Problem Gambling Treatment and Research Center
With 48 states now offering legalized gambling, and with games of chance available to everyone with Internet access, the number of people with gambling problems has grown accordingly.
At the same time, knowledge about helping those people has lagged. "There are relatively few studies on the best way to help problem gamblers," says Bobbi Vollmer, Director of the Morgridge College of Education's Problem Gambling Treatment and Research
With over three years of experience to its credit, the treatment and research center aims to change that. Under the auspices of the Counseling and Educational Services Clinic, the center puts master's and doctoral students from the Counseling Psychology program to work providing confidential counseling and therapy to a disparate group of problem gamblers and their family members. Vollmer has developed the center with Karin Dittrick-Nathan and Michael Faragher.
While offering help to a much-misunderstood sector of the population, student counselors also collect data that will increase our knowledge about this emerging challenge.
In devising the center's methodology, Vollmer decided to depart from conventional practice. "Most research programs take a particular approach, then recruit clients and see how it works. I thought, let's ask the clients what approach they want. And they all chose different things," she explains.
For the students offering the counseling, that has proved to be a bonus. Rather than become expert in only one treatment modality, they develop competency with a variety of options. "It becomes a challenge for the students," Vollmer acknowledges, noting that they often have to adjust to treatment protocols that exceed their comfort zones. "We're telling our students, you need to listen to what your clients are saying, and collaborate on the modality," Vollmer adds.
"The research is in its beginning stages," she says, but so far the conclusions are illuminating. Clients like to choose their treatment modalities. When given the choice, they tend to remain in treatment. And, says Vollmer, "The longer you stay in therapy, the more favorable the outcome."
In addition to helping problem gamblers, the center aims to disseminate knowledge about effective treatment to practitioners. "With problem gamblers, studies show that many mental health providers are counseling problem gamblers, but a lot of therapists have not had any training with this. "We're looking at training our students to be trainers," Vollmer says. "This year we are planning to develop a consultation training telephone program, so therapists from across the state can get information with a phone call. We also are sponsoring our second annual fall conference on Problem Gambling in Colorado to which we invite students and mental health practitioners."
As Vollmer sees, enhancing understanding about and developing effective treatments for problem gambling are urgent priorities. Unlike people with other addictions, say to drugs or alcohol, problem gamblers don't feel physically better when they begin treatment. "You stop gambling, you still have your debts, you still have people suffering," she explains. "People who have a gambling problem are at a very high risk for suicide."