Stop Smoking: Joan

Joan
Director
Austin, TX

I had been a smoker for thirty years and I was smoking a pack a day. I felt out of control and that didn’t contribute to my feelings of self-worth. It felt like I was punishing myself over and over; I would find myself smoking even when I didn’t want to.

I was using smoking as an avoidance measure and a way to deal with how I was feeling about things. I’ve always been prone to anxiety and I would have panic attacks and use the cigarettes to calm down. I stopped smoking with “Smoke Stoppers”. It worked for a while, but I experienced a lot of personal losses and felt like I didn’t care about quitting smoking anymore.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on Google. If there is something that I haven’t tried before that can help me, I am open to finding out more about it. I looked at the website and Laura had real credentials and a solid background, so I decided to call her to schedule. I had qualms about hypnosis because I didn’t really know what it was, but I felt like I needed to ask for help.

I noticed a change after the first session and I realized right away that the feeling of wanting a cigarette is also the feeling that I have when I’m stressed about something. I made it an intention to stop smoking and realized that my smoking is really tied to other issues. It’s been great, I’ve been a nonsmoker for a month now and I feel more confident in general.

I’m on the path to better emotional health and I’ve learned a lot about myself. I feel a lot better; if I feel the sensation of panic coming on, I just say “no”. I have more control over my emotions and I feel calmer. This process it has really helped me to stop fretting. There is a certain kind of directness in this sort of interaction, you can hear things from someone who has a little distance and take it better than when you hear it from someone who is too close to your situation.

I feel more in control now, it’s intentional and I know that deciding not to smoke is a choice that I get to make. Hypnosis helped me to reinforce the choice not to do it; it was a tool to get me to think about what I was doing. The most important benefit for me has been the awareness about codependence and how it impacts my life everywhere. Cigarettes feel like a remnant of a life that I’m not leading anymore. I’m addressing the bigger problems and stepping out of my comfort zone and I’m taking action in my life.

I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to stop smoking because I’m all for using all the tools in your tool box. You have to keep going and know that it’s not a bad thing to ask for help. I really like myself better when I don’t smoke, so I am confident that I am a nonsmoker permanently because I choose it.

Stop Smoking: Fred

Fred von Gortler
Retired Military
Lampasas, TX

I had been a smoker for over 35 years and I was smoking up to four packs a day. I would get up and reach for a pack in the morning and snub out a cigarette as my last activity of every day. I rewarded myself with cigarettes and really relied on them to help me handle my problems. I hacked my lungs out every morning and my breathing was labored. Intellectually, I was aware of the dangerous chemicals and negative effects that smoking had on my life. I knew that there were severe negative health effects on my body and that I was shortening my life. I knew that both myself and my home smelled foul to others because the smell of old cigarettes is unpleasant, but I couldn’t quit. I felt out of control of my addiction.

I’ve used the patches and nicotine gum in an attempt to quit. It would help me get through a long flight, but as soon as I was in a different environment, it was just easier to light up. Several decades ago I used hypnosis to stop smoking and I was able to stay tobacco free for five years. It worked well, but I had several traumatic events in my military career and one particular event sent me back to smoking. I decided that I was ready to try again, so I did a Google search. Most of the hypnosis websites in the area seemed to be self-serving, but A New Day Hypnosis seemed to be more genuine.

I smoked my last cigarette just before my appointment and I haven’t had a cigarette in over six weeks. The hypnosis seemed to plant those seeds of success and I noticed immediately that I didn’t have stress, anxiety, or the emotional trauma of quitting smoking. Hypnosis also eliminated urges and cravings.

I feel more in control now. I chose to be a nonsmoker and a cleaner, healthier, better human being. I have more energy and stamina and I have a better self-image. My breathing is clear and it’s easier to get up the stairs. Almost all the people who know me have noted that I’m not smoking anymore. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to stop smoking because this process works and it has other benefits beyond smoking cessation.

I feel more confident. I’m more aware of my environment and I’m more in tune with the negatives of tobacco on society. We have worked on many things and delved into different aspects of my psychology. These sessions have helped me think more about why I shield or hide or bury stressors and anger and how to pursue resolution of the different issues in my life.

The most important benefit for me has been that our sessions have led to a greater understanding of why I do what I do and what I can do to adapt and change my relationships. I’m fairly confident that my life will go more smoothly from here. The lifestyle change is important and getting to the underlying stressors and reasons for smoking creates potential for more well-being, awareness, and physical health. Laura’s practice is genuine, she is a good practitioner and she knows her craft well and creates a learning environment where there is mutual respect. Laura is a real person and has managed to relate to me and my unique experiences and understand what has happened to get me to where I am right now. She has given me positive suggestions on how to adapt my attitudes and behaviors so that life is better from here.

