Vault: Does she still crave smoking?

Summary

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The Bert Show: Vault – Does She Still Crave Smoking?

Date: June 16, 2026
Main Hosts: Bert, Jen, Amanda
Theme: Smoking cessation, hypnosis for quitting, and the challenges (and triumphs!) of kicking the habit

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around Jen’s journey to quit smoking, her recent success using hypnosis, and the ongoing challenges and mind games involved in giving up cigarettes. Listeners and hosts swap stories about habits, willpower, and the quirks of quitting, with several callers joining the conversation. The discussion is candid, supportive, and full of relatable humor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fishing Curses & Bad Luck

• [01:34–05:36] The episode begins with a lighthearted chat about fishing bad luck, marlin-catching misadventures, and odd superstitions—like how bringing bananas on a fishing boat is considered unlucky.
  • Quote:
    Bert: “For whatever reason up at the lake, those little dried banana chip things are a snack of choice... I said, 'hey, maybe that's the problem. Gotta get those out of the house.' So no banana chips in the house this summer. And he [my dad] wrote back three words: 'That's so stupid.'” [05:06]
• The segment serves as a humorous metaphor for the randomness and quirks of personal struggle, setting the stage for the deeper conversation that follows.

2. Jen’s Hypnosis-Aided Quit Journey

• [05:44–13:52] Focus shifts to Jen, who marks one week of being smoke-free after undergoing hypnosis.
  • Quote:
    Jen: “Yeah, this is for you. This is a full week today. So today by 11:30 will be a full week. So I can't quite count it as a full week yet.” [05:48]
  • She describes using mental imagery and self-talk to fend off cravings and shares withdrawal symptoms, notably constant thirst and headaches.
  • Quote:
    Jen: “For the first several days it was a lot of withdrawal... I was so thirsty. I still even feel that way, like, even now, and I can't figure out what that is.” [06:09]
  • Jen reveals that the real improvement was noticed waking up without the familiar smokers' "taste" and gross feeling.
    • Quote:
      Jen: “When you smoke... it seeps back up through your system or something. It's like this septic tank... you taste it in the morning... But you get so used to that, that's just the way you wake up. And now... I wake up like, 'oh wow, I don't have that taste in my mouth.'” [07:08-07:44]

3. Mindset, Visualization & Support

• The hosts dig into what’s made this quit attempt—after several failures—stick.
  • Jen credits the mental tools from hypnosis: visualizing her “best self” as a nonsmoker, switching internal pictures, and breathing exercises centered on her personal mantra (“peace”).
  • Quote:
    Jen: “It's interesting how he does it... that picture of that really healthy person... keeps coming into my mind if I ever think about wanting to have a cigarette.” [08:12]
  • She repeatedly reminds herself, calmly: “But that's okay, cause I just don't smoke anymore.” [09:39]
  • The hosts note that addiction is as much a mental game as a physical one.
    • Quote:
      Jen: “The whole addiction is a mind trip.” [10:05]
    • Bert: “That's what hypnosis is all about, changing the program. Rewiring your brain.” [10:07]

4. Alcohol, Temptation, and Social Pressures

• [10:28+] A listener asks if social drinking is now a trigger.
  • Jen says she hasn’t struggled much, largely because temptations didn’t materialize at her last outing, and she continues to rely on her self-talk mantras.
  • Some anxiety persists about future situations with friends who smoke, but she’s prepared to handle them.

5. Support Systems & Environment

• The hosts emphasize clearing your living spaces of cigarettes and telling friends/family for accountability.
  • Quote:
    Jen: “...Had I had that sort of emergency pack of cigarettes in the back of the junk drawer... I would have gone to get it.” [11:46]
• The challenge of quitting when partners or friends continue to smoke is acknowledged.
  • Amanda: “...that makes it really, really difficult.” [11:16]
  • Jen is open about previous failures, but now she’s “not afraid of failure in my life anymore.” [13:36]

