Exploring the transformative effects of creating safe spaces for women in recovery—building community from isolation one story at a time.
Women impacted by gambling harm often face uniquechallenges from caregiving roles to social expectations, and the lack of women-centered recovery spaces. This episode, featuring guests Terra Carbert (Ambitious Addicts) and Christina Cook (The Broke Girl Society), explores the origins and impact of the Broken Girl Society (BGS) Facebook forum and podcast. A growing community of nearly 3,100 women, BGS offers connection, support, and hope to women in recovery from gambling harm. The conversation addresses stigma, unique impacts from gambling experienced by women, and the importance of safe spaces where women can openly share their pain and discover pathways to healing.
Resources:
The Broke Girl Society
https://thebrokegirlsociety.com/
Ambitious Addicts
Gender Differences in Problem Gamblers in an Online Gambling Setting (Research: National Library of Medicine)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4736715/
Women’s gambling behaviour, product preferences, andperceptions of product harm: differences by age and gambling risk status (Research: National Library of Medicine)
Examining Gender Differences for Gambling Engagement and Gambling Problems Among Emerging Adults (Research: National Library of Medicine)
Many people who end up developing a Gambling Disorder never intend to commit a crime, but the desperation to continue gambling or to make ends meet can lead them there. The traditional criminal justice system is wholly unprepared to adequately address an underlying Gambling Disorder, or to support the recovery of incarcerated individuals how now have even more access to gambling within jails and prisons. This episode explores gambling-motivated crimes, the criminal justice system, and other intersecting life impacts that are felt by many individuals and families across the country each year.
Oblio Stroyman (he/him, they/them) talks about their work as a mental health and gambling addiction therapist who specializes in working with families and 2SLGBTQIA+ clients. What can clients do to cope with fears and anxiety about their health, rights, and safety? What can providers do to support their clients and find resources? What do you do if the family you are born into isn’t providing the support you need? This episode discusses those questions and more!
Visit our blog for resources and more information:
Sex, Substances, and Gambling:
Exploring Their Surprising Similarities – S6E1
Hosts of the Calm and Cool podcast, Jeff Burt and Miguel Alvarado talk about their recovery from sex, porn, and substances as well as what they have learned about gambling addiction. They discuss parenting struggles, addiction in the digital age, grieving lost dreams, and the gift of transformation. Since they have taken a quest to better understand gambling addiction, Tana tests their knowledge.
Resources:
Calm and Cool Podcast (Website)
Calm and Cool Podcast (YouTube)
Washington State Problem Gambling Helpline – 24/7 connection to a live Helpline specialist CALL or TEXT:
CHAT:
National Problem Gambling Helpline
Chat:
988 Lifeline – If you need to talk, the 988 Lifeline is here.
In this episode Tana is joined by her boss, Maureen Greeley, Executive Director of ECPG; Cait Huble, Director of Communications at the National Council on Problem Gambling; and Randy Warick, Director of Sales and Marketing at Washington's Lottery. They discuss what Gift Responsibly campaigns are about, how they started vs. what they look like now, and why this message is important for anyone helping to influence the healthy development of children in today's very complicated world.
When people talk about tribal gaming, they often are talking about modern day casinos and gambling as part of the entertainment industry. However, that's not how things started. Join Tana Russell, SUDP, NCTTP, WSCGC-II, CGT, and Co-host Ricki Peone, LMSW, ICGC-II, BACC, together with guest, and Turtle Island storyteller, Roger Fernande as they discuss gambling, gambling games, and their impact on culture and community.
Dr. Shandra Parks, President of the Maryland Council on Problem Gambling, joins podcast host Tana Russell, Deputy Director of the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, on this episode. Together they discuss gambling-related impacts in black communities through Dr. Parks' professional background first working in faith communities and financial social work, before also becoming a Certified Gambling Counselor, the President of the Maryland Council on Problem Gambling, and owner of Sparks Wellness Group. Together they explore how the worlds of faith, finances, and gambling collide to affect the lives of individuals, families, and communities.
Resources:
Maryland Council on Problem Gambling: https://www.marylandproblemgambling.org/
ECPG Problem Gambling Awareness Month 2024: https://www.evergreencpg.org/pgam-2024/
TikTok meets gambling recovery – Rob One Day At A Time (O.D.A.A.T.) joins us to discuss how he’s spreading awareness and offering support through social media using his own story of recovery.
Resources:
Rob ODAAT website: https://www.robodaat.com/about-me/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rob_odaat/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rob_odaat
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@rob_odaat
ECPG Helpline page: https://www.evergreencpg.org/help-and-hope/programs-and-services/helpline-info/
In this episode we hear from guest William Castillo, a licensed therapist and gambling counselor, as he talks about what he overcame, worked through, and let go of, to be able to pursue his own dreams and life happiness. He also gives some very practical advice to others who may feel bound by the expectations of others, trapped in grief, unsure what to do to take care of their emotional health, or how to find happiness in their own life. Trigger warning, this episode does discuss grief, loss, and suicide. Resources:
Meet guests Jose Garcia, CGAC-I, CADC-II, and Antonio Sosa, SUDP, WSCGC-I, in this Connections podcast episode. They share their experiences about being a part of the rich Latino/a culture and hear about how they raise awareness for mental health and help care for and heal their communities.
Resources:
What is “two-spirit?” What’s the difference between two-spirit vs. LGBTQIA+? What does it mean to be a “settler?” And what does all this have to do with gambling or gaming, recovery, and behavioral health? Listen to find out. With special guests:
Harlan Pruden and Ryan Stillwagon
Resources:
Two-Spirit Dry Lab https://twospiritdrylab.ca/
People may often think of treatment professionals, peers, and 12-steps when they think of recovery help services, but who else is behind the scenes? Who helps the helpers!? Who can they turn to for assistance in implementing evidence-based practices, creating a contingency-management program, training on specific topics, and more? The NW ATTC and ECPG have been partnering on training for over three years now, if you don’t know what they do, here’s a good opportunity to find out.
