Smoking Cessation Support Group
Group Type: Support Group
Goals of the Group:
- To provide a supportive environment for individuals looking to quit smoking.
- To educate about the physical and psychological components of nicotine addiction.
- To equip members with cognitive and behavioral strategies to manage cravings and withdrawal.
- To support long-term abstinence and relapse prevention.
Who Is The Group For?
- Individuals who are motivated to quit smoking.
- Those who may have tried to quit previously without success.
- Individuals interested in exploring the psychological factors behind smoking addiction.
- Individuals seeking a structured, supportive environment with accountability and professional guidance.
- Individuals open to sharing their experiences and learning from others.
Discussion Topics:
- Understanding smoking addiction and motivation.
- Cognitive and behavioral strategies for breaking the habit.
- Managing cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
- Relapse prevention and maintaining progress.
- Building long-term success and sustaining a smoke-free life.
What Will We Talk About?
- Session 1: Introduction & Understanding Smoking Addiction
- Session 2: Motivation & Readiness to Quit
- Session 3: Cognitive and Behavioral Strategies
- Session 4: Dealing with Cravings and Withdrawal Symptoms
- Session 5: Addressing Relapse and Maintaining Progress
- Session 6: Sustaining a Smoke-Free Life & Group Closure
Glimpse of the Sessions:
Each session will involve group discussions, sharing of experiences, learning new strategies, and setting personal goals with homework assignments for practice. The sessions are organized into four clusters, each focusing on a different aspect of the quitting process.
Please note that the session topics, order and other details may be subject to change based on the needs and preferences of the group members and facilitators.
Facilitator Bio:
Facilitator: Sharad Kasera
Sharad Kasera is an RCI-registered rehabilitation counselor with extensive experience in mental health, having conducted over 1,000 successful interventions. He specializes in addiction therapy, suicide prevention, anxiety, depression, and is currently deepening his expertise in psychosexual health and couple counseling.
Sharad’s approach was significantly shaped during a three-month certification at NIMHANS in Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion, where he worked closely with individuals who had attempted suicide and their families at Victoria Hospital. He also completed a Tobacco Cessation Program at NIMHANS, enhancing his capacity to address substance-related issues with evidence-based strategies.
With experience in both clinical and community de-addiction settings, Sharad supports individuals struggling with substance use, behavioral addictions (like gaming, pornography, and technology), and co-occurring mental health concerns. His integrative therapeutic approach includes CBT, DBT, ACT, MI, the Stages of Change Model, and mindfulness, tailored to Indian and Western cultural contexts. He emphasizes psychoeducation, relapse prevention, emotional regulation, and family involvement.
Sharad also provides stigma-free, clinically informed care for psychosexual concerns such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, vaginismus, and anorgasmia—helping clients navigate these issues with cultural sensitivity and scientific insight.
Sharad Kasera is an RCI-registered rehabilitation counselor with extensive experience in mental health, having conducted over 1,000 successful interventions. He specializes in addiction therapy, suicide prevention, anxiety, depression, and is currently deepening his expertise in psychosexual health and couple counseling.
Sharad’s approach was significantly shaped during a three-month certification at NIMHANS in Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion, where he worked closely with individuals who had attempted suicide and their families at Victoria Hospital. He also completed a Tobacco Cessation Program at NIMHANS, enhancing his capacity to address substance-related issues with evidence-based strategies.
With experience in both clinical and community de-addiction settings, Sharad supports individuals struggling with substance use, behavioral addictions (like gaming, pornography, and technology), and co-occurring mental health concerns. His integrative therapeutic approach includes CBT, DBT, ACT, MI, the Stages of Change Model, and mindfulness, tailored to Indian and Western cultural contexts. He emphasizes psychoeducation, relapse prevention, emotional regulation, and family involvement.
Sharad also provides stigma-free, clinically informed care for psychosexual concerns such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, vaginismus, and anorgasmia—helping clients navigate these issues with cultural sensitivity and scientific insight.
