Episode 6 featuring Jorge and Isabel - Allen Carr's Easyway Mexico

Hello listeners of the podcast,

Welcome to episode 6 of our podcast series where we bring to you some intriguing discussions on addiction and how to overcome it. In our latest segment called Addiction Central, our experts Colleen Dwyer and John Dicey will be answering some of the questions that have been sent in by our listeners. Among the topics they will be addressing, one listener wonders whether they'll still benefit from the Easyway to Stop Drinking program, despite feeling anxious after finishing it.  Tune in to hear what our experts have to say about this.

We are also thrilled to have joining us on the show, Jorge and Isabel from Mexico, who will be sharing their personal journey of quitting smoking with the help of Allen Carr’s Easyway method. Not only did they manage to quit smoking themselves but they have also gone on to help over 70,000 smokers in Mexico do the same. Isabel will also shed some light on their efforts to address the issue of young vapers in Mexico.

So sit back, relax and let us take you on a journey of hope and inspiration with Allen Carr’s Easyway method.

If you’d like your questions answered drop us a line on pod@allencarr.com with whatever you’d like to say or any questions that you have.

Transcript

Hi, and welcome back.

My name is Colleen Dwyer.

I'm a senior Allen Carr’s

Easyway therapist.

I'm the presenter of our series of online

video programs.

And I'm your podcast host.

I'm sure you're going to get a lot

out of this episode.

John Dicey and I are answering questions

from listeners in our Addiction

Central segment.

John Dicey is the global CEO of Allen

Carr's Easy Way.

He is the co-author of Allen Carr Books

and he is a senior Allen Carr's

Easyway therapist who has helped

literally millions of addicts

to freedom over the last 25 years.

We talk about the new program from 

Allen Carr's Easyway 

- The Easyway to Better Sleep,

and it's getting fabulous results

and it's basically for anyone

who has any difficulty at all

in getting regular, good quality sleep

and it's never too late

to make the changes that will improve

your daily quality of life,

whatever your background.

John and I are also hearing from listeners

who've contacted us with questions,

including ‘I've just finished

the alcohol book and I still feel anxiety.

Is it going to work for me?’

Thank you actually

for all the great questions

that we've had from listeners.

Please keep them coming in.

We also have some great guests today.

We have Jorge and Isabel

who manage our operations in Mexico,

and they'll tell us about their history

with smoking and quitting

and how they have built up the clinics

in Mexico over the last 20 years.

And they've helped over

70,000 smokers and vapers to freedom.

Isabel also tells about their work

in guiding parents of Young Vapers,

which is a growing concern.

If you'd like your questions answered,

just drop us a line on pod@allencarr.com

with whatever you'd like to say

or any questions that you might have.

That's pod P.O.D.

at allencarr dot com.

We're happy to answer any questions

about any addiction

and even if we don't actually feature

your question on a future episode

of the podcast, we will personally reply

to any question we receive, providing you

with detailed advice and guidance

on how to move forward 

also, check out allencarr.com and there

you'll see the host of addictions

and behaviours that Allen Carr's Easyway

has now been applied to.

So here I am with John Dicey

on our Addiction Central segment.

Yesah, so I should have

should have sent the questions through you

to give you enough time to read them

absorb, kind of have a think about them,

But I did them.

about 2 minutes ago

finally collated them from the emails

we had coming in.

So apologies for that.

No worries

Well, we've got

we've got a few in, haven't we, John.

So we've got Trish from ‘didn't say’

she says I've just finished

the alcohol book

and I still feel anxiety wondering

if it's going to work for me.

Is this normal.

I'm just so afraid

that it won't work for me.

And she's struggling with worry, she says,

which is not the aim.

Yeah, that's a great

It's a great question, though, isn't it?

Because so many times people wonder how

how should you feel?

And, you know,

at the end of the seminar, we'd

say, at the end of the seminar,

we should go round the room

and just just touch on each person

and just say, ‘Hope you’re fine.

Any questions?

People would often say,

Oh, I feel fantastic, I'm ready to go.

And the person sitting next to them

feels anxious and nervous,

worried or sceptical, thinks, 

‘Oh, blimey - it hasn’t worked for me.’

So it's a really,

we do address the seminar and it's

good to address it now as well,

because I'm can’t remember

how you said you felt after your seminar,

but for mine I was

I was still quite sceptical,

I thought was not going to work,

you know, I'll give it a go

and I certainly didn’t feel like sort of

sort of dancing around the room

or anything like that,

whereas there were people in my seminar

who said, ‘Yeah, I've got it.’

Never going to smoke again or whatever.

And I think that alone indicates

it doesn't really matter how people feel.

People feel differently

in different situations.

And just because someone

stopped smoking or drinking

or smoking cannabis or whatever

is with the book or the seminar,

just because one person feels elated

and positive at the end

doesn't mean that the person feeling

the opposite of that it isn’t going to work for them

in fact quite often

the reverse is the case.

It doesn't really matter

how people feel at the end.

It's your experience as well.

Yeah, because I was the same as you.

I was feeling quite.

I was bemused, I suppose I wasn't.

I just kind of thought, is that it?

Was that enough?