The hypnotherapy has been a tool to get past the physiological discomfort of smoking cessation and the continued work has helped to assist me with other life stressors so that I can be a permanent nonsmoker. I feel confident that I am a nonsmoker permanently because I have the tools, the desire, and the willpower. I have a hard-headed personality and I hate it when people try to tell me what I can do, so my choice to stop smoking cigarettes is my choice and I know that I am going to stick with it.

Stop Smoking: Cindy

Cindy Burrow
Business Owner
Austin, TX

I had been a pack a day smoker for more than 25 years. I don’t think that anyone who smokes is proud that they smoke. It’s such a huge source of shame in ways that I think smokers don’t even realize. I used to smoke and procrastinate; when I had a task that had to get done, instead of doing it, I would just be outside every five minutes chain smoking. I tried to quit cold turkey and I would have one little stress and I would go right back to it. I’m a very determined person, but I couldn’t do it on my own.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on yelp and I was ready for a change, so I decided to schedule an appointment. My perspective shifted very quickly to becoming a nonsmoker and I haven’t had a cigarette for a month and a half. My allergies have gotten a lot better and I can breathe more easily. I’ve noticed that I’m not waking up with a sore throat anymore. Exercising is way easier for me and I have much better endurance.

Hypnosis made me more present in my state of mind and helped me understand what was going on with me. This process has been about becoming more aware of what the smoking was really about. Being able to analyze it and understand it has been very helpful; it’s been a big mental shift.

Lately, I’ve been through experiences that I consider very stressful. I did my taxes over the weekend and I attended a parent meeting at my son’s school and I didn’t smoke either time. I don’t think I have ever been confident that I could have a life without cigarettes, but now I am. I have this accomplishment and I don’t have to worry about how I smell or the way that my teeth look. In general, I walk into a room and feel like I can hold my head high. I walk my son to school with a smile on my face and I’m not worried about what people think of me.

The most important benefit for me has been that I know that I’m a nonsmoker. I think that hypnosis has helped me to look at other things in a different way and understand the other issues that I’m dealing with. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to stop smoking because I’m an open-minded person who is also pretty skeptical and I feel like if it worked for me than it can work for others. I know that there are some people out there that can quit with willpower alone, but I don’t think that there are many of them.

I’m confident that I’m a nonsmoker permanently because this feels different from any other time that I’ve quit. I’m thinking about a better future for myself in lots of ways, not just with smoking. I know what I really want and I’m happy to stay on track. I’ve done something really hard and that makes me feel capable, worthy, and strong and I have a real sense of certainty that I am a nonsmoker.

Stop Smoking: Tonya

Tonya Poole
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Austin, TX

I had been a long time smoker and was able to quit for several years, but I went back to smoking three years ago and tried over and over again to quit, but I couldn’t put them down. I would go cold turkey and I would be good for a few days and then I would just buy a pack because there was a weak link there somewhere. I tried the patch and it made me sick, it felt like it wasn’t really quitting because of all of the nicotine. Most of the problem wasn’t the physical cravings; it was more about the crutch and the whole habit of smoking. I tried gum and it made me kind of sick, it really wasn’t for me.

I felt out of control with smoking and I didn’t understand why I was so compelled to stop for cigarettes when I drove by the store. Most of my habits are healthy and smoking made me feel like a hypocrite. It was this internal drive and this mental block, I was so dependent on it and it was a weakness for me. I told myself that I could quit anytime, but when it really came down to it, I couldn’t. I knew that I needed a little boost or a mental kick start to get me going, but I didn’t know how to go about it.

I found A New Day Hypnosis on Google and I decided to schedule an appointment. I stopped smoking after the first session and I knew that I had the courage and the power to change my habits. It’s been almost two months since I’ve had a cigarette because hypnosis has helped me to change my thought processes and the way that I react to the thoughts that come into my head.

I feel more in control now and I’ve lost the compulsion to smoke. I know now that I control my own destiny and I don’t have to smoke. I learned how to calm myself down without cigarettes and bring myself back to reality. I’ve noticed that my skin is healthier and my body feels healthier. I don’t have dark circles and puffiness under my eyes; my sinuses aren’t congested and my lungs feel clear.