Denna Vandersloot, Co-Director of NW ATTC
Mitch Doig, Technology Transfer Specialist (OR/ID) NW ATTC
Resources:
NW ATTC home page: https://attcnetwork.org/
NW ATTC training page: https://attcnetwork.org/centers/global-attc/training-and-events-calendar
Dr. Cash and Dr. Diez-Morel share how they got interested in studying and treating Gaming Disorder, why they have stayed involved in it, what inspired them to contribute to sharing knowledge, and recruiting others to the field. They share the literature that has taught them a lot about the field, what they’ve studied, and what still needs to be researched. Check it out!
Guests’ Websites and Publications:
Stephanie Diez-Morel
Dr. Hilarie Cash
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
“I finally got Rob on the show!” If you didn’t know, March is national Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM). Here at ECPG, we get all kinds of questions like “what exactly is PGAM?” “Anything interesting happening this year?” “You guys seem really busy this month, what’s going on?” So, we wanted to do an episode all about PGAM, with a “behind-the-scenes" look at the trends we’ve seen and the stuff we get excited about, such as the partnerships and teachable moments we’ve had with our advisors on equity and social justice. Kudos to Rob for coming on the show as a guest, to our whole team, partners, and everyone across the country who works incredibly hard to raise awareness and access to services for gambling-related concerns. But always, congratulations to those who are changing their lives for the better. Resources:
Cait Huble with NCPG and Kristi Weeks with Washington’s Lottery explain what “Gift-Responsibly” both around the holidays and all year means and why lottery and scratch-off tickets are not appropriate gifts for minors. Then we do a little “un-boxing” of our own as we open the gifts we sent each other before the episode recording. Wow, were we in for a hilarious surprise!
#GiftResponsibly Lottery Tickets Aren't Child's Play
Resource Links:
ECPG Gift Responsibly Post: https://www.evergreencpg.org/news/the-last-minute-gift-idea-challenge-giftresponsibly/
National Council on Problem Gambling: https://www.ncpgambling.org/
NCPG Gift-Responsibly: https://www.ncpgambling.org/programs-resources/gift-responsibly-campaign/
Washington’s Lottery: https://www.walottery.com/
Washington’s Lottery Gift-Responsibly: https://walottery.com/Responsibility/GiftsToMinors.aspx
Recommended Reads
A couple brilliant “bookworms” and authors, Jody Bechtold and Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel, share about some of the most influential authors and bodies of work that contributed to their understanding of problem gambling and gaming. They also share about some of their own publications, what they read for fun, and make recommendations for books that make great gifts.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the episode. Are you curious about a recommended reading mentioned in the podcast? Host Tana Russell has you covered with a complete list in our episode blog post: https://www.evergreencpg.org/podcast/recommended-reads-season-3-episode-10/
You can this blog post and more episode resource here at: https://www.evergreencpg.org/listen/
TRIGGER WARNING: this episode discusses numbers, pros and cons of gambling, and mentions thoughts of suicide.
Author, advocate, and person in recovery from sports betting, Joel Soper (author of Never Enough Zeros) talks about how he finally found peace after the exhausting “hamster wheel” of Gambling Disorder. Finding he could be more successful in life, relationships, and purpose through recovery than in “the chase for vicarious thrills” through gambling. He grants us a raw view of his life and struggles in the depths of gambling harm from the betting which took everything from him. As well as how he fought, and continues to fight, for freedom, purpose, and autonomy with a variety of healing strategies...including some unconventional means.
https://www.evergreencpg.org/podcast/life-after-sports-betting-season-3-episode-9/
Resources:
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The referencing of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by ECPG of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. Unless otherwise specified, ECPG does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations or on the listserv. All links are provided with the intent of meeting the educational goals and mission of ECPG. Please let us know about existing external links you believe are inappropriate and about specific additional external links you believe ought to be included.
In this episode I get to interview Dr. Paul Jackson, retired from a career in computer engineering, who talks to us about the Metaverse. The good, the bad, the positive potential, and the potential for harm and even addiction, with a sneak peak at the future of the Metaverse, the Omniverse.
Tanna Engdahl describes her life and what led her to become a Cowlitz Tribal Elder, and what that means for her now. The stories and wisdom of her grandmother are passed on through her, and she shares the importance of being a role model and a servant to the community, as she says, “we are ALL elders in waiting.”
Resources:
Cowlitz Indian Tribe: https://www.cowlitz.org/
Cowlitz Indian Tribe Health & Human Services Programs: https://www.cowlitz.org/services/health-and-human-services.html
Washington Tribes: https://www.washingtontribes.org/
Latina leader and researcher, Dr. Susie Villalobos, joins this Connections episode. She is the Director of the National Hispanic Latino Addiction and Prevention Technology Transfer Centers, and host of the “Latinos Con Voz” podcast. She gets real about what led her to this work, how she uncovers the needs of Latino communities, and the incredible teamwork that goes into the heart-driven dedication of making it happen.
Resources: National Latino Behavioral Health Association: http://www.nlbha.org/ 2022 NLBHA Conference, Sept. 15-16: https://nlbhconference.com/
National Hispanic Latino Addiction Technology Transfer Center: https://attcnetwork.org/centers/national-hispanic-and-latino-attc/home
National Hispanic Latino Prevention Technology Transfer Center: https://pttcnetwork.org/centers/content/national-hispanic-latino-pttc Dr. Susie Villalobos biography: http://www.nlbha.org/index.php/board-bios/