Has the transformation occurred

because I was expecting a big, you know,

Hollywood style, you know, reveal

and a big change

in how I was like feeling and thinking.

But I didn't I didn't feel any different.

And like you say,

when when you went round the room

in my seminar

asking as the therapist, asking

people how they're feeling,

there was a range of reactions.

Some people were nervous still.

Some people were, you know, raring to go.

And I just I said, I don't know.

I'm just I'm okay.

But I thought it was too early to call it.

And I needed to get some experiences

under my belt.

I guess I just

I needed to kind of actually go out and

just do a few things without the

the cigarettes

or the drink

and and just see how it played out.

And and it was fine.

It was fine.

And it will be for Trish as well

but yeah, the range of reactions

at the end of the seminar

this is quite typical isn't it.

In fact, we have tissues to hand

In case 

of any tears

Yeah.

I should point out you actually in the one

of the seminar rooms at in London.

Which looks fabulous.

I am. I'm working here today. Yeah.

Yeah. Some people do don't they.

Sort of get very tearful, emotional

at the end and other people

the complete opposite.

I think it's great to reassure Trish of that

it's a it's a it doesn't really matter.

I think sometimes the books talk about,

you know, you're not 100% sure,

reread the relevant part book

that you're worried about.

I think once someone's done

that, you just go with it.

Go for it, you’ve got to get out there,

enjoy life right from the start.

As long as you do that,

even if you're anxious or unsure

or uncertain you'll get a fabulous surprise.

I think it generally does

just click for people.

I was very lucky,

I think, because I was a chain smoker.

and you were a heavy smoker as well? 

Weren’t you?

But for me, probably a few minutes

after the seminar,

all that was enough to have me think.

I think this has worked, you know,

because you know, a

I lit a cigarette

as soon as the last one was extinguished.

So as I left the seminar centre

and walked across the car park,

I thought, Oh, I'm all right,

that's interesting.

Okay, I’ll see how I go.

And then got to sort of the

the postbox on the corner.

I thought ‘I haven’t lit up!’

I mean, I had thrown the cigarettes

away at the end of the seminar

but I thought, okay, that's interesting.

I feel okay.

They went past the cornershop

on the way to the station and

Blimey - I’m fine and it 

really was a weird sort of feeling.

And that and that's how,

that's how it felt really. It wasn't

It was just a bit of an odd

cool feeling,

slightly, slightly, slightly peculiar.

And so that that was, that really

was very quickly I suddenly thought 

never done this before,

you know, never gone that long

without a cigarette before 

unless I was asleep

so yeah just to reassure Trish

you know it doesn't matter how you feel

go for it, you'll be fine.

So the next one is from Kate,

who also says,

well, also it doesn't say why she's from

and she wanted to.

She said, I just wanted to drop your line.

So I'm loving your podcast.

Perfect timing to discover it.

As I attended a seminar in 2018

and was a glorious happy non drinker,

but then fell back into the trap

during lockdown.

During lockdown like a total bell end.

I've been listening to the audiobooks

and podcasts

and back in that blissful state,

so you know, that's wonderful feedback.

As I recall, she didn’t actually say that word

There was a picture of an emoji of a bell,

and the word e n d 

I just thought you might skirt over that,

but you went for the

full, full disclosure. But

I didn’t know

how to..

you did only give me a 15 minute warning.

I need longer.

Yeah she did do a little emoji.

It's a great reminder, please do let us know

Please do let us know where you're from

when you write in.

I mean, you know, just

the country is great.

Just get, get, get an idea

who we're talking to.

Aware if if that makes sense.

But ever so kind to say

that she's found the

that podcasts are useful.

I mean, I didn't actually expect anyone

to quit as a result of the podcasts.

Yeah, you kind of hope that

it will inspire people

to quit or inspire people

to think again about, you know,

if the method hasn't worked for them.

And I think perhaps it does that somewhat.

So people have a listen

and they kind of pick up, you know, just,

you know, the last example

is probably really good.

If someone gets really hung up,

they don't feel right.

Having read the book at the end,

it could be

it could be stuck in this constant cycle.

So someone hearing that,

you know from us, that it doesn't matter

how you feel at the end, it is enough

to kind of set them on their way, I think.

And I think she said that

that last question,

she listened to the audiobook

as well or something.

Well, you mean from Kate?

Or attended a seminar in 2018.

Yeah.

And then she fell back into the trap.

Yeah. No.

So but it’s great

that she's refocused or whatever.

I've seen a couple of comments from people

on social media saying that they

that they're free - courtesy of the podcast,

which is kind of pretty cool.

Yeah, very happy with that.

But you know,

we love to get those messages

from people who are happy

did Kate say that she she gone back to

to drinking during COVID.

I think that's sort of a well-trodden path

for a number of people

who whichever method of

stopping smoking or drinking

or whatever else they might use,

like COVID lockdown periods

were, were really tough for people.

I think

it was possibly easy

for some to to fall back into the trap.

And of course,

now, well, it's largely gone back to normal.

And they’re busy getting free again.

And you know, it's brilliant to hear that.

So yeah, it did the next person

I don't think the next person said where

they’re from either did they? next question.

Noone said 

where they were from, so yeah

Giovanni and he said like ‘Really love

these podcast addiction central

Are you going to continue

they're really useful.

