Training: 2015 Problem Gambling Education Training

Individual Classes Available

ASSESSMENT - 2015 (1 hours)

Course Objective: Participants will be able to identify appropriate questions to ask during assessment and avoid the pitfalls during assessment and treatment.

Course Goal: Participants will learn how to conduct a thorough assessment asking questions that illicit “change talk” from the client, while also avoiding the pitfalls that disempower and disengage the client.

Course Outline:

• engage
• how has problem impacted person’s life
• pros and cons of gambling versus recovery
• type of gambling
• how much in gambling losses (make out an historical calendar)
• how much debt
• use SOGS questionnaire
• build motivation
• impact of problem on family
• ongoing assessment through treatment
• identifying underlying issues to problem gambling

TREATMENT PLANNING - 2015 (1 hours)

Course Objective: Participants will be able to develop treatment goals based on the client’s needs and current level of motivation/readiness.

Course Goal: Participants will be able to devise a plan that is suited for the clients treatment needs.

Course Outline:

• based on “where the client is at today”
•  what changes does client want to make
•  what kind of assistance is needed for change
•  what will promote change
•  barriers
•  why change now?
•  what will change look like for you in a year?
•  short term and longer term goals
•  goals related to underlying struggles to problem gambling

NOTABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROBLEM GAMBLER - 2015 (1 hours)

Course Objective: Participants will be able to identify how the unique characteristics of the problem gambler impacts recovery.

Course Goal:Participants will be become more familiar with the common characteristics or profile of the problem gambler.

Course Outline:

• Self esteem issues
• Their comfort zone is self defeat/losing
• winning makes them feel important (“big shotitis”)
• concept of chasing
• charming and charismatic
• common childhood neglect
• need to escape or be distracted
• can be very talkative
• anxious
• void of the physical damage other addictions cause
• how the competitive nature of the problem gambler impacts recovery in a society that values competition

USING COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY TO HELP WITH IRRATIONAL BELIEFS - 2015 (1 hours)

Course Objective: Participants will develop ways to effectively challenge these irrational beliefs and help the client develop more constructive cognitions related to their addiction.

Course Goal: Participants will develop an understanding of how knowing the odds can be utilized in a client’s recovery.

Course Outline:

• talk about superstitions
• ask how do you know when you are going to win?
• explore the irrationality of money being tied to self identity/self esteem
• help them identify more irrational thoughts when setting up to gamble
• what self talk propels or fuels the gambling and how to interrupt or change it
•        + i.e. “I’m hot I have to keep going” or “I’m cold, therefore I’m due”
• get them to explore what they were thinking when they’ve gambled in the past
• the use of memory or recall to understand the irrational beliefs

WHAT DOES RECOVERY FOR A PROBLEM GAMBLER LOOK LIKE - 2015 (1 hours)

Course Goal: Participants will be able to identify the signs of progress in recovery as well as signs of regression or stagnation.

Course Objective: Participants will be able to identify the signs of progress in recovery as well as signs of regression or stagnation.

Course Outline:

• progress versus regression
• once over the “hump” of change
• dealing with success
• communicating better with family
• living with someone trusting of you
• having money and less debt
• accepting they’ve been had by the gambling establishments
• need for instant gratification declines
• the important “chase” has ceased
• interested in other things
• grateful for the assistance
• partner is much happier
• lying has either ceased or decreased significantly (old habits hard to break)

FAMILY AND PROBLEM GAMBLING - 2015 (1 hours)

Course Goal: Participants will learn what the impact of problem gambling has on the family members and how recovery can begin.

Course Objective: Participants will be able to identify the signs of family problems and how to assist them in their recovery.

Course Outline:

• needs of the family •impact on family
• family’s powerlessness and rage
• traumatic experience based on shock and deception
• clinician needs to validate family’s pain in treatment
• clinician can benefit from understanding PTSD and provide education
• spouse often needs to manage finances with all documents going to them
• teach the problem gambler what to expect from the spouse in treatment
• + i.e. traumatic memories will persist, mistrust will persist
• codependency versus assertiveness

PROBLEM GAMBLING: COUPLES COUNSELING - 2015 (1 hours)

Course Goal: Participants will learn what the impact of problem gambling has on the spouse/partner and how recovery can begin.

Course Objective: Participants will be able to identify the problems in a relationship that has been affected by problem gambling as well as how to help their clients rebuild that relationship.

Course Outline:

• foundation of a relationship •general elements of trust in a relationship
• the impact of problem gambling on the partner
• how trust is broken
• choices to make
• cultivating trust
• managing the partner’s traumatic experience
• individual needs versus relationship needs
• black and white issues versus grey areas in relationships
• compromise versus sacrifice
• how both partners can manage change/deepened intimacy
• normal push/pull responses during recovery
• how a person’s overall self-image affects the relationship
• who handles the finances