Continue reading »]]> The new Minnesota Problem Gambling crisis microsite is now live at www.getgamblinghelp.com! This site was developed specifically to serve those in immediate need of assistance, either for themselves or someone they know. A little over half of callers to the Helpline  reference online information as the resource that prompted them to call. We are excited and hopeful that this new destination will increase our ability to reach and serve those in need. Also, early next week we will be launching a mobile version of the microsite to make it easier for cellphone viewing. Please join us in sharing the site URL with any individual or organization you feel could help us with this important outreach.

Continue reading »]]> Thanks to grants from the Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance, three community organizations will be conducting gambling awareness efforts during National Problem Gambling Awareness Week. These organizations include: 1) Acres for Life, Center for Growth and Learning, 2) Club Recovery, and 3) Pathways Counseling Center. Their planned activities are detailed below:

Acres for Life, Center for Growth and Learning will be holding an Open House for professionals, individuals and families on March 5 from 5 to 8 p.m.

The event will include:

• Nita Kordonowy, MA, LACD, NCGC, who will discuss how to recognize problem gambling, when to seek assistance and what resources are available for support and treatment
• Hands on experiential demonstrations with horses throughout the evening, providing insight into how these amazing animals can help with the awareness, support and recovery process.

Acres for Life is located at 11720 – 256th Street, Chisago City, MN. 55013. For more information, contact Laurie Burgess, Acres for Life equine specialist at (612) 801-4662.

Club Recovery will be hosting a Gambling Awareness Program on March 8 at 7 p.m.   This program will feature a speech by Joe Bailey, “Healing from Within.”  Mr. Bailey is a well-known psychologist, speaker and author of The Serenity Principle: Finding Inner Peace in Recovery and Slowing Down to the Speed of Life: How to Avoid the Frenzy of the Fast Lane.  The program will allow audience members to interact with the speaker and compulsive gambling experts to explore issues surrounding recovery and compulsive gambling.

Club Recovery is located at 6550 York Ave S., Suite 610, Edina, MN  55435. If you are interested in attending, please register with Club Recovery, LLC at (952) 926-2526.

Pathways Counseling Center will be speaking to a class of high-risk youth at Hopkins High School on Wednesday, March 6. The class is about healthy living skills and will focus on money management.  It will include a discussion about the costs of gambling, the risks involved and healthy alternatives.

Continue reading »]]> The effects of someone’s gambling can extend to well beyond just the gambler. They can affect a partner, child, parent or friend. This is the account of a Minnesotan whose husband was a problem gambler.

The idea of addictive gambling is something I’d never even thought about. I’d always thought gambling was just a fun activity that people enjoyed … sort of a night out and a form of entertainment. I didn’t know what a compulsive gambler was and had no reason to think about it. When you’re in love with someone, it’s the last thing you think about.

That changed after I learned more about my husband. The first sign that something was wrong was when he asked me to lend him some money so that his dad could get a new water heater for his car. At first, I didn’t give it a second thought. But a few weeks later when I saw my father-in-law I asked him how his car was working. He gave me a surprised look. I explained that my husband had told me about his car problem and that I’d given money to help out. He told me that never happened … and so I began to wonder what was going on.

After that, I started noticing that my husband spent increasing amounts of time gambling at the casino. I remember asking him why he couldn’t just gamble every few months or so. But he couldn’t stop. He couldn’t go more than three weeks without gambling.

Sometimes, he would spend his whole paycheck on gambling. When that would happen, he’d have a hard time facing me so he would stay at his father’s. And when he finally did come home he would be very remorseful and tell me how sorry he was and he would promise me that it wouldn’t happen again.

His gambling got worse. We had made special plans for a trip to celebrate my fiftieth birthday and saved up some money. But then I learned that he’d spent the trip money on gambling. It seemed that anything that was stressful was a trigger for him to gamble.

I convinced him to attend Gambler’s Anonymous while I started going to Gam-Anon. That experience really opened my eyes to the extent of the problem and what had been going on.  However, it didn’t help my husband. He said he didn’t fit in and that he was really going for me and not for himself.

I was told at my first Gam-Anon meeting that it would get worse before it got better. The group also taught me about “enabling” the gambler. I realized that I was enabling him by lending him money after he lost all of his so he could get through the week buying gas and work lunches. So the next time he asked to borrow money I said, “No” and he had a fit. He actually went into a rage and threw away his wedding ring, which we never did find. So yes, it did get worse instead of better, and we eventually separated.

My husband finally admitted that he did have a gambling problem but promised me he was done gambling. He also told the clergy (his cousin) that the whole marriage breakdown was due to his gambling and that he was not going to gamble anymore because he loved his wife. But just four days later I learned that he left work early to go to Treasure Island.

