What happens in Vegas Doesn’t stay in Vegas: Understanding and Healing Pathological Gambling within the Family Syste
In contrast to substance abuse which receives significant media attention and funding for research and treatment, there is a notable lack of awareness and clinical understanding in the field of gambling addiction. As such, many clinicians feel ill-equipped when pathological gambling emerges as an issue of clinical significance within the context of treating a spouse or a family whose lives are torn apart by the economic and emotional havoc wreaked by the compulsive gambler. Problem gamblers will sometimes enter treatment as the result of a court order or out of a desire to avoid or lessen the legal consequences of criminal behaviors associated with their gambling. In any case, mental health professionals must have an understanding of pathological gambling not only as a construct but as it frequently represents a symptom of trauma and other developmental or social stressors. This full day training – taught by Dr. Daniel Lerner, an expert who has been on the “front lines” of intervention and treatment of problem gambling – will educate mental health professionals on the essentials of pathological gambling. Case presentations will be used to demonstrate how a proper conceptualization can be effectively tailored into a successful treatment plan.
Learning objectives:
- Describe the epidemiology of pathological gambling.
- Understand the current theories that define and explain gambling addiction.
- Identifying the critical role of comorbid disorders.
- Insights into the cognitive, emotive, and behavioral processes of the pathological gambler.
- Awareness of available treatment options.
View our calendar and register for classes by clicking here.