6. Caller Stories & Hypnosis Practitioner

• Several callers share their own struggles or ask about hypnosis.
  • Jen gives credit to hypnotist Shawn Wheeler, though the show is explicitly not sponsored.
    • Amanda: “I want to remind people... this is not a commercial or anything. This is just something that's worked for Jen.” [10:15]
  • They note Wheeler’s “lifetime deal”—offering return visits if needed.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jen, on withdrawal:
  “I've been relying on [mental exercises]. Then I just keep telling myself, like whenever I have a craving... But that's okay. Cause I just don't smoke anymore.” [09:39]

• Bert, on rewiring habits:
  “That's what hypnosis is all about, is changing the program. Rewiring your brain is what you're doing.” [10:07]

• Amanda, on support:
  “...if you're smoking and you're really serious about it, you might want to give the dude a call.” [10:20]

• Jen, on honesty and relapse:
  “I'm not afraid of failure in my life anymore. So, no, I'm not afraid to say it.” [13:36]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:34–05:36] — Fishing and “bad luck” metaphors, banana superstitions
• [05:44–07:44] — Jen’s first smoke-free week, physical symptoms, morning-after differences
• [07:59–10:07] — Hypnosis techniques, mindset, addiction as a “mind trip”
• [10:28–11:29] — Drinking and triggers, challenges with friends/partners who smoke
• [11:29–13:36] — Creating a smoke-free environment, dealing with social pressure, honest self-reflection
• [13:43–14:44] — Caller shares long-time struggle, Jen and hosts offer hope/advice

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Recap & Takeaways

• Quitting smoking requires both mental and practical support: Mental “reprogramming” (via hypnosis or self-talk), plus removing triggers, is crucial.
• Community and accountability matter: Telling friends and family helps, as does knowing you're not alone in cravings and slips.
• There’s no shame in trying again: Jen’s openness about past relapses encourages listeners to persist despite setbacks.

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Tone: Candid, supportive, relatable, and occasionally irreverent—capturing The Bert Show’s authentic and humorous style.

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For listeners seeking help to quit smoking (or any tough habit), Jen’s journey offers not just practical tips but hope, humor, and a reminder that even after many false starts, change is possible.

Transcript

[Bert]

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had no luck lately.

[Amanda]

Wait.

[Bert]

Lady luck.

[Jen]

Ritzki.

[Bert]

I got you.

[Jen]

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[Caller]

they have all of my favorite games,

[Jen]

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[Amanda]

You can even get a thirty dollar

[Jen]

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[Bert]

I'm headed over to spinquest.com right now.

[Amanda]

Spinquest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. The BERT Show Good morning Amanda. You are on the Bert Show.

[Caller]

Hi morning Burt Show. Good morning. I wanted to talk to you Bert. I found in a magazine yesterday, I've been listening to your streak of bad luck and I found in a magazine, Atlanta Life magazine, the name of a guy who gives fishing lessons and he said he had a record of catching a 1649 pound marlin off of Hawaii.

[Amanda]

This became really chic yesterday after I told the story that I'm just, I just have really bad mojo when it comes to fishing. I've taken like 10 or 15 deep sea fishing trips in some of the sports fishing capitals of the world. Venezuela, Cabo San Lucas. I've already been to Costa Rica and Got skunked there. Hawaii. And I never come back with a marlin, which is what I've always wanted to do. And it became really chic yesterday in email, which I thought was funny to relay your first time success fishing stories to me the same way Jeff did.

[Jen]

Yeah. Why would you do that?

[Amanda]

It was an accident for you, Bert.

[Jen]

But I caught my 1600 pound marlin.

[Bert]

I did not intend to make it come across that way. What I was doing.

[Jen]

All you did is.

[Bert]

I was. I was what? I don't really know why I would do that.

[Amanda]

Didn't you catch like a marlin the very first time you ever went out fishing, like, and it was in a lake?

[Bert]

No, it wasn't.

[Amanda]

It was in like a lake.

[Bert]

It wasn't the first time, but I was like. I was like 12 years old. I think what I was doing is confirming. Remember Bert said a lot what happens when you marlin fish.

[Jen]

Mm.

[Bert]

A lot of other people do the work. So in order to support that theory, I was going to mention.

[Jen]

You're just gonna relay it again that

[Bert]

the rod that was assigned to me at 12 snagged a marlin at what age? When I was like 12 or 13 years old in the Florida Keys where Bert just got back from and got stuck again.

