GamCare has launched two new support services to help those that are suffering from gambling harm and those affected by someone else’s gambling harm.
The first service is ‘Way Forward’, a virtual support group for women in England and Wales who have been affected by someone else’s gambling harm.
Way Forward will run seven Zoom online sessions every Thursday evening from August 17, focusing on different topics each week.
Topics include: understanding gambling addiction, taking care of yourself, dealing with guilt and shame/enabling behaviours, dealing with anger and resentment, and having difficult conversations/expectations/acceptance, as well as getting to know each other and reflection sessions.
Each session will be run by trained facilitators specialising in supporting women who are affected by gambling-related harms. Click here to find out more about Way Forward.
Earlier this month, GamCare also relaunched the ‘Women’s Chatroom’, a safe online environment for women impacted by gambling harm to seek guidance and support.
The second service GamCare is launching is a new series of daily ‘Chatrooms’, focusing on key themes and discussions with lived experience guests.
Starting from July 31, the chatrooms will cover a different topic depending on the day of the week:
- Monday: Time
- Tuesday: Wellbeing
- Wednesday: Money
- Thursday: Lived Experience
- Friday: Relationships
Time sessions will focus on the time people spend gambling and how harms associated with this can be reduced, exploring how to break the cycle and taking time out.
Wellbeing sessions will look at how gambling can impact wellbeing and how overall wellbeing can be improved, diving into activities to improve wellbeing, mental health awareness and goal setting.
Moreover, money sessions will examine the impact gambling can have on finances and addressing money worries such as debt guidance, budget management and future planning.
Lived experience sessions will offer a space for participants to interact with someone who has lived experience of gambling related harms, share stories and ask questions about gambling, recovery and challenges faced.
Finally, relationship sessions will focus on how gambling can impact relationships and how relationships can be improved including establishing support networks.
Click here to find out more about the new daily Chatrooms series.