Allison Goldschlag, of the Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Network Institute for Prevention, facilitated an eight-week, on-site tobacco dependence treatment program for employees of CIT in Livingston. The weekly one-hour program took place in January and February of this year.
After several failed attempts to offer smoking cessation programs to CIT employees in the past, the Saint Barnabas program proved to be a welcomed change. Seven CIT employees demonstrated the desire and commitment to quit smoking by consistently attending the one-hour sessions each week. .
Our employees felt the program’s approach was refreshing. They felt it was a positive and stress free experience. Participants were able to motivate and rely on each other for support in a relaxed setting.
The participants were also very pleased with Allison. They felt that she was extremely helpful, understanding, non-judgmental and supportive.” In working with Allison personally, I felt that she was reliable, attentive, pleasant, professional and extremely dedicated to achieving positive results from the tobacco dependence treatment group.
I would highly recommend the Saint Barnabas tobacco dependence treatment program with Allison Goldschlag as the facilitator.
I was a smoker for 48 years. I had tried various times to quit. I tried Smoke-enders, Hypnosis, Cold Turkey, cutting down, the most success I had was quitting for a week, nothing worked for me. Finally I attended a presentation given by Helene Long, what she had to say got my interest so I decided to follow through with the program.
I met with Helene and she helped devise a plan for me to quit. She explained all the nicotine replacement products available to assist in my quit. Next step was to select which product I felt comfortable with and select a quit date. My quit date was a week away, on my quit date I started using the patch and threw my cigarettes away. I got this far with all the other programs I tried but this was different. Not only did I have a plan, nicotine replacement and the resolve to quit smoking but I had a support group led by Helene that met once a week. This is what was different from all my other attempts to quit. After quitting I had the support to get me through the rough times, the commitment to myself and to other members of the group served to support my quit.
I found this to be the big difference from all the other attempts, not only did the program get me to quit but the ongoing support after I quit was there to keep me tobacco free. All my questions were answered and I received ongoing information to help deal with road blocks and pitfalls. I feel assistance after the quit date is the most important phase for a smoker who has the resolve to quit.
One of the main reasons the employees kept participating in the program was that they felt Judith (tobacco specialist) truly cared about their progress with the program. They enjoyed her presentations, and loved her 1 on 1 time that she gave to the employees. She has a gift in what she does and changed the lives of those who came to the meetings, because most have stopped smoking.
The experience of working with the Stregthening Families program was most valuable to me in terms of watching parents learn more about themselves and how to be more effective parents. This program is effective and vital to the development of our families whose lives have been so severly effected by alcohol, drug addiciton and incarceration. It serves as both a healing experience and prevention of future generations getting trapped in the web of addiction. It is a vlaluable reource that I am glad we will continue to be able to offer our residents.
- Integrity/Strengthening Families
“Thank you for the series of parenting classes that you offered our school district. You conducted the classes in a professional manner, imparting much knowledge and support to those in attendance. Your distinct ability to connect with the participants of the workshop was apparent to all and greatly appreciated.”
, Arthur Stanlick School, Elementary School Counselor
The PROJECT TALK program at the Joseph R. Bolger Middle School provides many benefits to our students, their families, and our entire faculty. The program, coordinated through the efforts of Colleen Verriest, provides support for students, reaches out to parents in a proactive manner, and brings all groups together at social functions to meet and interact in a very non-threatening atmosphere. Many faculty members have commented to me about the benefits the program provides for our students and their families. Colleen is to be commended for her professionalism and active communication about the program.
, Principal Joseph R. Bolger Middle School
Project T.A.L.K. is completing its first full year of operation at Louverture School. The program has been a total success due to your effort and continued hard work. The staff and students have noticed the change in the students you work with and your students look forward to you being with them. You have made them feel secure and they accept your advice and teaching. The programs you have brought in the school for the Project T.A.L.K. students have been excellent. Those students felt so special. It has been a pleasure to work with you and the other members of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System this year. The Project T.A.L.K. Program has made a difference for our students. They have new hope, new friends, and someone who cares about them. On behalf of the parents and the students, I sincerely thank you.
, Principal, Louverture School, East Orange
" I learned that talking about something is better than fighting. I learned in Project T.A.L.K. how to talk about my feelings and how to work out my problems with my friend and classmates."
Grade 4, McKinley Elementary School
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