So that’s cool

No, that’s great to hear

We love to get feedback and yeah

definitely carry on for the meantime

I think we probably review it

when we get to sort of episode

12 or 16 or something.

We don't want to bore people too much.

And I think I think hopefully everything

we talk about, whether it's,

you know, special guests or or us talking

about answering questions,

will remain as relevant

a couple years down the line as they

they are today.

So yeah, we're looking forward

to carrying on a bit longer with them

We must get people to get get write in

Let us know your questions.

Any difficulties in understanding elements

of the method, Anything at all?

We're we're happy to answer them. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. That's great.

And it's nice as well to, to have this

Now, there's such a deluge of information

out there on the Internet

and just, you know,

any other source about how hard it is

to quit smoking or drinking or cocaine.

And I was doing research

for another project and it just struck me.

I was looking up about alcohol withdrawal

and I was reading on some, you know,

official sites about alcohol withdrawal

and they were saying how

like when you stop taking alcohol

into your body, your body rebels.

And I just thought what nonsense.

And, you know, sign out saying, oh,

you're when the body has become dependent

on nicotine, but your body's

never been dependent on nicotine.

And I just it's nice

to have an opportunity to come out with the

with something that I say ‘alternative’

-  the correct

understanding of addiction

and just say it straight.

You know, it's not hard to clear

any of these substances and it's not

it is enjoyable.

Life is so much better

without all of these things.

And if you if you go down the route

as buying into what the, you know,

experts, so-called experts

say about it, then, you know, you're in

you're in for a rough ride.

And it's you know, it's nice to know

that there's there's hope

Exactly when it the difference is lost

on many of those in traditional

rehab drug cessation areas.

Facilitators, they don't realise

like they constantly talk about

you are dependent on this drug,

whether it's alcohol,

nicotine, heroin,

whatever it whatever it is.

And I don't realise that the significance

that just an extra word

makes you feel dependent on it.

It doesn't mean

that you are dependent on it, and that's

actually crucial point

that you were just making

And it is sort of like brainwashing.

you know, the people who are trying to help

people get free, 

are the ones who are reinforcing

this belief ‘I’m dependent on it.’

I can't do anything without it.

Well, yes you can,

you did all your life before you got hooked.

So that's that's a great, great,

great point.

So we've got LOL

who didn't say where they were from

and it says, please talk about the success

of the opioid programme

and senior therapist experience

with opioid addiction.

That's a good one. That's great, isn't it?

I think we've touched on this

in previous episodes,

for sure, in terms of how the seminars

for other drugs

work, how effective they are.

And I think we've got, scheduled

an interview with the great Cris Hay,

who has been instrumental in applying

Allen Carr’s Easyway to a host

of different addictions from cannabis

to cocaine to heroin, alcohol, virtually

all of that.

That's something for everyone

to really look forward to as well.

I think Cris will be a really great guest,

great to get him on the podcast

to talk about that

without wanting to pre-empt

too much of what Cris might say.

This is saying that the same principles

apply to opioid addiction

in terms of

understanding, understanding what benefits

you think you get from it,

and then understanding why actually

you don't get those you believe you do

and that's the, and that's the problem.

But I think, LOL

I love that name 

I don’t know if that’s a real name

LOL or she’s just laughing out loud

I think she seemed quite passionate

about getting the

the news out there that we do help with

with opioids as well,

which is pretty cool.

Yeah, because what is really available

for people who have got

an opioid addiction is just like rehab.

Is there any narcotics Anonymous?

And yes, it is quite extraordinary.

I mean, I've met a couple of people

recently who have

put their kids through rehab

in the previous 12 to 18 months and

it's terrifying that they sort of

keep bouncing back into rehab.

At extraordinary costs really,

of trying to deal with

at least two of them

said they'd spent something

in the region of £150,000

on rehab for their kid,

which is about, I think, about $180,000

US dollars

Australian dollars, I always struggle

to convert Australian dollars 

267,000 AUD.

Now I sort of

it's horrific

that the families

know they're so desperate that they get

that sort of money together

and sadly

they don't get a result that they want,

which makes it really

our program seem

I think honestly sometimes if we

if we charged

£100,000

per the person with

a money back guarantee, maybe

more people would come.

I don't know.

But but it's a very small amount

compared to that.

But we think it's 1800 pounds,

something like $2,000

less than that, even 1-1 seminar

with a money back guarantee, which is

just tragic that the people are spending

so much money on rehab

when, you know, their first port of call

really should be, of course, easy way

because, well, is nothing to lose.

So, yeah, thanks a lot.

Thanks for getting us to talk about that.

Keep spreading the word.

And what about the experience of the

‘What's the senior

therapist experience

with opioid addiction?

I didn't quite understand

that in terms of.

Have they been addicted to opioids?

I guess.

Yeah. I think that's that's

It's a good question.

I mean, it's very hard

to help someone with an addiction if

if you haven't suffered it yourself.

And it was one of the beauties of the team

that we put together with Allen

Carr is sort of amongst us

being addicted to everything.

You know, normally it would be

a very bad thing to put on a CV

that the, you know, coke, heroin

or whatever else it might be.

