Meet Our Coaches

Andrew

I have always been interested in helping others. When I was in grade school, I was the friend that everyone came to for advice. It feels good when someone is hurting and you are able to help them feel better. I studied to be an EMT in high school thinking that I could help others that way, but I soon realized that there was too much stress involved. I moved on to college and earned a degree in psychology from the University of Washington with the intention of eventually going to graduate school for a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Free & Clear was the first place I turned to once I graduated from the University of Washington. I wanted to be able to get out there and help people right away, and this was the best way to reach so many people.

I have never smoked, but I have talked with more than 3000 smokers and sometimes I feel as though I have! A lot of people have similar experiences which makes it easier to relate to the people I am talking to.

I would say the most common misconception about quitting is that you just need a strong will to be successful. I hear so many stories from participants telling me that they know someone who just put tobacco down and never smoked/dipped again. When people go into their quit with the thought that they can just set tobacco down and be done with it, they usually end up back at it sooner than later. I'm not saying that a strong will doesn't help, but it takes so much more than that (and it is very possible to quit if you feel like you do not have a strong will). It takes careful planning, a great support system, and a desire to keep trying until you succeed.

Phone based counseling is effective for several reasons. We are able to reach many people in a short period of time over the phone and connect with them on a personal level. Time means money, and not many people have the time to travel somewhere to speak with a coach on a regular basis. It's much more convenient for them to pick up the phone for several minutes. Finally, today's society is focused on instant gratification and there's nothing more instant than dialing 1-800-QUIT-NOW and reaching a quit coach in seconds (especially when you really need that support).

There are so many proverbs, sayings and idioms about situations like this. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," "practice makes perfect..." and so on and so on. I think the most important saying for those who have been unsuccessful in the past is, "the only way to fail is to stop trying." The current statistic is that the average person will attempt to quit using tobacco seven times before they are finally successful. If you get yourself down after the first few attempts it makes it that much harder to get motivated to try again. Don't get yourself down. Focus on what you learned so you don't make the same mistakes the next time you try and you'll make it!

Jessica

I have a Bachelors' Degree in Social Work. My previous jobs have been in the helping field working directly with children and families. Throughout my life and in almost every job that I have worked, even if not in the helping field I always found myself being the listener, the helper, the supporter. I found coaching and the Quitline more by accident then anything else. I knew that I wanted to do something that would utilize my degree and give me the opportunity to help others. I also knew that I wanted to relocate to the area. The job actually found me based on my previous experience and education. Once I learned more about the company and the work it felt like the perfect fit. It allowed me to be able to help and support folks and gave me the opportunity to hopefully impact other's lives in a positive way.

I wanted to be a Quit Coach because it allowed me to do two things in my life that I feel very passionate about, helping and supporting others. It's a very humbling and amazing thing to be allowed into someone's life, even for the briefest of times and to hopefully impact them in a positive way. It's so great to tell folks when they ask what I do for a living that I save lives. I feel so honored when folks allow me to be apart of their life and allow me to help them with something that is so important to them.

I am one of the many Quit Coaches on the Quitline who is also a former smoker. I feel that it does make an impact in the work that I do. As Quit Coaches we go through so much great training just to become a Coach and we are constantly learning as well. Being able though to have the personal experience with smoking makes it easier for me to relate with the people I speak with. Everyone is unique and has their own specific challenges and concerns. As an ex-smoker, I feel that it helps me understand a little bit about how they are feeling . Remembering some of my own challenges makes it more meaningful for me and helps me to reaffirm my own quit. It also help me relate better to the people that are quitting.

I think that one of the biggest misconceptions about quitting is that it's all about the nicotine dependency. While the nicotine addiction does play a factor in quitting its only just one part. Most folks tend to smoke not only for the physical need but also during emotional times such as dealing with stress or anger. They also will smoke around different routines and habits such as first thing in the morning or after a good meal. That's why it's so important to look at quitting as a life style change. All the sides need to be looked at . For most people, t he physical, emotional and habitual parts need to be re-learned in order to be successful.

I think that the phone based counseling works so well because it is fairly anonymous. People feel free to finally be honest about something that maybe their friends and family don't fully understand. There is security in talking with someone who isn't there to judge or condemn them. They feel safe enough to share their real reasons for smoking and for quitting and don't have to worry that someone will give them a hard time about it. As coaches we are here to listen, support and educate. I tell folks daily that we aren't the smoking police. Really and truly our main goal is just to support them in any way that we can to help them in their quit.

The biggest , and I believe , one the most important bits of advice that I can share with anyone that is quitting or thinking about quitting is that you really have to WANT to quit. The wanting part is so key. Most folks I speak with know that they need to quit or should but sometimes unfortunately needing to quit doesn't always make people want to quit. Finding whatever that is for that person is so important. It could be big things like health issues or the cost of the tobacco or it could be just finally getting freedom from it. It doesn't even have to make sense to anyone else so long as it's important enough to them that they finally want to let it go.

Juan

I attended WSU and attained my degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but knew that I wanted to assist people in a way that would change their lives. I then ended up meeting someone in my retail job that was already working with free and clear and offered for me to look into it and was shortly hired after that.

The idea of helping someone improve their health and live a longer life is what attracted me to be a Quit Coach. We are literally saving lives every day.

I was a social smoker through out college. Quitting can be one of the hardest and complicated things one can do.

Tobacco use is an addiction, it is important to get all the tools ready before starting this process. Get informed about tobacco addiction, get support from friends and family, the use of a medication could be important as well.

Its convenient, its confidential and the Quit Coaches are non-judgmental.

Keep trying. Most people try to quit several times before quitting for life. Get all the help that you can, remember quitting might not be easy but it is possible.