Yefim Shubentsov

I went to Yefim well over 20 years ago and just referred him to two people and when I pulled up his name, realized he’s on Unilocal so decided to write a review.
Between me and all the members in my family, we must have referred over 50 people.
My Dad, was a 2 pack a day smoker. When he came out of his session, it was freezing cold out and he couldn’t find his car keys. It turned out He locked his car doors w the car running (this is when cars would lock on their own w engines on!!) and he assumed the stress of the moment he would have yearned for a cigarette but miraculously he didn’t.
I have no idea how he does what he does but whatever it is, it works! I have been smoke-​free since. Thank G-​d since the price of cigarettes these days is ridiculous.
For whatever it’s worth, book your appointment in advance and start counting down the days til you go. Be open-​minded. And be prepared to enjoy the taste of food and smells you didn’t even know you were missing out on, not to mention,. money in your pocket! At $ 10−15/pack, quit! It’s well worth the trip and kicking the awful addiction. Put your money your saving into better, more positive things.
I know «the mad Russian» works on many addictions, phobias, weight loss, etc… So read up on his process, which is NOT hypnosis. In fact, you sit in a room with a group while he does his magic. I swear, he is a miracle worker.
Let me know how it goes. I am excited for anyone who can share their feedback. I know I’m lot explaining the process but if you read up on him, you’ll kind of get the gist of what he does And his office is extremely helpful. Chalk the money and experience up to a few days of smokes! It’s well worth the visit.
Btw… Whenever you hear about celebrities and people that ventured to Boston to quit smoking, I can only assume they went to Yefim Shubenstov. And I know it worked!

Nice guy who has been through a lot. I stopped smoking for a week but I feel it was my determination that made me quit. I’m from NY and traveled on a 5 hour bus back and forth to meet with him for 30 seconds. REMINDER: he does encourage you to come back for FREE after your first session if you feel it did not work. I have done this 7 times, wasted money and time just to spend 30 seconds in Boston to hear him say I AM SMOKING! Again great guy but this technique did not work for me.

While unorthodox, Yefim possesses a very strong ability to help shift energy and reinforce goals. His methods worked for me, both in quitting smoking and in overcoming long-​term fears and anxieties. Behind his direct manner and sometime rough exterior is a man who is truly strong, compassionate and inspirational. I truly believe that the people for whom this did not work, were simply not mentally there yet themselves. I think that the fact that Yefim offers a complimentary follow-​up at any point after the initial session speaks for his commitment and accountability.

Took a 5 hour drive from brooklyn with my wife, we heard alot about guy who helps you drop cigarettes so we had nothing to loose except 60 dollars. Not only did we both stoped cigarettes I also droped alcohol, life changing experience, for always grateful to the mad russian.

Go in there with an open mind and the thought that there’s no harm in trying. You’re obviously addicted and if you «cut down» or try with a supplement you’re just switching the habit. I went thinking I had a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ chance and I might as well try something and I’m happy that I did. Listen to him and listen to his advice to help break the habit and just take it 1 day at a time. It’s been a little over 2 months and I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made. I thought drinking would be an issue for me since I had the mentality that it goes hand in hand and whatever he did to me got rid of that. The smell makes me nauseous and the feeling of wanting to puke and I’ll take that over trying to fight an urge to pick one up. I was addicted for 15 years and that was more than half of my life which is pretty disgusting. Again no harm in trying. It takes 3 days for you to get rid of the nicotine addiction and up to 2 weeks to get over the habit. After that it’s up to you to continue what he helped you achieve.

