Counselling offers individuals an opportunity to consider what is happening in their life and what they would like to be happening.  Gambling help counsellors talk with their clients to look at what is currently happening and explore changes that they may make. 

Where does gambling counselling happen?

Gambling help counselling can occur either

  • in a face to face session in our rooms, or
  • over the phone from wherever you are. 

Our sessions are usually scheduled to run for one hour.

What happens in gambling help counselling?

Individuals accessing gambling help counselling meet with a counsellor in a private session, where the counsellor will invite the individual to explain what has prompted them to seek help and what they are hoping will happen to improve the difficulties they are currently experiencing. 

Client and counsellor work together with the issues the client brings.  Counsellors don’t tell clients to stop gambling, or what to do.  The counsellor may guide a client, by asking some assessment questions to build an understanding of how gambling is affecting the client’s emotional, social, relational, vocational and financial life.

The counsellor may support the client to develop goals for change and begin problem solving.  During sessions, client and counsellor may generate strategies which clients try out between sessions. In later sessions, client and counsellor review the newly implemented strategies. 

Once some goals are attained, client and counsellor consider and prepare for any relapse risks.  They also prepare for managing gambling and change after counselling ends.

The issues and concerns that each person brings to counselling are unique, so what each person addresses in counselling will vary.  How long each person attends counselling will be influenced by their individual goals and their progress towards these goals.

During counselling it is common for client and counsellor to work together to:

  • explore and set goals for change;
  • gain understanding of gambling;
  • increase awareness of triggers for gambling and to consider ways to avoid these triggers or respond differently to triggers;
  • understand and address underlying issues linked to problem gambling;
  • address the impacts of gambling on relationships and family life;
  • address debts, deal with creditors, re-organize financial affairs, understand legal rights and responsibilities around financial commitments and learn money management strategies, and
  • identify and plan for relapse risks.
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