One-on-One Therapy for Gambling Addiction

One-on-one therapy for gambling addiction gives you dedicated time with a therapist to explore your gambling, what One-on-one therapy for gambling addiction gives you dedicated time with a therapist to focus on your own experience with gambling.

Sessions can create space to explore gambling patterns, thoughts and emotions, triggers and the effects gambling has had on different areas of your life. Individual therapy can also be combined with other approaches rather than being used on its own.

At Retreat by Gordon Moody, individual therapy is part of a private, specialized gambling treatment program that combines residential treatment in the UK with virtual support.

What is one-on-one therapy for gambling addiction?

One-on-one, or individual, therapy involves working directly with a therapist rather than participating in a group session.

This gives the conversation a personal focus. The exact content will depend on the individual and the therapeutic approach, but treatment can explore what is happening around gambling behavior as well as the gambling itself.

In the US, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) identifies counseling as one treatment option and explains that it can be delivered through individual sessions, group therapy and online counseling. It also identifies approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing. 

What can you discuss in individual gambling therapy?

There is no standard conversation that every person needs to have.

Depending on your circumstances, therapy may involve exploring:

• patterns in your gambling behavior
• situations or emotions connected with gambling
• urges and triggers
• thoughts associated with gambling
• the effects gambling has had on finances, relationships or other areas of life
• your reasons for seeking treatment
• changes you want to make

The individual format provides time to examine these areas in relation to your own circumstances.

What types of therapy can be used?

One approach used in gambling treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

CBT examines connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviors and can be used to identify and address patterns associated with gambling.

The NCPG includes CBT among the therapeutic approaches that may be used in problem gambling counseling. It also emphasizes that there is not one single treatment approach that is best for everyone and that treatment may involve a combination of approaches. 

At Retreat by Gordon Moody, the treatment program includes CBT, psychodynamic therapy and trauma-informed care alongside individual and group therapy.

You can read more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for gambling addiction and psychodynamic therapy for gambling.

Individual therapy versus group therapy

One-on-one and group therapy offer different treatment environments.

Individual sessions focus on the work between you and your therapist. This can give you time to examine experiences and concerns that are particularly relevant to you.

Group therapy creates an environment in which treatment takes place alongside other people.

They do not necessarily have to be alternatives.

The NCPG identifies both individual counseling and group therapy among treatment options for problem gambling. 

Retreat by Gordon Moody includes both individual and group therapy as part of its wider program.

How individual therapy fits into The Retreat program

Retreat by Gordon Moody is the private treatment arm of Gordon Moody, which has more than 50 years of specialist experience in gambling harm treatment.

The gambling addiction treatment program can run for up to 18 weeks and combines virtual support with two one-week residential stays in the UK.

The program includes individual therapy, group therapy, CBT, psychodynamic therapy, trauma-informed care and structured recovery planning.

Treatment is delivered by specialist gambling therapists, lived experience practitioners and recovery workers.

For people traveling from the United States, an important practical consideration is that the residential stages take place in the UK. Participants therefore need to be able to travel to and stay in the UK for those parts of the program.

How do I know whether one-on-one therapy for gambling addiction is right for me?

Treatment needs and preferences vary between individuals.

The NCPG recommends considering factors such as the type of problem-gambling-specific services available, the treatment approach, program format and duration, remote options where needed and the support available after formal treatment. 

One-on-one therapy for gambling addiction should therefore be considered in the context of the wider treatment plan rather than solely because it is individual.

At The Retreat, individual therapy is one part of a structured program specifically focused on gambling harm.

What if I find it difficult to talk about gambling?

You may have spent a long time keeping your gambling or its consequences private.

Individual therapy gives you a dedicated setting in which to begin discussing what has been happening. You do not need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to say or having already worked out the reasons behind your gambling.

The conversation can develop as treatment progresses.

If you are considering private treatment in the UK from the United States, you can contact our admissions team to discuss The Retreat and the admissions process.

FAQs about one-on-one therapy for gambling addiction