Gambling Counselling – Regain Control and Restore Balance

You may have been surprised at how quickly gambling shifted from an enjoyable escape to a dangerous obsession. The signs may not have been obvious at first, but may have become harder to ignore.

You may:

• Spend more time or money gambling than you intended

• Feel anxious, guilty, or out of control

• Use gambling to cope with stress, loneliness, or boredom

• Hide the extent of your gambling from people you love

• Experience stress or conflict in relationships

• Feel financial pressure due to gambling losses

• Want to change but feel unsure where to start

If these sound familiar, know that you’re not alone — and that change is possible. Reaching out for help is a good first step.

Gambling impacts everyone — family, spouses, and close friends. Loved ones often experience feelings of anger, betrayal, anxiety, and exhaustion. They may feel pressured to “fix” the problem or to constantly monitor the gambler’s behaviour.

Mark Holland offers counselling for family members impacted by gambling to help:

• Set healthy boundaries

• Improve communication

• Manage feelings of guilt or blame

• Focus on your own well-being

• Create strategies to offer support for the person gambling

Support for affected others is just as important as support for the person gambling — everyone deserves care and understanding.

Counselling provides a safe, confidential space to talk openly about your experiences with gambling without fear of judgment. Together, we’ll explore:

• What’s keeping the cycle going

• Triggers and underlying emotional patterns

• How gambling impacts your mental health, finances, and relationships

• Strategies for reducing or stopping gambling

• Tools for long-term relapse prevention

My role is not to tell you what to do, but to work alongside you — helping you make choices that align with your goals and values.

I combine professional training with lived experience. My approach is supportive, respectful, and evidence-informed, drawing from:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): To identify and change unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns.

• Motivational Interviewing: To help you explore your readiness for change and strengthen your commitment to it.

• Psychoeducation: Understanding gambling behaviour, risk factors, and brain responses.

• Attachment-Based Therapy: Exploring emotional needs and relationship patterns linked to gambling behaviour.

• Relapse Prevention: Building strategies and support systems to maintain progress over time.

Whether you’re in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, or a smaller BC community, you can access online gambling counselling from the privacy of your home.

Virtual sessions are convenient, confidential, and flexible — making it easier to start whenever you’re ready.

While everyone’s journey is unique, some common goals include:

• Reducing or stopping gambling

• Repairing trust in relationships

• Managing urges and cravings

• Finding healthier coping strategies

• Addressing financial stress

• Building new hobbies and interests

• Improving emotional regulation

In your first session, we’ll focus on getting to know each other and understanding your situation. You can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. We’ll discuss your goals for counselling and begin creating a plan tailored to your needs.

There’s no pressure, no lectures, and no judgment — just support and practical steps forward.

If you’re looking for gambling addiction help in BC, I offer a free 15-minute consultation so we can see if working together feels like the right fit. You can ask questions, share your concerns, and get a sense of how counselling could help.

Contact me today or visit our booking page to get started.

Do I have to stop gambling completely to come to counselling?

Not necessarily. Some clients want to reduce gambling rather than stop entirely. We’ll work with your goals, whether that’s complete abstinence or harm reduction.

Is gambling counselling confidential?

Yes. All sessions are private and confidential, within the limits of professional ethics and legal requirements.

Can counselling help if I’ve tried to quit and relapsed before?

Relapse is part of the process. Counselling can help you understand what led to it and establish a plan to prevent it in the future.

How many sessions will I need?

Within 10-12 sessions I will set you up with a plan that will allow you to sustain progress and allow you to work towards your goals independently.

Can family members attend sessions with me?

Yes. Family and/or couples sessions can help with communication and rebuilding trust and can be a helpful part of the recovery process.