But actually

Allen was always very open about that

because, well, actually what if you use

the method, and can apply it to

to another drug. Help apply it to another drug

that's, that's worth its weight in gold.

We carried on apace.

We're very lucky now I think with comms.

Now we can talk to so many different

people who suffered

so many different addictions. It

help applying the method to to those.

When I was before I started

working with Allen Carr’s The Easyway

My view of let's say

heroin addiction was kind of cartoonish.

You know,

I kind of saw when I grew up in the age of

the Just Say No campaign,

and there was a particular TV show

in the UK called Grange Hill.

I don't know if you remember it, John

but there was a little kid in that Zamo

and he went from

he was a really cheeky little chappie

and he was very cute and nice character.

And then he took heroin

on the Monday episode.

And then by the Friday episode, he was

he was in the gutter.

Basically.

He was stealing from his grandma.

He was dirty.

He was taking heroin in the school toilets

and sneaking life and things and

and that was all part of this.

Just say no campaign, don't take drugs.

And I was horrified of heroin

from the results.

I was like,

Oh my God, I wouldn't go anywhere near.

And if anyone took heroin, like,

I would think, Oh,

I couldn't even talk to them almost.

But obviously

my understanding of addiction

and meeting people who are functioning

high functioning heroin addicts,

you know, my my understanding

is, is completely well it's been

is a much more realistic understanding.

It’s a difficult,

such a difficult point

to talk about, really, because there are

there are sort of two cohorts, really.

One of the sort of you

describe the high functioning,

you know, good jobs, just,

you know, they’re desperate to get free.

They and they understand

that sort of clock is ticking on their

their ability to function properly.

And then the absolute tragedy

of the opioid

opioid epidemic across North America,

particularly

where,

you know, normal people prescribed,

you know, Class A drugs, painkillers for

sure in the recovery of the road

traffic accidents

or sporting injuries or whatever,

who very quickly

going to to decline.

And when they're

with a legitimate supply of those drugs

run out

have to to kind of switch on

to street sort of stuff

and illicit

means of getting hold of the drugs

illicitly

and they, sadly those people do have this

you know, spectacular fall from

from like a normal life into,

you know, this

terribly sad,

you know, zombie like existence.

A lot of the stuff out in the streets now

not just in the US

UK of Europe these synthetic

stuff that used to be called

these called legal highs

in a lot of a lot of places,

which made them sound not too risky,

made them sound actually that,

oh, it's legal.

So, you know, whatever,

they've wreaked havoc

firstly across kids in college who experimented

thinking you know, legal highs,

there must be no risk, you know, whereas

it's highly, highly addictive stuff.

And then the cheap supply

of those sort of drugs

getting onto the streets,

is the plight of the homeless communities where

they get the stuff relatively

cheaply, pretty much comatose

go into comatose state for hours on end.

So these are two different types

of background we can help either

I think that's the important thing.

We still try to get the method

packaged in a way that can help

that second group

that you know, those who are,

you know, dragged down so low 

that they’re on the street,

barely barely functioning.

But we’ll certainly get there

it's another a good question.

Yeah fantastic. Thank you, John.

The next couple of things

we're going to talk about is the release

of the new Sleep Online video program.

So that's just been launched,

hasn't it, Following the the book.

Yeah, that’s absolutely brilliant.

It's a sort of

a long, long period of research

and testing led to the release of the book

and then further research,

further testing.

And finally,

the online

video program is ready to go,

starring the very brilliant

presenter experienced senior Allen Carr

Easyway therapist.

Who is it? Yes, yes.

It is yes,

but you did a great job on it.

Really just a fabulous job.

And it's getting rave reviews.

So people are it.

There are certainly different causes of

sleep issues,

often multiple causes.

And I think the programme puts together

this sort of list a checklist.

Okay,

There’s 28 / 30 different things

that could be causing the problem.

Let's, let's tick them off.

And you only have to do

you don't have to do all of them.

That's the important thing.

It's people tend to do one

and then another, then another.

They tend not to

attack it

robustly,

but do this as many things as possible to

to guarantee better sleep.

And it's a

you know, very pleased the way it's going.

And it's available now on allencarr.com

Helping loads and loads of people

get back to sleep, sleeping healthily.

That's the really thing.

And it's not just people

who can't sleep,

it's people who have low quality of sleep.

and they stay in that sort of light sleep

which can be caused

by all sorts of things.

Sometimes those who drink in the evening,

they never get to the brilliant quality

sleep that refreshes them, reinvigorates them

and helps their brain process

 the events of the day

or what have you.

So that's all really good.

So just a heads up to anyone out there

who has an issue with sleep.

It's is out now.

Yeah.

And it's it was great working on that

because it really educated me

into to the importance of sleep.

And I think that in society in general,

we're beginning to recognise

how critical is to our enjoyment of life.

I used to view it as like almost dead

hours.

It's kind of a little bit

pointless waste of time, but actually

it's crucial to having a fulfilling and,

you know, life

full of enjoyment and energy

and all the good stuff.

I think a key a key, a key

bit of information was that I think it's,

you know, you need most people need

a minimum 7 hours sleep a night.

You know, if you get any less than seven,

you head into trouble mental

health

wise, physical wise and every every way.

And knowing that, I think

just that sort of small of it

can be between seven and nine, I think.