[Jen]

Had to rub it in.

[Bert]

And so I was.

[Jen]

And you're like, I don't wanna be bothered by having to bring this marlin in.

[Amanda]

That's not even what I wanted to do.

[Bert]

Well, I didn't really have to do anything. It was just the pole that was assigned to me and.

[Amanda]

And they did all the work.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Amanda]

Wow, that must have been great. Amanda, I would love to see the article. Anything would help because I'm going to Costa Rica in a couple of weeks and I will catch that damn fish.

[Caller]

Awesome. I think it's Atlanta Life magazine, so check it out. Okay.

[Amanda]

Okay, thank you. Somebody called in if you weren't listening late and you're a fisherman, that apparently eating bananas or having bananas anywhere near the boat before you go on it is considered really bad luck.

[Jen]

I was fascinated by that. In a fisherman's world, that is so strange.

[Amanda]

But these stories come in yesterday. We're like the very first time I went out, I fought with a marlin for six hours. It was one of the greatest days of my life. Somebody else emailed me yesterday. I caught a 250 pound Mako the very first time off of the Keys. That's jacked up.

[Jen]

One of my friends called me yesterday and said that your fishermen were like doing the hooks Wrong. Because especially if you're bottom feeding, if the bottom feeders can see the hooks, then they won't bite or something. All kinds of.

[Amanda]

That's really sweet. But 20 top fish.

[Bert]

Marlin doesn't live on the bottom.

[Amanda]

Yeah, I. People have the mojo and others don't. And I am just cursed, jinxed when it comes to fishing.

[Jen]

No more bananas.

[Bert]

For what it's worth, I did say with the banana thing. I did send that to my dad because when he comes to visit and we're up at the lake in South

[Jen]

Carolina, Catch a marlin every time.

[Bert]

Yeah, we catch a marlin in the

[Amanda]

lake, he goes in the creek, in the pond behind our house.

[Jen]

When it rains real hard, he goes.

[Bert]

He goes fishing. And has never really caught anything of merit. And so I sent him the banana theory because for whatever reason up at the lake, those little dried banana chip things are a snack of choice. Like they're always around the house. And so I said, hey, maybe that's the problem. Like, we gotta get those out of the house. So no banana chips in the house this summer. And he wrote back three words. That's so stupid.

[Amanda]

Somebody emailed me a train. Obviously has been listening and knows my streak of rooting for teams that ended up losing also in the championship and tied the two together and said that I need to root for the fish to actually not get caught.

[Jen]

And then we'll get caught.

[Amanda]

We're living in an opposite world now.

[Jen]

That didn't work for the J. Utah.

[Amanda]

Jen Hobby should be very proud of herself. Seven days now, not smoking.

[Jen]

Yeah, this is for you. This is a full week today. So today by 11:30 will be a full week. So I can't quite count it as a full week yet.

[Amanda]

Not that you're counting or anything.

[Jen]

Not that I'm counting or anything.

[Amanda]

But for those of you that don't know no, Jen got hypnotized a week ago to stop smoking. And it has caught.

[Jen]

It has worked.

[Bert]

Yeah.

[Jen]

I mean, it's also taken a lot of personal effort too. It's not like just like a pill you take or a light switch that goes off, but it really helped me mentally change my mind about it and just sort of gave me those kind of mental tools to get through some of the cravings. Because I still have cravings. And for the first several days it was a lot of withdrawal. I think I told you guys I was having pretty bad headaches, which is normal. And then I was so thirsty. Thirsty. And I still even feel that way, like, even now. Like, I'm just constantly thirsty, and I can't figure out what that is or what withdrawal symptom that is. But I am drinking water like it is going out of style, and I'm. I still feel, like, thirsty and dehydrated, so I don't know what that's about.

[Amanda]

I wonder if your body's just trying to push out the nicotine and still push out all the drugs that really are associated with it.

[Jen]

I don't know, but I did. I have started noticing because people often will ask you when you stop smoking, like, do you feel better right away? And most of the time, no, you feel kind of worse right away, actually. But this week, what's today? Wednesday? Yeah. Yesterday morning and Monday morning. Waking up in the morning, I felt so much better than I ever did when I was smoking.

