- With Mayo Clinic behavioral counselor
Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
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
- Join the Great American Smokeout
Nov. 17, 2009
- Preparation key to quitting smoking
Nov. 5, 2009
- Learning to be a non-smoker
Oct. 23, 2009
- Build confidence in effort to go smoke-free
Oct. 16, 2009
- Goal-setting helps smooth way to smoke-free future
Oct. 1, 2009
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Quit smoking blog
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Oct. 16, 2009
Build confidence in effort to go smoke-free
By Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.
Personal beliefs and self-confidence are important elements of any lifestyle change. We all have areas in our lives where we feel strong, and others where we're less certain. Most of our beliefs about ourselves are things we consider to be true and unchanging. Many of us can be dogmatic and downright stubborn when it comes to our conception about our personal limitations. We're so steeped in "I can't" or "I'll never" that we do precisely that. Nothing.
But we can make the choice to shift.
I recently had two experiences that are causing me to challenge what I've believed to be true about myself. In my youth, I was physically active, though not always the best athlete. After some injuries, I resigned myself to the fact that there were certain things that I'd never be able to do, including skiing and running. I told myself, and countless others, that I was not coordinated enough or that I was simply too fragile.
A few weeks ago, I was offered the opportunity to water ski. My knee-jerk response was, "No way! I can't do that." But after a moment of reflection, I agreed to at least try it. It took me about 5-6 attempts, but with enough patience and coaching I eventually got up! I accomplished something I told myself I'd never do. That small success urged me to then try something else I never thought I could do. Last weekend I ran a full 5K race. As I crossed the finish line, I felt a keen sense of personal triumph.
These physical feats are now challenging me to look at other areas of my life where I've held strongly to "I can't" or "I'll never." Sometimes we need to use the physical body to launch our confidence until it flows into other areas of our lives. The inner dialogue then becomes, "If I thought I could never do that, but now I know that I can, what else could I accomplish in my life that I am currently telling myself I'm incapable of?"
Breaking through limitations in one aspect of your life can have a surprisingly powerful effect on how you view yourself in other areas of your life. If the jump from "smoker" to "non-smoker" is too overwhelming, do something tangible to start shifting your self-view and personal confidence.
Set some goals and make a commitment to accomplish something you've been wanting to do differently or better in your life. It could be starting a new workout routine or discovering a new hobby. It might be getting a different haircut, being on time, or even cleaning out your car.
Do something physical to increase your confidence and challenge your beliefs about your personal limitations and capabilities. Then, apply those thoughts and feelings of success, no matter how small, to the endeavor of becoming smoke-free.
Please share your thoughts.
4 comments posted
November 17, 2009 6:49 p.m.
Hi, I'm a student at Metro State of Denver. I'm researching a new product possibility; the product would be a "Quit Smoking" aide that offers a stepping down approach. I am a former smoker myself but I'm addicted to Commit lozenges and they contain nicotine. I would still buy them if they had zero mg of nicotine but they don't offer that. I would like to market a product that does. Anyways, I made this survey for my research project and it would really help me if anyone could take it [smokers, former smokers, and non-smokers are all welcome] Thanks so much. -- Casey Here's the link to the survey. http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/206243/r2zgt
- Casey
October 27, 2009 10:27 p.m.
nice post, keep posting good ones
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October 21, 2009 6:23 p.m.
I have been using green smoke for a while now and i can tell u its 100% a healthier alternative than smoking! no carcinogens carbon monoxide or tar, just nicotine and u can use it to ween yourself off if u like....... but the best part is it looks and feels like u are really smoking but its just water vapour!! check out the website and read up on the benefits I'm sure u will be as impressed as i was!!! u can also use this code disc10-7097 to get 10% off the price should u decide to join us green smokers lol hope this helps http://greensmoke.com/earn/earn.php?id=7097&a
mp;tid1=yahoo - jason
October 18, 2009 6:56 a.m.
Outdoor bans are even crazier than indoor bans. The chemical make-up of shs is nearly 94% water vapor and A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE with about 3% being carbon monoxide AND 3% CONTAINING THOSE SUPPOSED KILLER CARCENOGENS......... n-nitrosomines which you hear so much about is actually arsenic..what they dont tell you is that the measurements they took match the naturally occuring arsenic in the air outside everywhere. they measured levels at 0-29 picograms....which is totally safe...the amount has to be 5 million times that to be harmful to humans........you see how they switched it. Trying to blame shs for what is actually a natural thing. The levels of other things in shs if they can be measured at all are millions if not billions of times smaller than the amounts needed to harm anyone......just remember this second hand smoke is a joke within nano seconds from the burn it turns into WATER VAPOR.....Even the exhaled smoke is loaded down with water vapor...osha has said nothing in shs/ets is going to harm you or anyone else.....what shs will do is irritate those with weak immune responces.......thats why shs is classified as a class 3 IRRITANT BY OSHA AND THE EPA.....Remember this a prohibition movement must rely on scare tactics and big money in order to succeed to the level of getting legislation....These outdoor regulations are even crazier than the first claims made for indoor bans.......
- harleyrider1978
4 comments posted