Problem Gambling: A Guide for Helping Professionals
Problem Gambling: A Guide for Helping Professionals
Problem Gambling: A Guide for Helping Professionals
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<strong>Problem</strong> <strong>Gambling</strong>: A <strong>Guide</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Helping</strong> <strong>Professionals</strong><br />
When clients reach the “Action” stage, helping professionals should<br />
support their ef<strong>for</strong>ts and and commitment. Give them lots of praise<br />
and encouragement to move them to the next stage.<br />
Maintenance<br />
The person is adjusting to the change and learning and practicing<br />
new skills.<br />
“I’m taking things one step at a time.”<br />
Help the client come up with some strategies to maintain the change.<br />
Continue to praise the client’s ef<strong>for</strong>ts and progress. Acknowledge that<br />
slips happen. Encourage clients to develop relapse prevention skills.<br />
At this point, clients may feel motivated to take on a second job as a way<br />
of quickly repairing the financial damage caused by their gambling.<br />
This can be helpful in demonstrating responsible behaviour, restoring<br />
trust and avoiding further borrowing; however, recovery from gambling<br />
also requires a restoration of balance within the person’s life. This<br />
includes striking a healthy balance between work, family and leisure<br />
pursuits and not just replacing gambling with work.<br />
Relapse<br />
The person has not maintained the change.<br />
“I had an extra fifty bucks and I felt lucky.”<br />
Work with clients to bring them back to maintenance stage. The<br />
client may be back at the first stage again.<br />
(Adapted from the work of Prochaska and DiClemente.)<br />
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