I also learned that his trips up north to visit his brother were trips to the casino. I discovered this when he called me from a casino and didn’t actually hang up his phone completely. I heard the sounds of the casino.

We eventually got divorced. I still love him and I know he still loves me, but he also understands what he put me through and he knows there is no way we could have a life together given that he still gambles. He has told me over and over how sorry he is. I have forgiven him and understand that it’s an illness. I also understand that there is help for those that want to stop gambling.

There have been nights when he’s called me in tears about his gambling. I’ve told him that he needs to get into a 30-day program and I’ve even given him the phone number. But when he wakes up in the morning, he’s changed his mind and says he just needed to talk to me. I know it’s something he can’t allow himself to sleep on. He has to go when he feels the need.

I’ve learned a lot through this experience. For one, people think they can change other people, but they can’t. All you can do is keep encouraging them.

It’s very difficult being the spouse of a person with a gambling problem. You’re afraid to leave your husband for a weekend to spend time with your girlfriends. That’s no way to live. I could not live in crisis day in and day out, always knowing there was a little calm before the storm, having to hide my money and never knowing if what he said was the truth or a lie.

Continue reading »]]> Sandi Brustuen may not be Neil Armstrong or Charles Lindbergh but she’s a pioneer in her own right. Sandi, who received the Dr. Robert Custer Lifetime Award for Direct Service from the National Council of Problem Gambling (NCPG) in July, has spent the last 22 years advancing the field of gambling addiction treatment in Minnesota and beyond.

“Sandi was recognized not only for her outstanding record as a treatment professional, but also the influence she’s had nationwide through efforts like Vanguard’s in-service program and her generosity in sharing her knowledge and experience with those entering the field,” says Don Feeney, research and planning director title at the Minnesota State Lottery and president of the NCPG.

In the late 1980s, counseling for problem gamblers was in its infancy. No paths had been blazed and no established programs existed in MN.

“Project Turnabout started receiving calls for gambling help in the late ’80s,” says Sandi, a unit coordinator for the Vanguard program at Project Turnabout. “We looked around for places that provided those services, but couldn’t find any.”

As a result, Sandi took it upon herself to learn about problem gambling. Along with a handful of others, she worked to create awareness about gambling addiction along with a framework to help gamblers overcome their addictions.

“It was rather lonely in the early days,” remembers Sandi. “We went to high schools, senior citizen conferences and many other places to create awareness. Sometimes nobody or just one or two people would show up.” The sparse attendance reflected the lack of interest and knowledge about problem gambling in the early ’90s.

Back in those days, Sandi always kept a suitcase packed in case she had to go to St. Paul to testify before the legislature about problem gambling. Her efforts eventually brought more attention to the field.

Until 1995, Sandi and other recipients of the state’s six original problem gambling grants gathered monthly to hold informal conferences and training among themselves. “We talked about what was working and what wasn’t, and often supported each other through phone calls. It wasn’t a very formal training arrangement.”

Sandi has been instrumental in the significant changes that have occurred since the mid ’90s. Since that time, gambling participation has grown but there’s also been an increase in gambling treatment professionals, both in the state of Minnesota and nationwide. Sandi has played a large role in the state’s effort to train and certify gambling counselors.

What has not changed through the decades is Sandi’s commitment to the field and her empathy for those who struggle with gambling addictions. “What really got me going was the stories of desperation I heard … how gambling had taken people down financially, emotionally and with their relationships. I don’t think people realize how desperate gamblers can feel.”

What keeps Sandi so actively engaged in the field after all these years? “It’s exciting, and there’s always something new to be discovered about addiction. There are always new tools being developed to help people.” Sandi estimates that she’s been involved in the treatment of approximately 4,000 pathological gamblers during her career.

Sandi sees many challenges ahead for the problem gambling treatment field. “We have to continue to build awareness. There seems to be a block for so many people to recognize this addiction called pathological gambling.”

“Gambling is not going away and neither are the problems associated with it,” says Sandi. “But there are many people in this field who are willing to continue with the work that needs to be done. And really, that work has just started.”

Continue reading »]]> Historically, Minnesota’s focus on problem gambling has not taken into consideration how it may fit within the context of other addictions and mental illnesses. However, Minnesota’s Department of Human Services (DHS), the agency that provides oversight of problem gambling treatment in the state, is in the process of bringing a more comprehensive, team approach to the issue of problem gambling.

The goal of DHS is to ensure that the state’s problem gambling program is operating smoothly and that there’s an effective educational awareness campaign to individuals, family members and the public about the dangers of problem gambling. This includes oversight of the problem gambling helpline and problem gambling awareness campaigns. DHS is also responsible for producing policy standards for problem gambling treatment.

