Guided Self-Change Smoking Cessation Guidelines: Session 1
Session Focus
Review Self-monitoring Logs
Transfer SM Data to Within Treatment Timeline Calendar
Review Assigned Exercises and Handouts
Give and Discuss New Session Handouts
Explain Exercises and Handouts for Next Session
End Session
Discuss Handouts
1. Review Self-monitoring logs; Ask how week went; note patterns to smoking, cutting back, etc
2. Transfer SM data to Within Treatment Timeline Calendar
3. Give Feedback Handout #1D: Fagerström Feedback Sheet: Ask where they fit in (client gives
voice to dependence level)
4. Review Exercise 1A: Decisional Balancing
a. When people are making decisions, they often look at the costs and benefits of the choices they
can make For this exercise we asked you to write down the costs and benefits of quitting
b. What did you get out of this exercise in terms of the costs of quitting and the benefits of quitting?
c. Go to Questions at bottom of this exercise and ASK: What did you put down for what is your
most important reason for quitting right now; and What one thing that could get you to definitely
quit right now?
d. Reflect what client says and say: You have some good reasons to quit and some good reasons
for continuing. Based on what we just discussed, on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is not ready and
5 is very ready to quit smoking, what number best reflects how ready you are to quit at this
moment. (if not very high ask what it would take to tip the scale in favor of changing)
5. Give 2 Smoking Timelines
a. Handout 1B1: Smoking Timeline Its Never To Late: Many people say because they have
smoked for many years, that it won’t help to stop now. However, as shown on this handout it is
never too late to stop; gains can be immediate!
b. Handout 1B2: Personalized Smoking Timeline. Go to the following website and prepare a
personalized feedback for the client. NOTE: You wil need the person’s age, gender, age when
started smoking, and how old when they started smoking
c. http://smokefree.gov/smokersrisk
6. Review Informational Handout #1C: Withdrawals and nicotine quitting aids
a. First, have client give voice to what stood out for them in handout.
b. Most smokers become physically dependent on nicotine, the drug in cigarettes; these people
experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop smoking.
c. Ask: What do you know about nicotine withdrawals. When you stop smoking, your nicotine level
drops until it is zero. Your body has to readjust to this change, which takes a few days and can be
uncomfortable. This is called nicotine withdrawal.
d. Ask: When you have tried to quit before what withdrawal symptoms have you experienced?
Some withdrawals can be avoided or minimized by using nicotine-quit aids. Nicotine replacement
therapy is one-way people stop craving cigarettes.
e. It is important to remember that although withdrawals are uncomfortable, they lessen over time,
and countless smokers have successfully quit.
f. There are two major ways to withdraw: (1) Quit all at once; or (2) You can minimize
withdrawals by slowly tapering the number of cigarettes you smoke so your body slowly
readjusts. However, some people find it very difficult to taper off cigarettes.
7. Explain and give handouts/readings for next session
Informational Handout #2A (chemicals in cigarettes, wrinkles)
Exercise 2B: How My Smoking Affects My Family
Exercise 2C: Cost of Smoking
Handout and Exercise #2D: Setting a Quit Date
8. End session
a. Summary of what was discussed (e.g., Dec. Bal exercise where client is, ambivalent, etc)
b. Ask client. We discussed a lot of things today, what stood out for you
Guided Self-Change Smoking ae525540-ee45-4d20-9baf-bb61f047ba14.doc
c. Remind them to do readings/homework/self-monitoring logs
d. Schedule next session
Guided Self-Change Smoking ae525540-ee45-4d20-9baf-bb61f047ba14.doc