[Announcer]

Really?

[Caller]

That's great.

[Jen]

Yeah. Because when you smoke, even if you don't smoke a lot, you wake up in the morning and you can taste it for some reason in the middle of the night. It, likes, even if you brush your teeth, do your Listerine, whatever, like, seeps back up through your system or something. It's like this septic tank, like, it rises to the top and you taste it in the morning when you wake up sexy and you can, like, feel it. You can, like, feel it. But you get so used to that, that that's just the way that you wake up. And now that I have, like, sort of this comparison difference, like, I wake up like, oh, wow, I don't have that taste in my mouth. Oh, wow. I don't feel really gross. I don't feel like.

[Bert]

Do you wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy?

[Jen]

No, actually, I don't have a Maybach parked outside. So, no, I don't feel like that. But. But I definite. And so that's more encouragement to keep it going.

[Amanda]

So I'm curious, like, what he said. What has been the difference between you not smoking now and the failed tries before? Like, did he trigger something that when you're thinking of the cigarette, you think of something else?

[Jen]

Yeah, there was definitely some visual practices there, one of which where you really visualize, like, sort of this perfect picture of your best self and that's transposed with a picture of you smoking. And so you kind of switch those pictures in your mind. It's interesting how he does it. And I can't really explain how he does it, but for whatever reason, that picture of that really healthy person that I would like to see myself as, it keeps coming into my mind if I ever think about wanting to have a cigarette. I'm like, I'm not going to get to that picture. If I keep smoking, it's going to be a much uglier. So it just happens during cravings that you get the visuals or just constantly. It's kind of like those mental exercises to rely on. There's other like breathing techniques when you're supposed to like see a word. Like they suggest like calm. My word was like peace. And you really like visualize that word when you're doing this like sort of breathing technique. And that's supposed to help you get through the craving. So I've been relying on that. And then I just keep telling myself like whenever I have a craving or whenever I. It's funny how when you smoke and you're so used to it, you anticipate things being hard even when they don't exist. Right. Like last night I went to a girls night supper club that my friends and I have once a month and there's a couple girls in that group that will socially smoke. So I thought, God, that's gonna be hard when I get there and somebody offers me a cigarette and then I'm stressing out about a situation that isn't even in existence.

[Amanda]

And did it occur?

[Jen]

No, it didn't occur. It never even came up. But if it does come up or if it, you know, my thing that I rely on, I think I talk about this on the air the other day is in my mind, I just go, but that's okay. Cause I just don't smoke anymore. I have a craving right now. But that's okay. Cause I just don't smoke anymore. Or this may be a potentially difficult situation, but that's okay. And I'll be okay. Cause I just don't smoke anymore. And I know that's weird and it sounds mind trippy, but the whole thing is a mind trip.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Amanda]

And keep the mindset.

[Jen]

The whole addiction is a mind trip.

[Bert]

But that's cool though. I mean like that. That's what hypnosis is all about, is changing the program. Rewiring your brain is what you're doing. And it worked. It's cool.

[Amanda]

And I want to remind people that we're not getting PA by this Shawn Wheeler dude at all. I mean, this is not a commercial or anything. This is just something that's worked for Jen. And if you're smoking and you're really serious about it, you might want to give the dude a call.

[Jen]

May want to try it.

[Amanda]

Hey Melissa, good Morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Good morning. How are y'? All?

[Amanda]

Good, thank you.

[Caller]

I was just wondering, Jen, have you drank any alcohol since you quit smoking?

[Jen]

I have, yeah.

[Caller]

And was it hard then? Because that was something I struggled with a lot.

[Jen]

For whatever reason, it hasn't been. I went. I haven't been drinking a lot over the weekend. I went to the North Georgia wineries and did some wine tasting and didn't have a problem there. But I wasn't with anybody who smoked. There was no temptation because there was no cigarettes there. There was nobody saying, hey, do you want one right now? You know what I mean?

[Bert]

Yeah.