So you some people need seven.

So I know that's

what your target should be.

Doesn't just make it easier

to make those changes to your sleep

and your plans for sleep.

Superimportant

Absolutely.

And the other thing

that I really took note

of was just making

sure your environment is

because I kind of knew,

you know, in magazine articles, it says,

you know, make sure that you've got dark,

you know, sleeping area and stuff.

I didn't really understand why

that was so important

and what a difference that made

to make sure that the different elements

of your sleeping environment

a perfect fit for that,

you know, for that activity.

Yes. Simple things as well,

isn't it stuff.

I mean, some of the stuff is

will be challenging for some people.

Most of it the easy wins.

You know, you'll you know,

I never realised you could be too hot

for good sleep.

You know there's a particular

temperature support you got to get, get,

get the bedroom at that temperature

there.

They're about certainly in a warmer

the specified temperature escapes me.

Now I'm thinking 18 degrees. Yeah.

I think that's what it was

And, and making sort of a bedroom

was sort of a sanctuary

so many times so often now where we we

you know,

people are doing work in their bedroom,

you know, work from home or whatever,

but also checking emails first thing

in the morning from the bedroom, whatever.

Just actually,

if you can, it's possible to

to keep keep the bedroom for sleep

and other relaxation shall we say

That's the way that's the way

to do it

And you know what really struck me?

So some of the advice is so simple

but so brilliant.

The stuff about making your bed. Yeah.

Never really.

Yeah.

you know, I always wondered ‘What’s the point in making your bed?’

you gonna get in it later

But there's nothing more welcoming

than the nicely made bed, the plumped up pillows,

they're all ready to go.

So at the end of the night 

all you’ve got to do is slip in

I don’t want to under

play, the importance of the information there

But those are just an example of the easy

wins.

Simple stuff

combined with every other other lifestyle

factors.

How much sugar, refined sugar

you consume starchy

carbs, caffeine, the

the usual and some surprising stuff.

So I would never have realised that

that sugar, starchy

carbs could could cause, 

or exacerbate the sleep problem

or be the cause of the sleep problem

So that was good If people want to read about that it’s on allencarr.com

Fantastic. Okay.

And then we were, the final point

for today

was going to be reaching out for help.

Why don't people do it

in spite of our repeated offers

of free advice and guidance?

That's a that is a great

topic to talk about, actually,

because we spend an awful

lot of time on social

media keeping an eye out for

anyone posting about

struggling to quit with the method

whichever addiction or issue

that might be involving

and just reassuring them

and the first thing we do is say - get in touch.

We offer free of charge

advice and guidance,

whether they’ve read the book

or watched the online video programme

or whatever it might be.

I think some people, if it doesn't work

for them the first time around,

they kind of feel defeated,

and ‘Well it's not going to work.’

It was going to work.

It would have worked

first time around and they don’t realise that

that normally just a few wise words from us

is all that's needed

for them to access that method.

again, read the book

that they have already or watch an online video programme again or whatever

and and apply some

of that simple advice,

guidance and achieve the result they want.

and that’s so important 

So why do you think

people resist asking for help?

It's a it's unusual, isn't it?

If you're drowning,

you put your hand up, somebody puts their

hand out, you want to grab hold of it.

The thing is, Allen alway summed this up

I think

so perfectly 

some people have a fear of failure

and some people have fear of success.

Fear of failure is pretty obvious.

Some people are worried

if they don't succeed

now with

Allen Carr's Easyway, is that it?

Are we their

last chance sort of thing.

Fear of success is even more interesting

that people think

they assume that when they quit 

whatever drug it is.

They're going to feel deprived or miserable

 they're going to feel 

you know, it's going to be gloomy,

a gloomy future, a future

that don't realise course, the whole point

Is that it’s easy.

So sometimes, I think, fear of successful

will deter someone

reaching out for help.

It's weird as it sounds. In case it works,

that's that.

Does that make sense to you?

Because I think it's going to work

and then they’ll be miserable

for the rest of their lives.

They don’t realise

It will work

and they feel free and never look back.

That's it.

Because the brainwashing is so

we're so indoctrinated with this idea that

on the other side of that decision

to quit the sugar, the nicotine,

the alcohol is misery and cravings

unsatisfied cravings, you know,

and life is going to be duller

and we almost can't believe

we almost don't believe it's possible

to achieve total freedom

from the desire to do any of these things.

And so I suppose there's disbelief.

You know, there's ..

Do they dare to even believe

that it's possible?

And and also, I don't know about you

and maybe this has changed now

in our society, but back in my day,

there was almost like not shame

in asking for help, but almost like, well,

come on, just do it on your own.

Like,

why can't you just do it on your own?

Why do you need to ask for help?

You know, I don't know whether that's

a factor for some people, but I think so.

Yes, I think yeah, I think I think society

is I think that's sort of the case.

You feel that

they should be able to do it on their own

But I think trying to get through to them

actually there's a reason

we're offering this help 

and the reason we’re offering it freely,

is we feel very passionately

about getting people's freedom.

We know that some people just need

a little bit of extra help.

So it's so so anyone who listens to this.