The state’s increased leadership role in bringing additional resources to problem gambling will impact both providers and those with gambling addictions. “We’re doing more with clinical resources and evidence-based treatment services as part of a greater strategic improvement process,” says Cynthia Godin, director of the Adult Mental Health Division at DHS.

One example is an emphasis on co-occurring mental illnesses that will be employed to address problem gamblers. “People may come to problem gambling treatment, but it’s important to know what brought them there. Is it due to depression, anxiety, substance addiction or other factors?” says Cynthia.

“We’re looking at what gambling treatment providers are doing with assessments and interventions and seeking to make a connection between that and what other providers for substance abuse and other treatment fields are doing,” says Julie Pearson, clinical services policy supervisor with the Adult Mental Health Division at DHS. “We know that there is a considerable amount of crossover from our work with co-occurring disorders.”

DHS will also take an active role in establishing best practices standards for providers. “We know that certain therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing, have been shown to be effective in helping problem gamblers,” says Cynthia. “We are working with providers in the treatment field to develop a state certification that will ensure we have uniform and high standards, and are using evidence-based treatments.”

Some of DHS’s goals for the next six to twelve months regarding problem gambling include the following:

1. Continuing a strategic planning process, which began in December, to establish standards relating to problem gambling treatment

2. Ensure that the problem gambling treatment crisis helpline has measurable outcomes in place that can be reported back to an advisory committee on compulsive gambling

3. Create a public awareness campaign for the next two years that reaches the public and new stakeholders who might not have been aware of problems associated with gambling

4. Build a strong partnership with gambling treatment providers, the advisory committee, the general public and other stakeholders to continue to improve problem gambling treatment services in Minnesota

“What Minnesota is doing is very exciting,” says Cynthia. “There’s a lot of work to be done but there are great benefits to having everyone work together. And ultimately, it’s a real benefit to those in need of these services.”

Continue reading »]]> In late August the Minnesota problem gambling helpline contract from the state was awarded to the Invitation Health Institute (IHI). Call center operations will now be handled by Canvas Health/Crisis Connection out of Richfield. IHI (formerly the Minnesota Institute of Public Health) had initially started the helpline and hosted the operation until 2007 when the service contract was awarded to a Chicago-based EAP.

The staff at Canvas Health began taking calls to the helpline on October 1. We believe that having the helpline administered locally will strengthen the interaction and involvement of Minnesota Department of Human Services staff, problem gambling treatment providers and other stakeholders, insuring that the helpline provides the highest level of service to anyone calling for assistance.

The helpline is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Its goal is to help troubled gamblers and concerned family members identify plans of action and find referrals to counseling and treatment. Anyone in Minnesota can access the helpline at (800) 333-HOPE. Treatment providers should contact Kevin Spading, project director, or Becky Sechrist, project manager, with any questions.

Continue reading »]]> The Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance invests significant resources in community and professional outreach activities to help educate the community and professionals on problem gambling issues. We will be particularly busy this fall at conferences and events throughout Minnesota. The following is a schedule of our upcoming outreach events. If you’ll be in the area, stop by and say hello.

Oct 8-9:  St. Louis County Health and Human Service Conference, Duluth, MN

Oct 12:  National Alliance on Mental Illness Conference (NAMI), St. Cloud, MN

Oct 13:  MADD Youth Jam Conference, Woodbury, MN

Oct 24-25:  Minnesota Corrections Association Conference, Duluth, MN

Oct 25-26:  Many Faces of Community Health Conference, Minneapolis, MN

Oct 25-26:  2012 Program Sharing Conference (MPRC), St. Cloud, MN

Oct 29-31:  Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health Conference (MARRCH), St. Paul, MN

Oct 30:  Dakota County Mental Health Summit, Lakeville, MN

Nov. 1-2:  Minnesota Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Conference (MAMFT), Brooklyn Center, MN

Nov 3:  National Alliance on Mental Illness Conference (NAMI), St. Paul, MN

Nov 7: North Hennepin Community College Health Resources Fair, Brooklyn Park, MN

Nov 15-16:  Allied Charities of Minnesota Conference, Duluth, MN

Continue reading »]]> Fairview’s Compulsive Gambling Program includes two phases of primary treatment lasting 16 weeks. The program also includes an aftercare program that begins immediately following primary treatment and helps ensure success in overcoming gambling addiction. The team of qualified professionals includes primary, family and aftercare counselors specially trained to help understand and overcome the urge to gamble.

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Compulsive Gambling Program
University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
West Bank Campus
2450 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454

Phone: 855-270-5572
Email: Dkoepli1@fairview.org
www.fairview.org

Continue reading »]]> Pat Pardun, MS, is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC) and state-certified Minnesota gambling treatment provider located in Stillwater, Minnesota — serving the St. Croix Valley area. Pat offers counseling, support and referral services to individual problem gamblers and affected family members. In addition to problem gambling services, Pat offers individual, couple, and family therapy for a wide range of mental and chemical health issues. Pat looks forward to working with others in their change process and being a witness to self-discovery and growth!

