Client Journey
Initial Contact
There is no wrong door for you to refer to us, whether this be via the gambling helpline, self-referral, or through another professional. When this first point of contact takes place, you will go through a short screening process by our treatment team. You will then be booked in for an assessment with the treatment team to look at what type of support is best for you. There is no waiting list for this and you will be booked in within 2-5 days.
Alongside being booked in for therapeutic support, if you are someone that has been affected by another individual’s gambling, you can also access our families support programme, The 6 to 10 Project.
This programme offers holistic and practical support to those impacted by someone else’s gambling to support them in areas such as housing, employment, legal queries, finances, overall wellbeing etc.
If you are accessing the service and are from a South Asian community or identify as Muslim, you can also be referred for gambling-related support and guidance, from our team of community connectors who all have lived experience and also belong to these communities.
As part of the ‘Breaking the Sharam’ project, our community connectors are culturally sensitive and linguistically diverse to offer the most appropriate support and awareness-raising to any individuals within these communities. This is especially important for those that do not feel comfortable accessing support from professionals that are outside of their community.
At-risk of gambling- related harms
Advice and Guidance Support
If you do not require, or do not feel ready to enter into one-to-one therapy, we can arrange shorter and less intensive support with one of our Community Connectors.
This support will consist of:
– Gambling-related advice and guidance
– Self-help tools
– Psychoeducation
– Signposting and referrals to other services
– Practical support
Tier 3 – Assessment
A full, comprehensive assessment by a trained practitioner is carried out to fully assess your gambling behaviour or the impact of another individual’s gambling behaviour. You will be made of aware of the support available at BCT and the different treatment and support pathways.
The following topics will typically be covered within an assessment:
– Stake-size
– Psycho, social and physical impact
– Longevity of gambling
– Debt
– Impact on mental health
– Gambling triggers
– Relationships and support networks
– Goals for counselling
– Openness to engage
– Outcome measures (PGSI and Core-10)
A full risk assessment is carried out to explore:
– Co-morbid addictions
– Diagnosed mental health conditions
– Suicidal ideation
– Self-harm
– Harm to others
– History of self-harm/suicidal ideation
– Protective factors and safety plans
Please be aware that all of your information is recorded in a completely confidential manner, in accordance with GDPR.
If we have any concerns or if there are any safeguarding issues, we will work with you to put the right additional support in place, alongside your sessions at BCT.
Additional Support and Referrals
It is important for us that we take a care coordination approach when supporting you through this journey, which means there may be times when we discuss with you referrals to other services for additional or alternative support, dependant on what it is you may be struggling with.
This may be a referral to other gambling support services, peer support, practical support services, or organisations that can support with issues such as finances, legal issues, etc.
We may also contact other professionals such as your GP if we feel there is more support that needs putting in place for your physical or mental health.
Other than in rare and extreme circumstances, before facilitating any referrals, we will discuss this with you and gain your consent.
Referrals are made in agreement with you, the service-user, as another step forward in your journey of recovery and growth.
One-to-one Sessions
Following assessment, you will be booked in for one-to-one sessions. There is no waiting list for this, and you will be booked in within a week of your assessment. Each session duration is 50 minutes. This support generally will consist of the following:
– Psychosocial interventions
– CBT
– Joined-up working with other services
– Coping strategies for gambling and general mental health
– Practical advice
– Relapse prevention
– Working towards specific goals
– Trauma-informed support (if necessary)
– Understanding the underlying causes for your gambling
– How to recognise and control gambling triggers and urges
Halfway through your sessions, your therapist will review with you what progress you feel you have made and what you would like to gain from the rest of your sessions. If you do not feel on track, additional measures or referrals will be put in place.
Once you have completed your one-to-one sessions, if you feel gambling is impacting your relationship, we can then arrange for you to access couples therapy with your partner.
Ending
Once it has been agreed between you and your therapist that your sessions will end, you will look at the progress made and discuss options for further support if needed.
We can then signpost and refer to other services such as:
— GamCare online forums
– National Gambling Helpline
– Other mental health or social services
– Debt agencies
– Gamblers Anonymous
– NHS Northern Gambling Service
– Gordon Moody
We will also make you aware of the aftercare options available.
Follow-Ups
Follow-ups are completed at 3, 6 and 12 months after you have come to the end of your support. This is only conducted with your consent at the beginning of treatment.
It is a chance for you to reflect on the progress made since being discharged from the service and is an opportunity for you to re-access BCT for further support if needed.
Aftercare Support
Once you have completed treatment, you will be made aware of the additional programmes that could benefit your recovery long-term.
Group Support
BCT, in collaboration with BetKnowMore, offer aftercare group support for those that have gambled, as well as affected others. These groups will focus on relapse prevention, general wellbeing, and social reintegration. The groups are led by peer support mentors with lived experience of gambling harms.
Trek Therapy
This is a free programme ran by BCT, working alongside qualified outdoor professionals to deliver nature-based therapeutic support. Trek therapy encourages participants to experience ‘green therapy’ through safe, supported and meaningful group walking activities.
EPIC Restart Foundation
Offer free post-treatment support through lived-experience peer mentors to sustain recovery. The treatment team will facilitate a referral for you if you wish to continue your recovery journey through these services.