Treating Problem Gamblers — and Their Family Members
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macological interventions , brain stimulation , Gamblers Anonymous , and emerging treatment modalities . But what do we do when the family is the client , and the problem gambler is a secondary character ?
The roles and relationships of each family member and their dynamic interactions are core to the treatment process . The following therapeutic approaches , listed in a 2020 article on “ 5 Family Therapy Counseling Techniques ,” bit . ly / 3uC1V2f , can also be helpful with the family members of problem gamblers :
• Structural Family Therapy : It assesses power dynamics within the family unit , and analyzes each family member ’ s assigned “ role ” within the family unit .
• Milan Therapy : It seeks to dismantle and disempower belief systems that perpetuate conflict within family units by focusing on the analysis of belief systems harbored by individual family members … and challenges family rituals and practices particularly as they relate to conflict .
• Strategic Therapy : It closely examines patterns of interaction and conflict between family members and seeks to increase awareness and mindfulness of these patterns .
• Narrative Therapy : It helps individual family members shape their personal narratives by recognizing and embracing individual positive qualities , skills , and gifts in order to help them constructively confront and conquer problems they may be facing within their family unit or within their own individual lives .
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy ( CBT ): Tried and true , CBT asks patients to recognize , reframe , and / or challenge negative thoughts with a new way of thinking . By using CBT in family therapy , counselors can help patients identify negative feelings , understand their effect on relationships , and learn to challenge those feelings and behaviors . Here , the focus is on the extended family of the problem gambler as the client and emphasizes the system of relationships , not just the individual .
When working with children in the family of a problem gambler , I have found the New York state ’ s problem gambler sites particularly helpful : talk2kids . org and nyproblemgambling . org / resources / dontbetyet . Both sites offer perspective for clinicians and parents alike . “ Problem gambling can start young ; really
young . In fact , 39.5 percent of youth age 12 – 17 have gambled this past year , and 30 percent of these youth state that they began gambling at age 10 or younger ,” according to the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports ( OASAS ). “ The earlier a child starts gambling , the more likely they are to have problems due to gambling .”
Who would have believed the problem could start this early ? The likelihood that a child ’ s mother or father is a problem gambler is very high . Here we see a very unlikely population that will be seeking our help . It is essential that we learn the skills needed to serve children who gamble . It is also essential that we work with parents to help them educate their children about gambling . The New York State sites offer straightforward suggestions on ways to find those teachable moments .
I am a visual learner , as are many of my students and many of my former clients . I often use videos as tools to help in treatment planning . One of my favorite videos when working with young children who have been exposed to a problem gambler is the video by the New York Council on Problem Gambling ( NYCPG ), “ Go Away Monster : A Problem Gambling Story ” bit . ly / 3L6SgHC . This 9.5-minutes-long animated video depicts a family caught in the throes of gambling addiction , and it explains the addiction in clear terms that a child can understand .
WE CAN HELP PROBLEM GAMBLERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
The resources I mention in this article are only a few that we can add to our toolbox of techniques to best serve our clients . With this information and these resources , we are armed with information on how to best treat families of problem gamblers . We have implemented these skills in family settings ; we know the techniques from practice and our training . Can we simply take these skills and transfer them to the family of the problem gambler ? Yes , we can . In addition , we can do so confidently and successfully .
Education is important . It ’ s essential to understand the profile of the family of the problem gambler . Go online to find your state ’ s council on problem gambling at the National Council on Problem Gambling website www . ncpgambling . org . I wish you success !
16 The Advocate Magazine 2022 , Issue # 1 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org