- With Mayo Clinic behavioral counselor
Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
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Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
Jennifer Kern is a tobacco treatment specialist, certified through the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center.
Her counseling work addresses various aspects of tobacco addiction, including the love-hate relationship many tobacco users have with their smoking or chewing, education about nicotine addiction, and effective strategies to help with quitting.
In addition, she explores the importance of getting emotional and social support when stopping tobacco use, and offers ideas and suggestions about how to ask for and give this support.
Being bilingual, she enjoys counseling in both Spanish and English. She holds a master's degree in psychology, with interests including spirituality, psychosomatic illness, depression and anxiety, maladaptive coping behaviors, and overall health behavior change.
"As a former smoker, I am personally familiar with the complexity of dealing with the 'tobacco shackles,' " she said. "I am committed to helping others conquer this addiction so they may regain their freedom and possibly even save their own lives."
Latest entries
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Dec. 15, 2009
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Quit smoking blog
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Jan. 15, 2009
Gradual change key to quitting smoking
By Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
There's nothing like following up the gluttony and indulgence of the holiday season with the promise of completely renouncing pleasure and diving nose-first into the "new you" of the new year.
For most people, New Year's resolutions involve a dramatic shift of some sort in the hope of instantly bringing out the better self. Change, however, is something that rarely comes in one fell swoop, rather it involves a process. And a process, according to Webster, is "a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result."
Most of us have had the experience of breaking our resolutions nearly as soon as we make them. Part of the reason for this has to do with the "gradual" in the definition above. When we try to change too abruptly, without adequate planning and preparation, our bodies and our psyches struggle to adapt. We are conditioned to act in certain ways — we have automatic responses to different things, people, places or events in our lives. Undoing familiar patterns of behavior takes time and dedication, not to mention planning and persistence.
When quitting smoking or making any kind of lifestyle change the first step is making a decision to do it and then committing to the result. Setting small, doable goals can make the process flow more smoothly so the transition to becoming smoke-free feels more natural.
What are some gradual changes you can make to enhance your chance of success and make 2009 the year you keep your resolution of becoming a non-smoker?
31 comments posted
January 20, 2009 5:56 p.m.
Chantix is helping me but ALL I want to do is sleep. I wonder if this is the Chantix or just withdrawal from the nicotine. I've been on Chantix three weeks and off cigarettes two weeks. I have smoked 46 years.
- cindy
January 19, 2009 1:08 p.m.
Hi fellow quitters :) This is hard! I am taking the Chantix and on day 9 not sure I like this med, but is does make it less difficult to quit. I have tried so many times. This time is the one. I have had a long history of depression and I think this smoking reinforces my depression in a weird way. The crave/satisfy cycle inside my brain/body has kinda set me up for failure in real life activities. Nothing really works like that but my mind and body craves all things in that way to be satisfied...Does this make any sense at all???? It does for me and I am really hoping to kill two birds with one stone on this one. I know short term will be traumatic but it makes sense that long term there will be a huge payoff. Not loving the withdrawal process at all!!! I try to remember that it's just part of the process and the severity DOES go away. It's is weird to me how much smoking is a part of every thing I do. That has been interesting to notice. I have kinda turned that into and investigational game during this time cuz I love discovering things and noticing things and solving people puzzles.So I am now actually remembering to notice and it seems to help me stay away from them most of the time. I really committed to not being controlled the smokes and learning to actually have a reason for the things I do not just habit. This seems to help too as a lifestyle change to help the quitting last long term. GOOD LUCK ALL!
- Sheri
January 19, 2009 2:07 a.m.
I had quit for 10 years. My husband continued to smoke about 3 packs a day. i was able to quit during 2 pregnancies, but started back up after nursing. Seeking the comfort zone? Looking for a break? I dont know. Any way I discovered that your life revolves around smoking. You plan for the next cig. You reward yourself with this disgusting habit. I quit for 2 weeks cold turkey and struggled alot. I then smoked again for 2 weeks and was so angry for loosing this battle...all that hard work of fighting the monster for 2 wks! Then I decided to quit again, and made it this time for 10 years. I quit in my birthmonth...coincidince or a reward for my life? I found the best thing to do is to keep quiting. Put out your cig when it doesnt taste good, dont smoke the whole thing, stop smoking on the phone and in the car. Break the bond in as many places as you can. Keep yourself busy (youll be surprised how many things you can get accomplished when trying to divert your attention!) Dont stop socializing with smokers, you will have more success. Dont stop drinking. If you are a drinker (alcohol) I suggest you drink beer the first 2 days of your smoke free life to not give yourself a reason not to fail. Be strong, its very addictive. Be brave, smokers love company. Be healthy, this is what you really want. Love yourself, do it for you. Remember, you are strong and you can do this. Put your cigs out halfway, if it tastes bad put it out, if it smells weird put it out. Dont smoke th other half
- Andrea
January 16, 2009 8:11 a.m.
I quit smoking on Jan 1 like many people I suppose. Its 8AM where I am right now and if there was a cigarette handy I'm sure I would smoke it. Today is day 16 and so far to date I have had depression, anxiety, about to quit a 3 year relationship with my girlfriend. Seems like everyone I talk to has quit and restarted and quit and restarted. Some have stayed quit, others not. My mind says to me why bother even though I too have been diagnosed with COPD. I do know that like an alcoholic can't take that first drink, I can't take that first smoke. I'll be on the smoke train again if I do. Al
- Al
January 15, 2009 12:38 p.m.
To Andi. I wish you well in staying quit this time. I have two questions: Why are you awake at 2:13 am, and why did you start smoking after quitting for 2 years? I wish I could have had your success. I am really struggling, but down from nearly 2 packs to about 5 to 7 cigarettes a day. I have COPD, a heart condition and polycythemia caused from smoking. Maybe my story will help you quit. Remember the Marlboro Man and good luck.
- JoJo
January 15, 2009 2:13 a.m.
Abrupt change is working pretty well for me. After many quits over nearly two decades, I just quit cold turkey. I had recently admitted to a friend that I couldn't even muster up the desire to quit anymore. Then my husband announce he was quitting in a couple hours (for the new year)- no warning, no plan. I decided then and there, that the worst thing that could happens is that we'd start smoking again! And wow! Withdrawl was hard at times but only for a few days. It's been two weeks and I'm just so glad we did this, I don't even let myself dwell on smoking. After trying everything over many years, making an abrupt change without planning or fearing, really, cold turkey has been easier. I guess I'm realizing that all the crutches and withdrawl aids feed a fear about quitting, when cold turkey allowed me to find the limit of my discomfort and manage it head on. And, it was hard sometimes- especially the when I didn't see a familiar trigger coming at me. The most I had quit before was nearly two years. Now at two weeks, I feel more confident about my success than I ever have. I'm now asking myself what else I can change this year- how much can I improve my life between Januaries? "Try a different way," is becoming our family motto. And why not? Smoking was linked to everything I did. What I can change can only help me stay on track!
- Andi
31 comments posted