I feel more confident because I don’t have a dirty little secret. I’m practicing what I preach and I am more in alignment. The most important benefit for me has been the overall health benefits; I am both mentally and physically healthier. This is about changing your mindset and I would absolutely recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to stop smoking because sometimes you just need that extra boost.

It really is a mental addiction and a lot of people don’t think of it that way. You can chew the gum and use the patches, but changing the thought process and the mental crutch is what really needs to happen to overcome the addiction. I am confident that I am a nonsmoker permanently because I don’t want to go back to that space. I feel the difference in my body, I have mental clarity, and I feel a lot better.

Stop Smoking: Amanda

Amanda Wallace
Web Designer
Austin, TX

I had always thought that smoking was so gross, but when I got introduced to cloves three years ago I got sucked into the rabbit hole; I had gotten to the point where I was smoking about two packs of cloves a week. I coughed all the time and I felt terrible. I smelled bad and I was totally dependent on the cigarettes. I felt out of control, I knew it was going to harm me, but I didn't care. I had enormous cravings for cloves and I felt like a junkie trying to get a fix. I felt ashamed doing it because I thought it was so gross. I didn't like people to know that I smoked. I was so dependent on it; I just went to the store without thinking about it and never thought twice about my health.

I figured I could quit smoking on my own and I thought I could do it when I was ready. I tried cold turkey to quit, which never worked and I tried the patches, but they made me extremely nauseated and sick, so I had to throw them away. I had horrible cravings all the time, smoking was on my mind 24-7 and I couldn't stop thinking about it, it felt like I physically needed the cigarettes. I couldn't do it on my own and I realized that I really needed help.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis through Groupon. I went on the website and read other people's testimonials. I wanted to try it because of what other people were saying about it. I decided that this would be a different approach than what I had tried in the past and it was easier than I thought it was going to be.

I stopped smoking a few days after my first session. I didn't have the urge to buy them and I was more aware of what I needed to do because I had a regular reminder. After a few weeks, I noticed that I was breathing better; I had better endurance when I was exercising, and I had more energy.

I have been a nonsmoker for over two months now and I take more value in my health than before; I care about what happens to me. I eat better and I'm more conscious of the decisions that I make. As time goes on, the cravings and urges are less and less. It's just a faint whisper every now and again. It feels good not to depend on something.

The biggest benefit for me has been staying tobacco free and being able to openly talk to Laura about how I feel. It is extremely hard for me to get my issues out there and figure out why they are bothering me even with the people who are closest to me. If I'm not in the mood to talk or feeling crappy, I have a release and I feel so much better when I leave an appointment with her.

I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis because it has been extremely effective. I am confident that I am a nonsmoker permanently. I work with a lot of smokers and I can hear them coughing in the morning and smell the smoke on their clothes and I don't want to go back to that. I care about myself and I am more cautious about what I do, I can feel the difference now and that makes me confident.

Stop Smoking: Kathy

Kathy Whatley
Advertising
Austin, TX

I had been a smoker for 33 years and I have been tobacco free for over a month now. I had a mentally foggy feeling when I smoked. I had always attributed this to menopause, but I know now that it was the tobacco. Smoking controlled me and that is not a good feeling. My schedule was controlled; I woke up and had to have a cigarette before I did anything. I would drive down the street, trying to maneuver three things in the car because I had to smoke. If I was on the 17th floor in a nonsmoking hotel, I threw my clothes on and went downstairs and walked out in whatever weather to have a stupid cigarette. It was things like that that totally drove me crazy, but I still did it.

I have tried to stop smoking with the patch. I also quit with Welbutrin and the lozenges. The patches made me feel horrible and I had sweats, it was miserable. I just couldn't do it because they made me feel so sick. The Welbutrin and lozenges worked okay, but I had a stressful situation and the mindset and the commitment weren't there, so it didn't last permanently.

I quit a week before my first appointment with Chantix. I still had cravings and for that first week, it was a matter of every day fighting the cravings; it was a constant struggle. I intentionally decided to use Chantix and hypnosis together because I thought that this would be a good pairing with a more behavioral approach in addition to the medication.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on citysearch. I read some of the testimonials and read about the mission and the focus and it sounded like something that appealed to me and that I would enjoy. I felt like hypnosis would provide me with some tools that I haven't had in the past.