As I’m approaching a milestone quit-​versary I’m reminded of two things.
One, is how much I used to love smoking. And two, I cannot believe it took me this long to quit.
Back in the winter of 2011, I remember getting on the T to see «The Mad Russian» (google those exact words) because I was finally tired of being a smoker. Although in my defense I was never a heavy smoker and I hated the stale smell of cigarettes anyway. And because I had recently read an article about how Courtney Cox and Drew Barrymore had gone to see him, and it worked like a charm. It helped that the Harvard Magazine «The Crimson» vouched for his hypnotic powers and quite honestly, if there is one person who is willing to buy into this whole hypnotherapy, reiki, acupuncture kind of stuff — it’s me. Also, I always love a good story.
This was actually my first and only time trying out hypnotherapy and the session with Yefim Shubentsov was pretty dramatic. I remember walking in slightly nervous into his counseling room with about 15 other people. It had this magnificent Donald Trump like mahogany desk, behind which sat Yefim — and the rest of us sat in rather standard chairs all placed in a «U» setting around his desk. And then it began.
Yefim has a pretty thick Russian accent and I couldn’t understand most of what he said. But I heard words like «Don’t give in to temptation», «Stay Strong», «Stay Focused», «Immunity», «Diseases» — really good motivational stuff. Of course he was yelling them out and he sounded more like a hypnotic drill sergeant if there is such a thing. Right in the middle of all this he paused, looked straight at me and yelled out, «You don’t need to do this, are you sure about it? You look great», which was surprising but I thought this was more of a psychological game or something. Who knows.
I sat through one hour of this and was feeling more motivated to quit by the minute! Till he started talking about weight and that got me all confused…
Turns out his assistant had booked me for a weight loss session. The fact that everyone around me looked… well, sorta heavy didn’t spark a thought. I didn’t want to be judgmental! So I was back again for another round, and this time I sat through a proper quit smoking session which was oddly similar to the one I’d attended earlier.
For $ 60 and a «lifetime guarantee» I thought I’d hit jackpot. I’d get model skinny now and magically transform into a non-​smoker with zero effort. Neither of that happened. I started smoking again — this time with a vengeance — about a week later.
I eventually quit earlier this year, through the cold-​turkey-​turn-​into-​a-​raging-​bitch-​during-​the-​withdrawal-​phase method. And it worked.
But this is a great reminder that I don’t want to go through any of it again and should just stay quit forever.

One week+ smoke-​free (and nicotine-​free for the first time in a hundred million years… I have quit many times but never been able to get off nicotine replacement).
Who cares if he’s a little old-​fashioned in his manner and you can’t understand him and it «seems» like nothing could possibly be working from this silly exercise…
It works.
I make my money back tomorrow, and I only smoked a half a pack a day. If you smoke more, you’ll make it back sooner. You owe it to yourself to at least frickin’ try.
(I haven’t gotten behind the wheel yet so I can’t comment yet on his «erasure» of phobias, but addictions/​cravings, YES! I barely think about smoking and when I do it is swept away by a feeling of peace that I no longer need that.)

It worked for me to quit smoking more than 12 years ago. It may not work for some of the folks commenting here on Unilocal,but it does work for many.

It was a strange but fascinating experience and it worked. Many years later and I’m still a former smoker. On the very rare occasions (less than a handful in 10 years!) when I am tempted I can hear his voice saying «change the subject!» — something he said to me during the one-​to-​one moment following the group session — I do, and voila I’m past the craving/​temptation with non-​smoker status in tact. :) totally worth a try — worked for me!

Okay, heres my breakdown about the mad russian. Went to him many years ago for smoking and it worked. No withdrawl at all. I would watch my friends smoke after and feel nothing. He claims he changes your energy back to the way it was before you were addicted and I believe it. I absolutely had no feelings whatsoever of actual cravings. I sent a friend of mine there a year later for crystal meth addiction. he walked out cured and no withdrawl. I do however have friends that it worked for at first, and then they went back to smoking. Usually these friends relapsed when they were drinking, partying or stressed. I eventually started smoking again, but I called the Mad Russian for a phone touch up and it worked.

All I can say is that I needed to quit, couldn’t quit on my own, walked into his office and said I’m not leaving until I can get in to see him. I was willing to sleep there (not really, but I was deeply committed).
They took me in mid-​day and yeah, it was a little weird and even a bit hokey, but he did the thing he does (touched my head, said picture when you’d be smoking a cigarette, and raise your hand when you’re ready). I did that.
That was 25.5 years ago — January 27, 1987 — and I haven’t had a drag of a cigarette since.
It worked for me.

