Free Smoking Cessation Class Offered at TBH

            The Bellevue Hospital (TBH) and The Ohio State University at Lima have teamed up to offer area residents a state-of-the-science smoking cessation program. The five-week treatment program and research study is free and will examine the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral-hypnosis program on smoking.

            This program, developed by psychologists Joseph Green, Ph.D. (professor at OSU-Lima) and Steven Lynn (professor at Binghamton University), is based on research and clinical observations of self-empowerment programs designed to help people stop smoking. Participants will also receive a free six-week supply of nicotine patches, courtesy of TBH Foundation.

            Classes will be held on Saturdays including Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, from 9:30  a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in Burson Conference Rooms A&B at TBH, located at 1400 W. Main St. in Bellevue. Three support sessions are scheduled for Saturdays, Nov. 16, Nov. 23 and Dec. 7, from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m..

            Terry Webb, a respiratory therapist with TBH and an experience tobacco treatment specialist and smoking cessation group leader, will co-facilitate the program.

            Those who choose to participate will be asked to complete a number of personality questionnaires and details their smoking history. In addition to the nicotine patches, participants will also receive audio CD’s, a DVD they can watch at home, and several educational handouts and recording sheets.

            Participants will also be given the option to learn self-hypnosis and use self-empowering suggestions to achieve the goal of becoming a non-smoker.

Participants should read over the consent form and program details at http://lima.osu.edu/bellevueHospitalProgram.

The class is limited to the first 25 participants to register and participants must be age 18 or older. Call Terry Webb at TBH, 419.483.4040, Ext. 4244 to register or for additional information.