After my first hypnosis session, the mental struggle had noticeably diminished. Within the first week, I was calmer and less likely to overreact to things. I was more mentally clear and I had more energy. In general, I just felt better. There have been times when I would have been tempted to smoke if I had only used the medication. Thanks to hypnosis, I've been able to go back and think through what we've talked about during sessions and that clicks in and reminds me of all the reasons that I quit. I have noticed that my blood pressure has gone down. I have better breath control when singing in choir, and I am much clearer in my thinking processes.

I feel more in control. When I don't smoke, I have more time and my life is more calm and organized. I have more control in a lot of different circumstances. Whether I am at a movie or making dinner, my time is my own. This inanimate object can no longer say, "drop everything, you need me now". I have more control over my life and that feels good.

The hypnosis has helped me understand more clearly why I smoked and what caused me to smoke for as long as I did. It's been a very deliberate process of working through and reminding myself of all the reasons that I quit. It seems that stressful situations are less and less frequent because I am coping better overall. I feel more confident. I am communicating much better and thinking more successfully and effectively. I am much calmer and more in control of my emotions and my approach to things.

The most important benefit for me has been the skill set and the mental awareness. I have had some "a-ha" moments and I would definitely recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to stop smoking. I think it is a very effective treatment, Laura's style is so easy and workable and amenable to working through issues. It's completely non-threatening and non-stressful. I wish I could recommend Laura to everybody; she is just a really neat lady. I am confident that I am a nonsmoker permanently. I've made up my mind to follow a course of action. It's a commitment to me, to the life I want to lead; to the person that I want to be. I'm not giving myself an option to go back to smoking and the hypnosis has really helped reinforce that for me.

Stop Smoking: Gail

Gail
Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper
Austin, TX

I was a pack a day smoker for 26 years and the health, financial, and social implications were becoming so negative that I felt out of control. Going out to dinner and having to go away and smoke and fit it was so irritating and airports and travel were a nightmare. I was killing myself and I had become a part of the minority in society; I felt like such a leper and had so much shame about smoking. I saw what cancer did to my folks and I didn't want that for myself.

When I attempted to quit before, I would get hours into it and give up. I was afraid of the physical withdrawal and didn't want to experience the uncontrollable anger that happened to me when I wasn't smoking. My father died of lung cancer in 2007 and since then I had been a closet smoker, but the shame was getting to be too much.

I was smoking more and more, so I tried Zyban to quit, but I was worried about what it was doing to my brain chemistry. I didn't have confidence that it would work and I knew deep down that the pill wasn't going to fix the problem for me. I've done the gum and it didn't take away any cravings. I don't know how many boxes of patches I've bought over the years, and even though it fed the nicotine, there was something else going on and the patch wasn't fixing the problem.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on google. I read the reviews and realized that this was my last chance and I was really ready to do it. I quit smoking immediately after my first session. Days after the session, we lost my dog and my husband and daughter were so amazed that I didn't start again after such a traumatic experience.

I don't know why, I can't explain it, but after the first day, smoking just was no longer an option and I didn't think about it anymore. I have been tobacco free for over six months now and it has been incredibly easy. My life is so much better without it and I feel more in control. I'm not expending my energy trying to suppress anger and I'm not a slave to the addiction anymore.

I don't have to worry about having enough cigarettes and I'm putting aside the 35 dollars a week that I was spending into my savings account and I'm amazed at how fast that is adding up. I can breathe deeper and make it up the thirteen steps to my house without having to stop and catch my breath. I feel more confident. When I go to a doctor, I have a lot of pride in saying that I'm a non-smoker. I love the freedom of it and I'm so amazed at how easy and painless this has been for me. I am healthier and I can breathe and that is the best thing about this process for me.

I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis because all of my other attempts at quitting smoking have been an anger nightmare, but this has been a really enjoyable experience. Laura is easy to talk to and very approachable, but she's not willing to let you off the hook. She's passionate about people and she holds you accountable and never let you slide. I am confident that I'm a nonsmoker permanently because I see the benefits of how good I feel and how much happier I am as a person. I'm glad it's finally behind me. It's just no longer an option for me and that is such a relief.

Stop Smoking: Lara

Lara
CPA
Austin, TX

I've been a smoker for the last twenty years. I would try and cut back and I could find excuses to justify why it was okay for me to have one more. The last time I had a respiratory infection it was easy to quit, but I was hanging out with a smoker and went back to it. I felt out of control and created excuses to smoke and then felt guilty afterwards.

I had a friend who used A New Day Hypnosis to quit smoking and she had a very successful experience, so I decided to call. I was really nervous that I wouldn't have the willpower to make it through and I had a slow start because I didn't try very hard, but once I committed myself wholeheartedly it got pretty easy. I've been tobacco free for a month now and I feel more in control. I can think about the conversations that I've had with Laura and the tools that I've gotten for those tough times, and it has really worked.