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Pat Pardun, MS, LMFT, LADC
Sound Mind – Therapy and Consultation
106 East Chestnut Street, Suite 206
Stillwater, MN  55082

Phone: 651-275-9090
Fax: 651-439-2353

Email: pat@soundmindnow.com
www.soundmindnow.com

Continue reading »]]> Although Dianne is not a big football fan, she’ll never forget the Monday Night Football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys on January 3, 1983. It was the first major bet her husband, Don, placed on a football game. He bet a whopping $1,500 – an amount to cover accumulated gambling losses to date – and lost.

More than 25 years later, Dianne shudders at the memory of that night. She looks back on it as the beginning of a 14-year period in which her husband’s gambling took the family on a roller coaster ride it never wanted.

Shortly after that Vikings game, Don’s gambling losses began to mount. It soon led to another early memory that haunted the family: his young children watched in dismay as a stranger came into their house to remove a Betamax machine, the sales proceeds of which would be used to settle gambling debt. In the first of many gambling-related lies to his children, Don explained that the machine was broken.

In time, Don’s betting advanced from football to all other sports, and he soon had his own bookie. “I bet every day of the year except the Monday and Wednesday before and after the baseball all-star game, the only two days of the year when there was no sports betting,” says Don.

After Don’s bookie was the subject of a police raid, federal agents dressed in suits and badges came to the house. That development sent shock waves through the family. “That really scared the kids and I felt we couldn’t have that,” says Dianne. She subsequently packed up the kids and moved in hopes of finding a more stable home environment.

The sight of an empty house served as the first wakeup call for Don. He began attending Gambler’s Anonymous in 1986 and convinced Dianne he was ready to quit. Only he really wasn’t.

Shortly thereafter, Dianne came across a piece of paper with a list of football games while the couple was away at a cabin. “I was assured by Don that they were old games because he’d quit gambling.” She later confirmed the list was for current football games.

As a result, Don became increasingly sneaky in his dealings. He cancelled handball games with friends and rearranged work shifts so he could find more time for gambling at the casino. Don learned to kite checks from three checking accounts he created, and found himself visiting a banker every day. “I could at least relax on the weekends when the banks were closed,” recalls Don some 20 years later. He was working one job and half of another “to keep all the balls in the air.”

Don forged his wife’s signature a few times to take out loans to pay gambling debts. With a flexible work schedule, Don, who controlled the family’s finances, arranged to be home when he knew the mailman would arrive, meeting him several houses in advance. “The joke was that I was having an affair with the mailman,” says Don.

The cycle of lies and deceit – as well as a general absence from the family – continued through 1994, about eight years after Don first attended GA. On Tuesday, December 27, 1994, he called in sick to work and cancelled a handball match with a friend so that he could stay at a casino. When Don, who called his wife every afternoon like clockwork, didn’t call at the usual time, Dianne suspected the worst. Late that afternoon, a call finally came. “Would you mind if I cashed another $100 check,” Don asked? “Do whatever you want, stay as long as you want, I don’t care,” said his defeated wife of 16 years.

Don came home in the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday, but to a bedroom that was locked. He knew he’d hit rock bottom and had to stop gambling. He went to GA that night and has been attending religiously every since. That Tuesday night was the last time he’s every gambled.

Today, Don is well into his recovery and is a thriving member of society. He considers himself fortunate in that GA has helped him, and helped him at age where he can still repay his debts and hopefully accumulate something of a nest egg. Other gambling addicts require individual treatment and counseling to help in their recovery.

The road has been long and not without challenges. “It was particularly tough to quit at the beginning,” says Don. “Even several years into it, I remember seeing a list of football games and asking myself if the Packers would cover the spread, etc.” For her part, all these year’s later, Dianne’s stomach still turns when she sees her husband turn the channel from one football game to another, conditioned for so many years to think he’s checking on games he bet on.

Forgiveness, after so many years of deception, is difficult to grant. In Don and Dianne’s case, a more complete healing didn’t occur until well after Don had quit gambling and the couple had engaged in Retrouvaille, a type of marriage counseling that’s not unlike a 12-step program.

Thankfully, much of the damage caused by Don’s gambling has gradually healed. His daughter, who wouldn’t allow him to attend her high school graduation nor be part of her wedding, has reconciled with Don. “Our kids carried around a ton of hurt from what their father did,” says Dianne. “It seemed like every time we wanted to do something as a family, all the sudden he was gone. For the kids, it was one broken promise after another.”

Today, 17 years into his recovery, Don’s promises are as good as gold.