I’m sorry to report that this treatment had no effect on me whatsoever. I’m not even sure «treatment» is the right word to use. He reminded me more of a harsh motivational speaker, except that I couldn’t understand about 50% of what he said (and I work at a university where I hear strong accents all the time). That part is by no means his fault, but it was impossible to feel motivated by so few comprehensible words, and a lot of displeased growling like a dog.
In the waiting room, everyone seemed to know someone for who was «cured» by The Mad Russian. I don’t doubt that he’s helped people, but I also don’t believe the high success rate claimed. As someone stated in another review, what he was spouting seemed to be nothing more than chastisement and some basic common sense, available anywhere for free. During my 30-​second private session at the end, I expressed concern about gaining weight. The Oracle’s answer was «Eat smaller meals.» Gosh, thanks.
Along with the other attendees, I had thrown out my cigarettes before the session started. Two hours later, I walked out with my first stop being to buy a new pack of cigarettes.
Because The Mad Russian doesn’t cost very much compared to other smoking treatment programs (it was $ 69 for me), I would recommend trying him first to see if you’re one of the people he can help. Please just don’t be surprised or dismayed if he doesn’t perform a miracle on you. He didn’t on me.

Well it’s 3pm and I was in the 10am session this morning which ended at noon. Kind of a strange experience — you’re in a large room with maybe 12 other people, most of which are smokers, and he talks for an hour and a half. He has a strong accent and does speak fast so you really need to pay attention. He talked about using common sense and the power of your mind and energy. I noticed that some people were struggling to stay awake but I really tried to focus. Then we went back out to the waiting room and went back in to meet with him individually to tell him what our issue was. He assumed I smoked, so I had to quickly let him know I am a non-​smoker and was there for nail biting. The individual part lasted maybe 3 mins and your eyes are closed while he does his energy work while you tell yourself that your biting nails (insert problem here). He then asks if you have other problems (you can bring up to 4 problems) and in the spur of the moment I said anxiety, because why not get an extra dose of his energy work to be more relaxed?!
In general I embraced this and am feeling confident that it will work. I’ll post an update in 10 days or so. As of now I’m looking at my hands and have no desire to bit my nails — a 1^st for me! Oh and you can always contact him if you need to in the future if you do relapse… stay tuned
I should also mention that 1 woman came out and said she immediately wanted to light a cigarette, but she was one of the people who said she could hardly keep her eyes open during his talk, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Experience similar to others, talking with group. However, he «worked on one guy with bone spur in bottom of foot, & you could see the disbelief he was experiencing as he walked without pain and another woman with dislocated shoulder also said her pain subsided. He told me I had the same cardiovascular condition as one of my parents (my healthy, slim never smoked or drinked Mother died of a stroke at 68) so thanks for warning???
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Had smoked 2.5 packs for 15 years, the last 10 had many failed attempts to quit., hypnosis, Nicorette, group support programs, etc. Able to get through physical withdrawl several times, but some life ‘stress’ would make me NEED to smoke. Once had one, you know what happens…
This continued despite knowing my Grandfather had died & Father was suffering with emphysema. I suffered Horrible headaches and nasty bronchitis. Went expecting more of same.
I was reprogrammed. For first few weeks, when saw someone smoking, it was like seeing a peculiar behavior for first time. WHY would that man have a white thing hanging from his mouth?
anyhow. that was May 23^rd 1987 and I have never smoked tobacco cigarette again, though I have taken tokes from friend’s cigars, etc, which did not make me want a cigarette.
Like others have mentioned, I periodically have vivid dreams where I am smoking and SO upset with myself for having done so. I think the part of the brain that he zapped tries to wake up and the dreams help shut it down.
20 years later, I went back but did not pay or sit in on the group session (I wonder if I had, it may have worked better). Went back for help in controlling drinking, which was pretty much everyday 4 – 5 drinks (or beer or wine). He asked if I wanted to quit or cut down. I said cut down. He told me to think of the maximum number of drinks I could consume in a day. Did his arm wave, etc But like the person with sugar, I have consumed more than the 2 at a day.
So voodoo may be harder to do on a «cut down» on the energy that desires something versus a full «cut out».
Cannot believe he still charges so little for something that gave me my life back. BEST thing I’ve ever done.