Hypnosis has eliminated the urges and cravings and I have been in several social settings with liquor and made it through them without smoking, which feels really good. I recognize that I can do it and I don't have to fool myself and lie about it anymore. It's not what I want in my life and I'm being honest and looking at myself and my actions in a different way. It feels good to know that I can apply the methods and actively participate in my goals.

Each week it gets easier and I'm breathing better and feeling stronger in my lungs. I feel really proud of myself that I can do it. I'm moving away from the old smoker persona and becoming more of the person that I want to be. The most important benefit for me has been having that outside person to talk to about my experience. The interactions with Laura have helped me to realize exactly what was going on and understand the underlying behavioral patterns that promoted my smoking. Laura is honest and direct and her influence has been very helpful to me.

I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to quit smoking. It definitely works, but you have to be serious about quitting and it does require both effort and work. When you approach it from a subconscious level you can really put things into action and get what you want. Being in tough situations and being able to say no and walk away has helped me to feel confident that I can do this permanently.

Stop Smoking: I.

I.G.
Austin, TX

I have been a smoker for seventeen years and I felt out of control. Even though I had made a decision to quit smoking, I was smoking more. My thoughts and actions were two completely different things. I would wake up, put on my makeup and know that I was going to go upstairs to the bathroom and smoke. I noticed that my eyes would get swollen behind my sinuses as a direct result of smoking, it was happening regularly and really bothered me, but I still didn't stop. I quit cold turkey once and it was a lot of effort, eventually I went back to smoking again.

I work with a lot of psychologists and they spoke really highly of hypnosis. They believed in the practice and respected it, so I decided to look into it. I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on Citysearch. I do yoga and I'm aware that it's difficult to have that kind of discipline and be tuned into your consciousness. I thought that hypnosis would require more work than I was able to give, so I was a little worried. After my first session, I had a different perspective and realized that smoking had more far-reaching effects than I had ever thought about. I stopped smoking the day after my session and noticed that I didn't want a cigarette. I felt more in control when I realized that I was able to control my thoughts and actions.

Changing my behaviors has helped a lot. I've been tobacco free for six weeks and that makes me proud. I don't have a tight chest the way that I used to and my sinuses are back to normal.

The most important benefit for me has been the renewed sense of self-awareness. I think that we get so used to doing a lot because there is so much to do. We have such an instant gratification lifestyle that we don't stop to think about why we are doing what we are doing. I feel very lucky that I found somebody that I could be open with and help me deal with the real issues that kept me smoking.

I've recommended A New Day Hypnosis to several people who want to stop smoking because I feel more in control now. I'm confident that I can continue with my progress because I've been able to do it this far.

Stop Smoking: Kelli

Kelli
Homemaker
Austin, TX

I was a closet smoker for 30 years and had a cigarette with a cocktail most evenings. My children asked me to quit, so my desire to change was really family oriented. I wasted so much time sneaking outside to smoke that I was missing out on time with my kids and my husband. I did acupuncture to try and quit and found that it did absolutely nothing. I could go outside and squeeze the buttons in my ear and still smoke a cigarette. I was able to quit during my pregnancies, but as soon as something stressful came up after the pregnancy, I went right back to it.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis from a friend. A group of us were closet smokers and we decided to do this together to support each other. Sometimes, if you want to do something you need help to do it, so I decided to call. I was able to quit after the first session and I've been tobacco free for five weeks now. I noticed right away that I was working on other things around the house instead of smoking in the evening and now I have a lot more energy. I'm working out more and doing more things for myself.

I feel more in control because I just absolutely do not have the urge to do it at all. Hypnosis has eliminated urges and cravings for me. I've been out with friends and been around people who were smoking and it's been just fine. It's been extremely easy, a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.

My family and friends have noticed that I'm present now instead of running outside all the time. My husband is so proud of me. I don't think he thought I'd ever do it, so it's really a compliment to have that kind of support from him. I feel more confident in myself now because I know that if there is something that I really want to do, I need to just go and do it and overcome that fear within myself. I know that I can do what I want to do when I make up my mind to do it.

I'm very thankful to have been introduced to Laura and to come here and I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to stop smoking because it has worked for me and my friends. I'm confident that I am a nonsmoker permanently, I don't want to smell like it, I don't want those lines in my face to come back, and I have no desire to return to it.