Counseling Service in Uptown to Offer Compulsive Gambling Counseling Group

Jan. 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Vantage Point Counseling Services is now offering counseling services to compulsive gamblers in the Dallas area. Services provided will also include group counseling for individuals who have problems dealing with compulsive gambling. This group will focus on helping clients with identifying triggers and creating successful plans to overcome them, learning about boundaries and how to maintain them, improving on self-esteem, and learning how to handle stress without reverting to gambling.

Mr. Michael Salas, the owner and founder of Vantage Point Counseling, will be offering these counseling services to clients and their families to help clients rebuild their lives. "Many problem gamblers have lost the trust of their loved ones. They also have difficulties coping with this lack of trust, so they turn to the temporary grandiosity that gambling can provide," says Salas. At Vantage Point, the problem gambler learns that gambling is only a temporary solution to a long-term problem. More importantly, they learn that there is a way to successfully handle the stress that comes with losing trust. Counseling can help clients break the cycle that is associated with compulsive gambling by giving them new skills to deal with conflict and difficult circumstances.

"Many pathological gamblers do not understand the basis of their problems with gambling," says Salas. This is a major focus of the services provided to clients of Vantage Point. Salas reports that because many clients are detached from their feelings, it is difficult for them to make more rational decisions. This is what group counseling can help with. "Having clients be able to see that they are not alone in their current circumstances, can help them open up in a group setting," says Salas. He goes on to say that clients benefit from giving feedback, as well as receiving it, because it reinforces what they are learning and encourages them to utilizing skills through being helpful to others.

Salas reports that problem gamblers at Vantage Point first learn to identify and understand the underlying issues that lead to gambling, and are then given the tools on how to cope with these issues, rather than avoid or distract themselves from them. Vantage Point primarily utilizes Cognitive-Behavioral and Solution-Focused treatment approaches to help clients deal with these issues. This teaches clients to change their thinking so that they can make more rational decisions and feel more at ease. Solution-Focused approaches help clients learn how to manage situations where they are more likely to act impulsive. Both strategies work to help clients become more reliant on their developing skills, which promotes long-term success.

Vantage Point views counseling for the pathological gambler through a holistic lens. "Clients who have problems with compulsive gambling are often missing several important pieces to a balance in their lives," says Salas. "Thus successful pathological gambling counseling includes rebuilding a career, developing relationship skills, learning to relax, and developing leisure activities." Vantage Point takes into account the whole person that is being worked with and individualizes treatment to meet this person's needs. Clients learn to successfully manage their stress and build self-esteem from successfully handling difficult situations, rather than dissociating from severe insecurity.

For more information about services offered by Vantage Point, please visit their website directly at http://vantagepointdallascounseling.com. There you will find appropriate contact information to contact Vantage Point directly with any questions that you may have.

# # #

Providing substance abuse and mental health counseling to individuals, groups, and couples in the Dallas area. Vantage Point focuses on helping people with anxiety issues, individuals with Asperger Syndrome, and those who are part of the LGBT community.