Today is the 34th Anniversary of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout.

If this gives you pause to quit smoking you should check in with B-Town Blog Advertiser and hypno-coach Patricia Eslava Vessey. Among Patricia’s health and wellness related disciplines is hypno-therapy, specializing smoking cessation. As a former smoker Patricia understands the challenges of becoming a non-smoker.

One of our smoking associates recently attended Patricia’s Freedom from Smoking Stop Smoking Course with Hypno-Coaching at the Burien Parks and Recs. We thought we’d share her apparent success with the program.

BTB: You’ve been smoking for quite some time haven’t you?

SmokeFree in Burien (SFIB): I think I have been smoking off and on since 1968, that’s seven years before the first Great American Smokeout. Back in the days when smoking was oh so cool! You could smoke anywhere and smokes were cheap.

BTB: I understand that you’ve, er,”successfully” quit smoking throughout your adult life for measurable periods of time and then go back to this disgusting and unhealthy habit. Why is that?

SFIB: You never smoked, did you?

BTB: You’ve been tobacco-free since November 4th. That’s over two weeks! Why is Patricia’s technique apparently working when others have failed?

SFIB: First you have to understand the class. You’re sitting among long-time smokers who all want to quit for a variety of reasons. Surprisingly enough, health-related issues ranked far down the list of reasons to become smoke-free. We examined those issues in a robust discussion on our first night; in order of importance, reasons given were:

• Cost. Let’s face it, the day of 25-cent packs went out with free love! One classmate figured she could pay her property tax with the savings.
• Winkles and complexion. Most of the women noted smoking-related wrinkles around the mouth and lips.
• Smell. Let’s face it, this was the only place in Burien that we could all feel comfortable smelling like the bottom of an ashtray!
• Inconvenience. One classmate cited getting in her car and driving away from her plant to smoke on her break, others mentioned standing in the rain; another not having guests into their home for fear they’d know they smoked.
• Respect. Gone are the days when it’s cool to smoke!
• Health.

BTB: Ok, so you agreed on some reasons. What’s next?

SFIB: We actually had to sign a contract “committing to full participation in the class as well as giving ourselves permission to become 100% healthy, and take responsibility for our health and body.” That was pretty compelling. We also got a log to fill out on smoking and a CD to listen to when we needed reinforcement.

BTB: What about the hypnotism? Did it work? How often did you do it?

SFIB: In each class, after discussions on all sorts of things related to smoking and not smoking, we were hypnotized. Yes of course it worked. Through Patricia’s soothing voice we were put into deep relaxation and she talked to our subconscious mind. We did it twice in every class and with the CD and a handout on self-hypnosis we can hypnotize ourselves at home.

BTB: Ok. So you had three sessions – how’d you decide when to quit?

SFIB: We made goals in the first class on cutting back and quitting. I picked November 4th, the last class, as in my conscious mind it gave me three more weeks of smoking, and a date to strive for.

BTB: What was your favorite thing about the class?

SFIB: That’s easy, the visualization or role-playing exercise. With a partner we had to project ourselves into a life at least one year after we quit.  I was swimming a mile a day three times a week at HAC, looking younger and preparing for a long trip to Italy with the $6.00+/day I saved on cigarettes socked away into an Italy-fund.  That was over $2,100 “saved” for our trip. That was powerful. So was the final hypnotism. It lasted for a long time, and she conjured up some powerful images of why we should become and remain smoke-free.

BTB: I don’t smoke, but the concept of hypno-coaching empowering my life through change interests me…can Patricia help me?

SFIB: Well, you’re not overweight, you don’t golf, you don’t have fibromyalgia, you never smoked. But perhaps you could benefit from some life-coaching to help empower you on managing life’s challenges and decisions. As a hypno-coach, Patricia specializes in weight-loss and smoking cessation and she has successfully helped golfers improve their game and fibro patients live pain-free through hypnosis.

BTB: Where can I get in touch with Patricia?

SFIB: You can click on her Ad, or call her at 206-459-2898. She’s also conducting a smoking cessation class and some weight loss classes starting in January at Burien Parks and Rec. Call 206-988-3700 for information or to register.

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