"I am a non-smoker! My consultant, Shirley Tilden, took time to listen and help me to become smoke free. Without her personal warmth and genuine concern, I don't think it would have been as easy to finally stop smoking. I recommend this method to anyone." J.G.

The Canadian Champion
Murray Townsend, On The Loose
Jan 26, 2007

With any luck, this'll be my absolute last column about quitting smoking

"I can't remember how many columns I've written about trying to quit smoking. Hopefully this will be the last, for both My sakes.

I was planning on quitting this Iek, same as I do unsuccessfully just about every Iek. That's until I saw an ad in Tuesday's Champion. It claimed I could stop smoking in one hMy and that it was guaranteed.

I spoke to Shirley Tilden of The Butt Stops Here, a smoking cessation specialist affiliated with Strategic Alliance Canada, and trained by Smoke Free International. I'd like to quit smoking in an hMy I told her, and I'd like to start in an hMy.

It doesn't exactly work that way, it usually takes a couple Ieks prior to that one hMy. First of all Tilden wants to make sure you really want to quit. That's the most important first step. That wasn't a problem for me. I've wanted to quit for a couple decades or so.

The process, which combines neuro-linguistic programming with hypnosis, has a 95 per cent success rate, which Smoke Free International claims is the most successful smoking cessation program in the world. I don't know what neuro-linguistic programming is, but in my experience the less you know about something the more likely it is to be impressive.

I suggested that perhaps she could convince people under hypnosis that they wanted to quit smoking even if they didn't, but, um, no. It doesn't work that way and Tilden said it would be unethical.

Tilden sends out information in advance to prepare the potential non-smoker once they've decided that's what they want to do, along with some advice, which includes a CD with her voice on it that prepares us for the hypnosis.

Tilden explained the difference betIen the conscious and sub-conscious mind, while I consciously desired a cigarette. The cost for the program is $500, which is fairly cheap when you consider the cost of smoking.

It comes with a lifetime guarantee, which means if it doesn't work you can keep going back until it does. The Ib site is currently under construction, but the phone number is 1-877-767-0973 and the e-mail address is thebuttstopshere@cogeco.ca.

She didn't really want to do the program without the preparation, but I talked her into it. In two Ieks it wouldn't be National Non-Smoking Iek. Then I met her at her office in Burlington.

"People think they're going to come into the office and be put to sleep," said Tilden. "You're really quite awake, but in a relaxed state."

You can't be made to do anything you don't want to do, she explained. This is good news to me, because I didn't want to be walking down the street, hear somebody snap their fingers, and all of a sudden start flapping my arms and bawking like a chicken.

Tilden had a number of questions about my smoking habits and history and then I Ire ready to get underway. She asked if I wanted a break before I got started, and it took most of my willpoIr not to use that break to have a cigarette. Already I was making progress.

The hypnosis lasted about an hMy, but it didn't seem that long. It was pretty cool. At the start of it I still had an urge to have a smoke, and even partially through I could still imagine it with a decent amount of pleasure.

Those pleasurable thoughts gradually changed, until the thought of smoking became one of the most vile activities I could imagine.

I still had some cigarettes in my pocket when I left, but I had no desire to smoke them. As I was leaving the office building there was a protected smoking area with about seven smokers in it.

I walked by them and couldn't help but snicker. "What a bunch of losers," I said to myself."

For further information or to schedule an appointment, call Shirley Tilden,
THE BUTT STOPS HERE — Toll Free 1-877-767-0973.
Email:shirley@thebuttstopshere.ca