IT IS A SCAM
I have read all about the Harvard studies and 60 minutes etc. I would like to see some information on long term quitting success rates because I don’t believe it for a second.
Every story is the same. He herds you and 11 more just like you into a room and then spews his rant about how life should be and how you should eat and exercise. None of this «information» is more than common sense. Then he singles our women in the room to compliment. I have a «beautiful face and need to have confidence in myself». Sound familiar to other reviews on the net?
He waives his hands about and takes away pain. NOTHING HAPPENS but he uses group pressure to force you to pretend it works. The second I expressed any doubts of his ability or questioned the scientific basis of his «work» I was immediately ostracized. One guy next to asked him for the winning lotto numbers for power ball…
I think this is for the undereducated and the people who are so desperate for a cure that stopping is psychosomatic.
Does this man believe in what he does? Absolutely
Does it work? No it doesn’t
Don’t get taken for $ 65 dollars

If Seinfeld were still on TV, he would be an episode.
It’s impossible to understand him. He says things that make sense, interspersed with «mad» proclamations of other people’s stupidity. If you are not accustomed to old world, hard-​life patriarchs who rant, then you could consider him quite rude. He kept telling me I was gorgeous, that I look like Rubens’ wife (he passes around a statue of Rubens), that I am «dont ever change, gorgeous, a little crazy, but gorgeous.» (If you know what the term Rubenesque means, I wasn’t super flattered, especially because he prefaced by saying, «Russian men don’t like skinny women», but alas… it was harmless and better than him saying «come back for the weight loss session»)
Anyway, you sit through 1.5 hours of him ranting– and removing physical pain through «energy work». (Which kinda worked… it seemed) It’s not all boring or crazy, but it gets tedious to try to understand him and then you have a 3 min one-​on-​one session where you close your eyes and think «I am smoking.» and he takes a small, quick breath (he must be doing something w hands, but you cant see). Then he repeats for anxiety, depression or phobias. (4 for 1!)
It’s only been 3 days– but I am NOT jonesing for a cigarette at all. I think about it, but then I just change my focus. Also, if you need to come back, it’s FREE! for the rest of your life.
Session– 3hours of your day
ranting Russian– $ 65
quit smoking without the pain– PRICELESS
I will update.
Update: 3 weeks-​no cigarettes. I think about it like…“I used to really enjoy that, that was soooo enjoyable” but the desire is gone. Best $ 65 I ever spent.
Update: 1 and ½ months. No butts, no problem!
UPDATE: It has been 6 months and I think cigarette smoking is absolutely disgusting! I had one puff a couple of months back and almost threw up. I cannot tolerate it at all– why would you do that, its so NASTY! This guy worked 100% for me. Be open to it working and go– what have you got to lose (a stinky-​ass habit)?
November 2009– I find smoking absolutely repulsive. i cannot understand why I would EVER do that. Quitting was easy. Best $ 65 I ever spent. Thank you, crazy, weirdo, mad Russian.
UPDATE: JAN 2010
I smoked a cigarette on New Years. I was typsy, yadda yadda. I called him and he gave me «an adjustment» over the phone. He makes you «I am smoking» and then tap on the phone w a pen and he does his voodoo on his end… So far so good. he promised to be there for him and asked me to promise not to smoke. Fair enough.
UPDATE: AUG 2011
I am a NON-​SMOKER!
Best $ 60 I ever spent in my life.
Contact info:
Yefim Shubentsov (The Mad Russian)
1680A Beacon Street Suite 201
Brookline, MA 2 445
(617)232−3930

Mr Shubentsov (aka The Mad Russian), is not a phony. Harvard Medical School studied him and says that whatever he does has an 80% success rate when followed up after one year.
Althought I started smoking again (my own stupidity), I quit successfully after my session, for 18 months. No, it wasn’t fun (quitting) but I was able to make it through the worst discomfort. I don’t know, or care, exactly how he does it. I had tried numerous times to quit– with the gum, patch, cutting down, etc. Didn’t work.
He is a bit kookie. Growls like a dog if you start falling asleep, and is hard to understand, but who cares? Better than lung cancer.