[Caller]

Yeah. I quit smoking with. Well, I quit smoking. My husband didn't. And now it's been two years, and I'm trying to get him to quit. So I've actually mentioned to him what you've done. But that's gonna be one of his struggles, because he normally drinks a couple of beers when he gets home. And I'm like, when. If he's drinking, he's not gonna quit smoking.

[Amanda]

That's really gotta be very difficult when one person in the house is trying to quit anything and the other one continues to do it. Like one person stopped drinking or smoking, or one person starts to eat better and the other one doesn't, that makes it really, really difficult.

[Jen]

And I will tell you, if you're gonna quit, you have to get rid of everything around you. Because I have had moments in the last week that had. I had that sort of emergency pack of cigarettes in the back of the junk drawer, or, you know, the one that you can dig out of a purse that you had from two years ago, and it's in the pocket.

[Bert]

Purse.

[Jen]

I would have gone to get it.

[Bert]

It's all crushed and kind of wet.

[Amanda]

You don't care. You work your way around there.

[Jen]

I probably would have gone to it. So the fact that I haven't had it around me at all, and the fact that I've told everyone I know that I've stopped smoking, that that's helped support me in all of that. Are you nervous to hang out with friends that do smoke still? I was actually thinking about it because I have a couple of friends that are coming to this event that I'm hosting tonight, this life and style event. One of whom texted me about the hypnosis and wanted to know more about it, and she's coming tonight, and I haven't seen her in months. I'm really excited to see her and hang out with her, but she's one of my friends that smokes, so I Actually have had some anxiety about seeing her tonight, but I just keep going back to that. But that's okay because I just don't smoke anymore. Same thing as last night, though. It wasn't as hard as you thought. So tonight, maybe not as hard as I'm gonna think.

[Amanda]

Would it bother you if I told you that Stacy and I were coming tonight?

[Jen]

No, I don't think so, because I would rely on that again. And because Bert's wife is somebody who I love talking to, and we always go out back and smoke cigarettes together, and now I just won't go.

[Bert]

Are you really coming or are you jacking with him?

[Amanda]

What's that?

[Bert]

Are you really coming or are you just jacking with her?

[Amanda]

No, we're not going, but we would

[Jen]

still hang out and talk, and I know that we'll hang out and talk, and I know Stacy will stop when she's ready to stop. So there's gonna be no, like, you know, pressure. Like, I don't need to become some anti smoking crusader or anything like that. It's just for me, I don't want that in my life anymore. It was such a negative part of my life and was so embarrassed and ashamed by it, and it was one part I hated about myself.

[Amanda]

Is it. Are you a little bit skeptical of yourself as the words are coming out of your mouth? Like, you've probably said these things before and then you've gone back smoking, so now you're saying these things about being shamed about it. Is there any part of you that thinks I shouldn't say those things because I'm. I've always gone back to cigarettes?

[Jen]

I'm not afraid of failure in my life anymore. So, no, I'm not afraid to say it.

[Amanda]

Hey, Sally, good morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Hey there. How are you doing?

[Amanda]

Super. How are you?

[Caller]

I'm good. I'm good. I'm just listening to you guys and I mean, I can relate to everything y' all are saying. I mean, I've smoked for, gosh, 20 some odd, 23 years now. Tried everything. My family smoked, my friends smoked. So that course, always an excuse to keep smoking. I've got four kids, though, and want to quit. I've tried everything and just wanted to find out a little bit more about Shawn Wheeler and the program. And, yeah, I mean, I can relate to everything she's saying because there's. You can make up so many excuses in your head and. Sure, at this point, I'm willing to try anything.

[Bert]

Yeah.

[Jen]

And I think. I think if you change your mind about it, you can do anything. People do amazing things in changing their life every day. This could be a small thing for you, but it could be a huge thing too. You know what I'm saying? Like your mind can make you do anything you want to do.

[Amanda]

And I love that. If it doesn't work the first time, you can go back to him again. He said, like, this is a lifetime deal. I'll always be there for you.

[Jen]

Yep.

[Amanda]

Not you specifically. I'm just saying for listeners that go,

[Jen]

I'm gonna go back for a follow up. I'm supposed to go back next week. So in two weeks.

[Amanda]

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[Announcer]

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[Amanda]

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[Announcer]

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[Amanda]

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