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One-to-one therapy for gambling addiction gives you dedicated time with a therapist to explore your gambling, what may be contributing to it and the changes you want to make.
Rather than looking at gambling behaviour in isolation, individual sessions can provide space to talk about your own circumstances, thoughts, emotions and experiences. One-to-one therapy can also form part of a wider treatment programme alongside approaches such as group therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
At Retreat by Gordon Moody, individual therapy forms part of our specialist therapy and treatment for gambling addiction. Our private programme focuses specifically on gambling harm and combines residential treatment in the UK with virtual support.
What is one-to-one therapy for gambling addiction?
One-to-one therapy, also referred to as individual therapy, involves working directly with a therapist rather than taking part in a group session.
The conversation can focus on your own experience of gambling. Depending on your circumstances and the therapeutic approach being used, this could include looking at gambling patterns, thoughts and emotions connected with gambling, triggers and urges, and the impact gambling has had on your life.
This individual focus is important because there is no single experience of gambling-related harm.
Current guidance from The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends an understanding, empathic and supportive approach to gambling treatment. It also recommends ongoing two-way communication between practitioners and people receiving treatment.
What might you discuss during individual gambling therapy?
The content of your sessions will depend on your circumstances and the type of therapy being used.
Topics could include:
- patterns within your gambling behaviour
- situations or emotions associated with gambling
- gambling urges and triggers
- thoughts or beliefs connected with gambling
- the effects gambling has had on your relationships, finances or other parts of your life
- your reasons for wanting to change
- ways of responding differently to situations associated with gambling
The aim is not simply to be told to stop gambling. Therapy provides an opportunity to examine what has been happening in your own life and work on change within a structured therapeutic setting.
What types of one-to-one therapy can be used for gambling addiction?
Different therapeutic approaches can be used to treat gambling-related harm. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), for example, explores the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
While group CBT is commonly used for gambling-related harm, individual CBT may be offered where someone prefers one-to-one care, cannot attend a group or is assessed as unsuitable for group therapy.
Retreat by Gordon Moody’s gambling treatment programme also includes psychodynamic therapy, trauma-informed care and individual therapy alongside group-based treatment.
One-to-one therapy and group therapy
One-to-one therapy for gambling addiction gives you dedicated time with a therapist to explore experiences, behaviours and concerns that are particularly relevant to your circumstances. Group therapy provides a different setting, allowing people receiving treatment to explore experiences alongside others.
The two approaches can complement each other rather than being treated as alternatives. At Retreat by Gordon Moody, individual and group therapy are both used as part of the wider treatment programme.
How does one-to-one therapy fit into treatment at The Retreat?
Retreat by Gordon Moody is the private treatment arm of Gordon Moody, which has specialised in gambling harm treatment for more than 50 years.
Our gambling addiction treatment programme can run for up to 18 weeks. It combines virtual support with two one-week residential treatment stays in the UK.
The programme includes:
- individual therapy
- group therapy
- CBT
- psychodynamic therapy
- trauma-informed care
- structured recovery planning
Treatment is delivered by specialist gambling therapists, lived experience practitioners and recovery workers.
Virtual support is provided before, between and after the residential stages, so the programme extends beyond the two residential stays.
What if talking one-to-one about gambling feels difficult?
Talking openly about gambling can be difficult, particularly if you have kept aspects of it private.
Tackling Gambling Stigma describes how shame, self-stigma and discrimination can make it harder for people to recognise gambling difficulties and seek help. It also highlights the importance of people affected by gambling being able to speak openly and be listened to.
You do not need to arrive at your first conversation knowing exactly what you want to say or having already worked out why you gamble. Individual therapy creates time for that conversation to develop.
Is one-to-one therapy right for everyone?
No single form of therapy should be assumed to be right for every person.
At Retreat by Gordon Moody, individual therapy is one element within a structured programme specifically designed around gambling harm.
If you are considering private treatment, you can speak to our admissions team to learn more about The Retreat programme and the admissions process.
FAQs about one-to-one therapy for gambling addiction
Is one-to-one therapy for gambling addiction effective?
One-to-one therapy for gambling addiction can form an effective part of treatment for gambling-related harm, particularly when it is used within a wider, structured programme rather than in isolation.
Gordon Moody explains that its treatment programmes can combine individual and group interventions, with approaches including CBT, psychodynamic therapy and other forms of therapeutic support as part of its approach to care.
At Retreat by Gordon Moody, individual therapy sits alongside group therapy and other therapeutic approaches within the wider gambling treatment programme. The aim is not to rely on a single method, but to use different forms of support as part of a structured treatment process.
Is individual therapy the same as CBT?
No. Individual therapy describes the one-to-one format in which therapy takes place. CBT is a particular therapeutic approach.
CBT can be delivered individually or within a group. Other therapeutic approaches can also be delivered individually.
Do I have to choose between individual and group therapy?
Not necessarily. Both individual and group therapy can form part of a wider treatment programme.
At Retreat by Gordon Moody, both are included within the programme.
What is the difference between counselling and one-to-one therapy for gambling?
Terms can sometimes be used differently between services, so it is worth checking exactly what a provider means.
For The Retreat, the approved programme terminology is individual therapy. It is delivered as part of a wider specialist gambling treatment programme rather than being presented as a standalone counselling service.
Can one-to-one gambling therapy take place online?
Individual psychological treatment can be delivered remotely in some treatment settings, but delivery depends on the service and treatment plan.
The Retreat the Gordon Moody programme combines virtual and residential support.