Who who?

is on one of our social media group,

whether it's for the sleep programme,

whether it's for alcohol,

whether it's sugar

or emotional eating or smoking or vaping.

If you’re listening to this now,

and you've struggled or failed up until now.

Get in touch

because it's the best thing

you'll ever do.

Really.

It really is.

You've got nothing to lose. It’s free.

You don't have to attend a seminar

or buy a new book or whatever

We’ll give you sort of clear

guidance and advice, step by step advice.

And you could use that to either

read the book.

You have read the most recent book

on the subject, dealing with

or use the online video programme or attended

the live seminar, but the most important thing

is you get that, you get help.

It's huge.

Makes a huge, huge difference.

I like the analogy of someone drowning

that you just you need a helping hand

sometimes to pull you out.

Sometimes we do need other people.

We do need a programme.

We do need, you know, support from some

other people to get us out of trouble.

Yeah, it's just finishing the job

for some people.

I think that, you know,

you're reading a book designed to help you

that suit

that you've already reached out for help

or you're watching a video programme or

seminar or whatever it is.

If for whatever reason it doesn't

back in touch because there'll be pieces

of the jigsaw for you that's missing.

It's really easy for us.

we use a questionnaire process.

The more information

you give us, the better

our advice can be.

And how long do would you say, John,

it would take to fill out

that questionnaire?

Is it like a long you know.

No,   5 minutes?

Really first name

we do like to know where people are

because that does help understand,

for example,

if we think they might benefit

from a free of charge

telephone call with one of our team,

we don't hesitate to offer that,

you know, just

to clarify any points in person

So where you’re from,email address,

phone number, if you want to call

and then  a brief

description of of of which elements

of the method they've used

so if they read the book, in which case,

which book

and what happened did you find it easy for

a while and then go back to it

or did you just find it a struggle right

from the start.

That's really it's a

more than 5 minutes really

the more information 

you give us the better.

But really, as long as we know.

What have you done with Allen Carr so far?

How did you get on on each occasion

and how long ago was it?

You know that information

Yeah.

Fabulous

We're done.

Is that a wrap?

Yeah.

It's a wrap.

I'd like to.

I'd like to ask the question, Is that a wrap?

I'll let you have that one. Yes. So

yeah,

my, my

cold hasn't made it too unpleasant to listen.

Not no.

Well, not for me.

But do write in if it is a problem for anyone

Just complain about John's.

cold

nasal tones

Yeah, that's fantastic.

Thank you very much John.

So I am delighted to welcome

Jorge and Isabel to the podcast.

They head up Allen Carr’s Easyway

 operations in Mexico and over the past

20 years they have helped literally

tens of thousands of smokers to freedom.

And I asked them to talk a little bit

about their lives as smokers,

how they got free,

and how they've helped the smokers

of Mexico, as well as more recently

helping youngsters who vape.

They really are heroes of Carr's easy way.

Hello, Coleen,

we’re Isabel and Jorge and

we’re are the franchisees

for Mexico, the whole country?

We have been helping smokers

here in Mexico since 2004

and we are very happy

to be part of this organisation that helps

so many smokers around the world.

Thank you, Colleen for the interview

and we are very happy

to be here responding all your questions.

I'm going to tell you

about my smoking history.

I started smoking when I was 14 years old.

I started like almost all of all smokers.

I started smoking

once here and here, once right there

with my friends in the parties.

Then I started smoking a little more

and more and more.

And when I was like 25 years

old, I was already smoking

two packs a day.

So I think I considered myself

like a very heavy smoker.

I also started smoking

very young because my family was a very,

very strong smoker.

Family.

Do I like a professional smoking family?

My father was a smoker of four packages

a day.

It was very difficult to live

with someone that speaks

that smoke so much as a kid.

I really hate cigarettes.

I was all the time

telling my father, Don't enter to my room.

I really hate to smoke and like that,

but as every smoke

a smoker,

we we start like playing with the friends.

And when we start smoking, we start a lot.

We smoke a lot because in

my family was like, very common.

My, my mother smoked two packages.

My we are four

siblings and we are all well.

We were heavy smokers of two packages

a day

and also in our country is very common

that kids start smoking very young.

So it was our case also.

When I was around two,

when I made a lot of I tried to quit

smoking with a lot of methods,

with a lot of different techniques.

I tried

nicotine patches, nicotine gum,

but it was always the same story.

I quit smoking for a couple of these.

I was very angry.

I was not feeling very cool

and making a lot of excuses.

And after some days I was smoking again.

So when I was like 30 years old,

I really thought I was going to be

a smoker for the rest of my life.

I really thought I was never going

to be able to stop smoking.

And then Isabelle, Isabelle's

family, is from Spain,

and she has a normal

when she has an uncle there.

And see, he was also a very heavy smoker

and he came to Mexico for holidays

and he brought the 

Allen Carr’s Easyway to stop smoking book.

And at that time I was trying to stop

smoking with nicotine patches.

I remember and he told me,

No, no, no, don't joke with that.

Just read this book.

Everybody that read this book,

Stop Smoking.

So I read the book and it was like magic.

I just finished

reading the book in a couple of days

and the since the last page, since I

smoke my

last cigaretteI knew I was going to be a

non smoker and the happy non smoker

for for the rest of my life.