I think I’ve spent just as much money trying to quit, than I have buying smokes. Well that is until 1 year and 2 days ago.
Everyone knows him as The Mad Russian (I am neither mad or crazy, I don’t know why they call me that, he says). I had tried literally everything, antidepressants included, to quit smoking the only thing that worked was being pregnant. But after the birth of each of my 3 kids, something would stress me out and there I was smoking again.
On a long search on the internets I came across a review of Yefim and decided to give it a go. With a long group camping trip ahead, I refused to be the only smoker, again. For $ 65 it was worth a try considering that was equal to what I spent on smokes in a month.
He gave a long speech on how he got started and what he does, then he calls everyone in individually. Then with a mini speech on not overeating (you and I are small, good things come in small packages, but if we gain 1 pound it looks like 10, he says) he blew a puff of air and clapped his hands, and I was done. I left saying to myself, this is BS, I just wasted $ 65 that I could have used to smokes, but miraculously, I didn’t want to. 1 day became a week, then a month, and here I am 1 year+ later smoke free. He also has a lifetime guarantee.

I was introduced to «The Mad Russian» in 2001 when I first tried to quit smoking. I had a terrible cough that kept me up at night and I had to quit… Yefim’s office was just down the street from my apartment and I decided to give him a try.
Here’s the scenario… you pay $ 40 once and go into a room with a bunch of people. After waiting around for a while, they call you into a room to see Yefim. He asks you why you are here and if you truly want to quit smoking and change your life.
After some talk, he tells you to close your eyes and imagine the feeling of smoking a cigarette… then he does something and claps his hand. You actually do feel a slight breeze when he does this. Then you open your eyes and he says «go.»
Did it do anything for me? NO.
I was so excited about seeing the Russian that I actually did stop smoking for about a week, and then started again. You can go back for another «treatment» if you have already paid the initial $ 40.
Yefim has been featured on several television shows — 60 minutes, etc., but seriously… don’t believe the hype.
I finally quit smoking on my own in 2003.

Yefim Shubentsov, aka «The Mad Russian,» helps people quit smoking. He also uses his methods to assist people with other compulsive behaviours (over-​eating, obsessive nose picking, etc).
I went to see The Mad Russian back in 2004. It was a surreal experience, to say the least. I’d like to tell you that he instantly cured me of being a smoker, but, alas… I was weak!
I REALLY believe that his method works, but you have to be a willing participant. I will also say that I left the session feeling profoundly doubtful, yet, also, oddly non-​desirous of another cigarette. It was really pretty easy not to smoke for the next 2 days — each time I wanted a cigarette, it’s like this little «pause» button had been installed in my head, and I was able to stop myself and say «Um. no, you REALLY don’t want to keep killing yourself!»
I did eventually quit (in 2005), but I feel that «special circumstances» led to my picking up another cigarette (and, ergo, the several thousand that followed that first one until I quit again, for real) after my meeting with the Mad Russian and it’s totally NOT HIS FAULT. Like I said, you just have to be a willing participant. He opens the window — you have to jump through.
Here are the special cirumstances… My (now) husband proposed to me 2 days after seeing the Russian. I was feeling so trippy with withdrawal (literally, my face was numb and wonky feeling) that I couldn’t be present for the actual proposal. It’s like I was living under strobe lights those first few days (which has been my experience every time I’ve quit during the first 72 hours of withdrawal).
I wanted to be present and like a junkie need a fix just not to be sick, I had a cigarette. Then I told my husband (boyfriend, at the time) to propose again. I defnitely remember the second go-​around (post smoke) WAY better than the first!
I would TOTALLY see Yefim Shubentsov again if I needed to. Well worth the money… I just wasn’t a good pupil at the time!
Good luck!
Oh, also, if you’re serious about quitting smoking and want more motivational help, read these stories:
For more of my experience on quitting smoking, here’s a thread I added my 2 cents to:
For more info on the Mad Russian:
Keywords for people searching for this type of help:
smoking cessation
quit smoking
quitting smoking
stop being a stinkass loser
avoid male impotence