Shelley Halpern, C.Ht.

Test Preparation

One of the most popular uses for hypnotherapy is for studying and test taking. Often clients relay having challenges with the stress and anxiety of taking exams and most often, forgetting the material that they know and have studied during the exam. Learn how to relax and concentrate at the same time. Change your old habits and replace and create positive changes and build new strategies for learning. If you would like to increase your focus, concentration, attention and recall and maximize your success at test taking, call Shelley Halpern, Certified Hypnotherapist in Los Angeles for more information.

LSAT, MCAT, SAT, ACT, MFT boards and much more

Stop smoking

Stop smoking is one of the most common reasons people seek hypnotherapy. There are two main types of smokers: the identification and replacement smoker. The identification smoker begins smoking because his or her friends smoked and they want to be part of this group. If they continue to identify with this group, smoking will become a deeply ingrained habit. The replacement smoker uses cigarettes to replace a habit such as eating, confidence, stress or anxiety and gets oral gratification from the cigarette. They receive pleasure from the ritual of smoking as well.

The steps I go through with clients to assist them to quit smoking include contacting them by phone and spending about 15 minutes discussing whether they are ready to stop smoking. If you are not ready (you are doing this for your doctor or spouse), it won't be effective. If that is the case, then we can work on motivation and when you are ready, then work on stop smoking. There are some people who aren't addicted and can stop smoking more easily. For others, it will require multiple sessions. Smoking is a chemical and psychological issue. People continue to have cravings because it's not just a physical addiction but a psychological issue. With hypnosis, we work on replacing and changing the habitual pattern.

Smoking is harmful to both the smoker and nonsmoker alike by causing various types of cancer. There are over 7,000 harmful chemicals in tobacco that can include hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, formaldehyde and much more.

When you quit smoking, you can experience some of the following positive changes in your body:

• Within 20 minutes of your last cigarette blood pressure adjusts to natural levels, pulse rate adjusts to a normal level and the body temperature of the hands and feet increase to normal.
• In 8 Hours carbon monoxide level drops to normal.
• In 24 Hours chance of a heart attack is significantly decreased.
• 48 Hours nerve endings start to re-grow, the ability to smell and taste improves.
• 72 Hours bronchial tubes begin relaxing and lung capacity begins to increase.
• 2 Weeks to 3 months circulation in the body improves, walking becomes easier, lung function increases up to 30%.
• 1 to 9 Months coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases. Cilia regrows in the lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, cleans the lungs and reduces infection.
• 5 Years lung cancer death rate for the average smoker (one pack per day), decreases from 137 per 100,000 people to 72 per 100,000 people (after - 10 years, rate drops to 12 deaths per 100,000) or almost the rate of a person who never smoked.
• 10 Years Pre-cancerous cilia are replaced. Other cancer such as those of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, kidney and pancreas decreases.

ALL OF THESE BENEFITS ARE LOST...IF ONE CIGARETTE A DAY IS SMOKED!
Make a firm promise and commitment to yourself and choose to live your life healthy, strong, vital, vibrant and powerfully alive by freeing yourself from the bonds of cigarettes.

Call or email Shelley Halpern, Los Angeles Hypnotherapist today to start the process of change. 818-205-7271
In person or phone sessions available.

Stress and anxiety

Everyone of us experience stress or anxiety. In fact, it is a normal human response that we all go through in our lives. We can look at stress in a positive, functional way; it gets us up for a speech or performance or it can by dysfunctional and toxic and can affect us physically, spiritually and emotionally and intellectually.

David Spiegel, Stanford University's associate chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences explains the difference between stress and anxiety as follows: "While there is definite overlap between stress and anxiety, ultimately the two emotions come from two different places. With stress, we know what’s worrying us but with anxiety you become less aware of what you’re anxious about [in the moment] and the reaction becomes the problem. You start to feel anxious about being anxious. The key difference [between the two] is the sense of helplessness. When it comes to stress, you can deal with things and master them. By rolling up your sleeves and tackling that stress, you can feel less helpless.”

How can hypnosis and imagery help? Shelley Halpern can teach you tools and strategies to help lower the stress and anxiety such as self hypnosis, mindfulness skills such as breathing, de-sensitization and EFT.

Pediatric hypnosis

"Everything you want is on the other side of fear" Jack Canfield

Adolescents today face extraordinary challenges and hypnosis and guided imagery can provide tools and strategies to enhance their lives. Hypnotherapist Shelley Halpern, provides a safe, warm space to learn, grow and move through transitions from the expected to the expected in life.

How can hypnosis help your child? Listed below are some of the ways:

Stress/anxiety
Self esteem
Improve athletic performance
Performance anxiety
Worry
Coping with loss
Fears and phobias
Emotional self sufficiency and resilience
Increase confidence
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder,
Hair pulling (trichotillomania)
Tics

Hypnotherapy can empower your teen by using their rich and vivid imaginations to overcome obstacles and tap into the power of their own mind. If you live in Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Calabasas or on the Westside in Beverly Hills or Santa Monica, call or email Shelley Halpern, Certified Hypnotherapist for a phone consultation or email response within 24 hours.