About

QuitOnce Smoking Cessation Program

Founded by Carol Southard, RN, MSN, the QuitOnce Smoking Cessation Program is designed to help tobacco users learn how to quit using a comprehensive, evidenced based program that focuses on the physiological, psychological and behavioral approach to successfully quit once and forever. With its proven success, QuitOnce has helped countless smokers quit, even if they did not want to quit!

For one hour a week for eight weeks, a myriad of techniques are introduced to help smokers learn how to quit and how to live as an ex-smoker. The sessions include:

• A step-by-step plan on how to quit and how to stay quit
• Self-help practices
• Non-smoking training “assignments”
• Self-control techniques
• Relaxation methods
• Withdrawal management
• Assertiveness skills
• Lifestyle change awareness
• Self image consciousness
• Nutrition and exercise guidelines
• Stress management strategies
• Guest panel of successful quitters
• Group support, discussion and problem solving
• Follow-up support at three and 12 months

Carol Southard, RN, MSN

Carol began her nursing career in Critical Care – Surgical Intensive Care and Emergency. She soon realized she wanted to focus on the other end of the health care spectrum and help prevent many if not most of the conditions she was seeing everyday. She soon learned that smoking is the most preventable cause of injury and death and has dedicated her career to helping tobacco users quit whether or not the desire to do so is there!

For over 20 years, Carol has used her knowledge and expertise to help people stop smoking throughout the United States. Not only does she help smokers, she also trains a wide range of healthcare professionals on the effects of smoking and how to best counsel patients on the subject of cessation.

Carol has been a Tobacco Cessation Specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital since 2000, in addition to being a Tobacco Cessation Consultant for many Chicago area hospitals. She recently was the Project Consultant for the Smoking Cessation Initiative of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and is also a Study Therapist for the Chicago STOP Smoking Research Project (C-STOP), a research study to test an investigational study drug for smoking cessation, at University of Chicago in Illinois.

Education:
Undergraduate Degree – University of Iowa
Graduate Education – Loyola University of Chicago
Smoking Cessation Certification – American Lung Association

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