So for me, the message was incredible.

It was an incredible experience.

It like opened my eyes.

I never thought that a method or

a book would change the way

I think so much,

but it was really a shock.

So I really was smoking.

One day I was smoking 40 cigarettes a day

and the next day I was happy

non smoker just because I read the

Allen Carr’s book.

So for me it was so such a surprise

that I immediately knew that if

the method have work with me.

It will work for all smokers

at that time

there wasn't clinics here in Mexico,

so we got in touch with Allen Carr

well with the organisation

and we decided that we wanted to start

doing sessions here in Mexico.

For me was also, well, a little similar,

but it was actually a little funny

because my family thought that he was

crazy because

they cant believe that

Jorge quit smoking really.

Jorge was a very heavy smoker

as our family

and we in a vacation in Christmas,

I remember we were all in the same house

and for three weeks and he was free.

He was so happy

and the only way was that they were like,

Are you are you are not mine.

You're not like trying to

to eat more or something.

And everybody was like,

I can't believe it.

Jorge! And we were very happy,

but we had a lot of,

a lot of fear

because in my case it was going to be

I was going to be

the only person that smoked in my house.

And it was a challenge, really

a challenge for me because I was like very

you know, you had a lot of fear, afraid.

I was very afraid because to try

because this

he quit smoking with a book and 

I can’t  do it.

I was like, I what I'm going to do.

So I wait for like three or four months.

And they were like, I'm going to read it.

And I started reading it.

I was a very good reader 

because I’m from a family of

publishing company and one

my grandfather,

and they were like, I'm going to read it

and very quick, so I'm going to know

if I'm going to be a smoker.

as Jorge as non smoker, No.

So I quit like in two days

because it was the time I had to read it.

And really it was impressive

because I had to smoke

even in my pregnancy,

really, I had to smoke

because I can't quit.

The cigarette for me was like in a very

important place in my life, like for my family.

as with Jorge.

We smoked in the room.

We smoked everywhere, so I quit

smoking very, very easy, really.

I finish a book

and it was like, I'm going to be free.

I'm going to be happy non smoker.

And it was like that.

Exactly like that.

Yes, it was something like magic.

It really the Allen Carr’s Easyway

method is incredible because

it changes the way you see cigarettes.

So when you start reading the book

and or when you go to a seminar or clinic,

you start like you very afraid, thinking,

thinking

that you're going to lose your best

friends, your support, your crutch

your pleasure

And at the end of the of the method

when you or the book or the seminar

is the way you think about smoking

is completely different.

You you really understand that

smoking cigarettes are not a pleasure.

They give you no pleasure at all.

They give you no support at all.

So you don't feel

that you're making a sacrifice.

And for me,

that was the main thing about the

the method that I really never

thought I was sacrificing something.

So it made it very,

very easy to stop smoking.

Yes. For us

Very important

also to to to develop these methods, these

words to the to

the people here in Mexico, to the smokers.

Because also in Mexico,

there is a lot of people that really think

that cigarettes are as important

as it was for us.

And yeah,

I think with the method we change

the way that people

in the smokers in Mexico

and in all the world

thinks about the cigarette.

And how we decided to to start

with working for Allen Carr

for Allen Carr organisation.

Well I remember perfectly

that I was finishing reading the book

and the last pages of the book,

there's a list

of all the clinics around the world,

and I was looking for a clinic in Mexico

and I realised that there was no clinics

in Mexico at that time.

So I remember I was reading the book

and I just went to Isabel and told her,

Hey, there are some clinics in Mexico,

I want to start a clinic here

and she thought I was like a little crazy.

You know, you have your, your job, your

you you're not a therapist.

You're not a psychologist.

So I said,

it doesn't matter if it works for me.

I'm sure it's going to work for everybody.

So I'm completely excited.

And she supported me completely and said,

okay, let's do it.

And it was very funny

because I sent a message

to the organisation

and someone told me, okay,

if you want to get more information,

you have to come to London.

And I said, Okay, next week

I'm going to be in London.

So we took a flight to London and we

we speak with Robin Haley.

He is he was in charge of everything.

And at that time

and it was really a very nice chat.

And after half an hour,

we were already Mexico's franchises.

So we returned to Mexico.

We start working to open the clinic.

We opened the clinic in December

2004, and

at first we thought it was going

to be like side business, you know,

okay,

we're going to do one or two sessions

a week, or maybe every one session

or every two weeks.

But it was incredible

since the first day

we started doing the sessions

until now, we have had been completely

devoted to doing this.

It's it takes all our time.

We had to quit all our all, all our jobs

just to be focussed on this

because there are so many people

that want to stop smoking

and so many people that have

had stopped smoking here

makes it would matter that

today we have a lot of all sessions

around the country.

You will find the Mexicans

a very big country.

It has a very big expansion and we have

we do sessions all around the country

from the south to the north.

And it's has been an incredible

journey, is a it is last 20 years since we

and since we know about the method,

it has been a very incredible journey

for us.

For me was like very easy

to go in this journey with Jorge

because since I saw him,

when he opened the door and told me

I want to be the franchisee of Mexico,

really, I saw his eyes a lot of passion

and we are partners since we were like kids.

Like we were like 20 years ago

in some another business.

