (Please don’t scroll away yet – we aren’t a cult and this discussion about a 5-Headed Dragon is neither frivolous nor foolish.) Over twenty years ago I began serving brave folks intent upon …
Yes or no? Oh, if only it was that simple! A few months ago I noticed a billboard on my drive to one of my consulting gigs. It was sponsored by an organization that serves addicted individuals. The sign said, “Addiction is not a choice. It’s a disease.” Upon reading it my first response was …
Yesterday afternoon the Governor of Massachusetts, Charles D. Baker, declared a state of emergency and announced at a press conference that the state will ban the sale of all vaping products. While precise details are not available at this time (exact starting date of the ban, duration, etc.,) comments made during the presser make it …
Massachusetts Temporarily Bans All Vaping Products Read More »
A friend texted me his favorite JFK quote last night. It’s from a speech Kennedy gave in the stadium at Rice University in Houston on September 12, 1962. “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that …
I know that lots of folks who visit this page are on the journey to reclaim their freedom from tobacco. If that describes you, you may want to take a minute and a half and see how you do on this quick quiz. Please take less than 2 minutes and see how you do. “Clean …
Fact or Fiction: What to Know About Smoking Cessation Medications Read More »
About 20 years ago I observed a way to look at addiction that seemed like it might be helpful. People I served in my tobacco cessation practice often seemed overwhelmed by the idea of quitting smoking. I felt that way myself every time I tried to quit smoking. Logic led me to look at ways …
“BESOCHEMPS” PS-ychological Compulsion The PS in besochemPS is surely the slipperiest aspect of the beast – psychological compulsions. It’s quite evident that under different circumstances and to varying extents, we are all willing to participate in a behavior that we know is causing us certain harm. We’ll all quickly agree that it is not OK …
“BESOCHEMPS” EM-otional Urges EMotional urges can lead us to want to smoke (or use other substances/behaviors) as a means of avoiding unpleasant feelings. If we are feeling, for example, anxious, we’ve learned to reach for the “relief” of a cigarette. The nicotine in our brain results in the release of endorphins, which make us feel …
“BESOCHEMPS” CH-emical Cravings The CH in besoCHemps reminds us to be aware of how our body/brain have learned to depend upon a regular daily dose of a chemical. When we don’t get the drug, we can become physically uncomfortable. It’s very important that you learn to tell the difference between wanting to smoke because you’re …
BESOCHEMPS” SO-cial Triggers The SO in beSOchemps makes us aware that there are familiar SO-cial situations that can make us think about using. Notice that again, the face and the place only have the power to make us THINK about using. They can’t “make” us do it. In classes and phone coaching with smokers, I …
“BESOCHEMPS” BE-havioral Triggers The first of the 5 heads of the dragon represents the behavioral triggers that have become associated with our using. For a smoker, some common behavioral triggers are pouring a coffee, starting the car, answering the phone, and finishing a meal. We use the letters BE to represent that connection between wanting …
When you look at the picture, I suspect that most folks will see a cartoonized (is that a word?) version of the painting “The Scream” by Edvard Munch. Look again and think about “The Scream” and this time notice what feeling(s) you experience. Now one more time (please) look at the image a see if …
