I’m Worried about Someone Else’s Gambling

Is it worth going to talk to someone? Is this a problem or am I exaggerating? It is a problem if:

• You are distressed by it – it doesn’t matter whether other people would be distressed by it, too, or not. Your feelings are always valid and important. We can help you make further sense and assist you in working out how you want to respond.
• You and/or your family or children are negatively affected by gambling.
• You feel worried about your finances.
• It is affecting your sleep, eating, general health or functioning.
• You feel confused and stuck and don’t know how to move forward.
• You don’t know how to support your gambling partner, family member, friend or colleague.

Talking to someone who has a lot of experience in this field can be very helpful in feeling clearer and empowered to take charge of your life again. Many people report that they have found it useful in working out how they can continue to love and support the person who gambles and keep themselves and their interests safe at the same time.

The Gambling Help Services Support Package

• Free and confidential
• Based on what you want
• Everything that happens to you in counselling is decided by you
• Non-judgemental
• Work collaboratively
• Promote self-determination
• Culturally safe
• Child-centred
• Trauma-informed

Click HERE to make an appointment or call us now on 08 8216 5246 (9am – 5pm Mon to Fri and out-of-hours please leave a message), or send us an email to gamblinghelp@rasa.org.au.

Relationships Australia SA provides a free, confidential and comprehensive counselling support service for anyone negatively affected by their own or someone else’s gambling.

We can help if someone else’s gambling is affecting your:

• life
• relationships
• finances
• capacity to parent or work effectively
• health and wellbeing

Our Gambling Help Team consists of qualified Counsellors with extensive experience in helping individuals, couples and families with problem gambling and related issues.  We know that gambling can mean different things in different cultures and that an understanding of cultural expectations can be important. To understand any specific needs, we work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

As Counsellors, we:

• Know a lot about how gambling comes to become a problem in people’s lives and don’t judge or stigmatise
• We help you make sense of what is happening to the person who gambles, yourself and your family
• We help you become clear on what you want to do under the circumstances
• Work collaboratively with other agencies where useful
• Support clients to access third-party barrings (link to ‘Third-Party Barring page/section), where desired
• Are available for as long as you need
• Have a very informal referral process – you can just call us
• Use a range of therapeutic approaches

Click HERE to make an appointment or call us now on 08 8216 5246 (9am – 5pm Mon to Fri and out-of-hours please leave a message), or send us an email to gamblinghelp@rasa.org.au.

Click HERE to download the Gambling Help Service brochure.

Financial counselling is a free and confidential service provided by qualified Financial Counsellors, experienced in working with financial issues caused by problem gambling, help relieve the stress of finances and develop a money management plan for the future.

Financial Counsellors assist you by listening to you. They are non-judgemental and understand that life has its ups and downs. A Financial Counsellor is there to support you to deal with your financial problems.

Additionally, a Financial Counsellor will:

• Act solely in your interest
• Assess your current situation
• Give you information about your options
• Work with you to develop a plan
• Deal with credit providers and others on your behalf
• Negotiate with gas, electricity, telephone and other providers to develop workable payment solutions
• Develop a budget with you for the future
• Offer specialist support referrals to organisations that provide services such as counselling, legal services, emergency relief, fine relief etc
• Assess your entitlements (no-interest loans, unconscionable lending, ombudsmen, internal dispute resolutions etc), and support you in accessing them if you wish

Click HERE to make an appointment or call us now on 08 8216 5246 (9am – 5pm Mon to Fri and out-of-hours please leave a message), or send us an email to gamblinghelp@rasa.org.au.

Trained peer support workers offer you the chance to talk with someone who has experienced a problematic relationship with gambling… and recovered!

A Peer Support Worker can:

• Offer HOPE, that you too can overcome your gambling problems
• Support the client’s journey of recovery at their pace and in their individual way
• Listen and offer support
• Provide practical information
• Understand recovery as an ongoing, lifetime process which can be cyclical and not linear
• Share what they have learned to support your recovery
• Provide one-on-one support, with flexible delivery (location, time etc.)
• Advocate for you, where possible and with permission
• Celebrate your achievements and remind you of your progress

Peer Support Services also work collaboratively in partnership with:

• Offenders Rehabilitation Services (OARS)
• Catherine House
• Baptist Care SA
• Gambling Intervention Program (GIP)

Peer Support offers both group and individual support:

• SMART Recovery
• IKIGAI – Relapse Prevention Group
• Inside Out Program – Forensic Support

The Peer Support Service is a free confidential service offered as part of Relationships Australia SA’s Gambling Help Service.

Click HERE to make an appointment or call us now on 08 8216 5246 (9am-5pm Mon to Fri and if out-of-hours, please leave a message), or send an email anytime to gamblinghelp@rasa.org.au.

Click here for more information.