And this journey, I think also for us

has been a challenge, a very

passionate

work, because it's not only the work

and that we are the franchisees.

This is the passion that I see

every, every day.

in Jorge and in me to try to help people.

But it is for us, it's incredible. Yes.

The journey. For us.

Yes, we're we're very we're very.

It's.

Nice because it's

we don't only live from this,

but it's also a possibility, Allen Carr’s

that didn't only give us a profession,

but it also give us

and something that it's very special

and it's being able to help other people

and I think there's no other

is so great satisfaction

as a helping other people to

stop smoking

we have been doing this for 20 years

and we have seen many,

many smokers here in Mexico,

and we have seen probably like 70,000

smokers here in Mexico in the last years.

And it's incredible

because I have met people

in aeroplanes in supermarkets in cinemas,

whatever, and they they come to us to say,

I'm really happy.

Thank you very much.

It's it's incredible.

I stopped smoking after going

to one of the Allen Carr’s Easyway seminar.

I was really, really grateful.

And that's something

you can’t get  in other jobs.

So we are very, very, very,

very happy to be part of this organisation

And we have this mission of helping all

smokers in Mexico to stop smoking.

It's our dream to see Mexico

A non smoker.

Mexico 

A free Mexico - free from smoking Exactly. Yeah.

And now Colleen it's incredible

because we have also been

helping very young kids to stop smoking,

specially with this vape, this new device

that is sold in bulk in Mexico,

I think all around the world.

For us, it's really a shame

to see that these companies

and these tobacco

nicotine companies

have really made a new smoking generation.

We have been doing

talks in schools for very young kids

and we saw in the last ten years we

we saw how smoking was going out.

No, I really thought that this time

the young kids won't be

smoking.

But since this vape and this device

has appeared, it's incredible

because now I think at least

here in Mexico, eight of every ten

young kids in school are smoking.

So now every day

we're seeing more and more kids

going to the sessions, to the seminars

to stop smoking, vape.

And and so we feel this

like a new mission.

Now, of course, we will continue

to help smokers through our smokers

of tobacco smokers to stop.

But now we are in mission

to help young people first,

not to get in the truck

and the nicotine trap and then

if they're already trapped to help them

stop smoking.

Vape. Yes.

For us it has been a lot

of work since the pandemia

when when it

began began the kids just start doing

but they're more and more

with with their mates.

We start doing this conference,

massive conference in the schools

and the university

so we can like deliver a message

for their parents because here in Mexico

all the parents doesn't know what to do.

So. So a new thing that for us

is has been challenged

to explain to them that

vapes are the same thing as cigarettes.

They're going to quit the nicotine.

So a lot of people now our clinic is known

as the clinic for the vapes

to to help little kids

and also in the schools

to help the teachers

and the people that they're going to teach

about nicotine that

that the vapes are very harmful harmful

for the kids.

And we are like

we have a lot of information as a people

that we are we experts

and these things that we have to

to send the message

and to tell them how to quit

and how to react about

when you see that

your kid is already vaping.

But to to do what? To react.

And we help them a lot.

I think it has been a lot of work and

and it's it work.

And what's incredible about the 

Allen Carr Easyway method

is that the even if it's it has been here

for more than 30 years

it's exactly the same methods

and you can apply exactly for vapes

and for all

all devices that have nicotine.

And it's also a shame that even being here

for more than 30 years,

we still have smokers

and how it's a shame that our governments

are not taking advantage of these methods

of the Allen Carr Easyway

method to help other smokers.

But every year in London

and in other parts 

the world are making some real steps.

So hopefully.

Allen Carr’s Easyway will be the cure

for all smokers in the world.

That's our mission.

That's what we are looking for

and we know this method is incredible.

It works for every every smoker.

It's really easy to stop with a method.

So this is of course,

this is a way and this is

how we're going to end with this

with this thing in the world.

Yeah, of course, this is the easy way

to stop smoking.

Exactly.

So we hope our story can motivate

and can help

you take the decision to stop smoking.

And of course, this is the way to do it.

We have been very, very happy

to be part of this organisation

for more than 20 years.

We were very, very happy to see every day

people stop

smoking with the method for us.

Like Isabel said, it's

not only our job,

it's our passion and we hope we can

well,

we give you some motivation to to try it.

Yeah, we were very,

very thankful for all the help

and that we received from 

Allen Carr’s Easyway.

worldwide, our friends

from all the world, all the franchisees,

and we hope to see you again very,

very soon because we really miss you. Yes.

And of course, we will always be indebt to 

Allen Carr

for me, I'm sure he doesn't only saved my life

because I know that if I was

if I continue smoking,

probably I will not be here today.

So for me, it's not being grateful

with him for saving my life,

but for giving a mission and a passion

to help other smokers.

And saving all our families lives.

Because all our families are non-smoker

smoker, happy non smoker now.

So thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Easyway team, hope to see you soon

Well, thank you, Jorge and Isabella.

That was so interesting. And well done.

For all your work

with smokers and vapers in Mexico

and thank you as well

for listening to this episode.

Please do review and subscribe

to the podcast series so you can hear more

inspiring stories about how Allen Carr’s Easyway

is changing lives for the better.

Until next time.