Person Centred Therapy
“The Person-Centred Therapy approach has its limitations when it comes to treating a gambling addiction.” Discuss.
In this assignment I am going to discuss what constitutes addictive behaviour in the context of therapeutic work. An evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of Person-Centred Therapy (PCT) will be used to highlight the limitations of this mode of therapy when used for clients with a gambling addiction. Other models of therapy will also be explored in order to ascertain whether a single or combination of therapies would be more effective in dealing with said addiction. Ethical issues will also be discussed. Using PCT and other models, a treatment plan will be outlined describing how a therapist might work with a client presenting with a gambling addiction.
Gambling addiction is sometimes known as the “hidden illness” because there are no obvious physical signs or symptoms as there are in drug or alcohol addiction. Problem gamblers typically deny or minimise the problem. They will often go to great lengths to conceal their gambling. Some examples of behaviour are: lying about where they have been, withdrawing from their friends and families and seeking out others who share their addiction. Experts often distinguish gambling for action from gambling to escape. Action gamblers are highly competitive and easily bored, often preferring poker, horse racing and stock market speculation. Escape gamblers are more likely to play passive games of pure chance such a slot machines, bingo, scratch cards and lotteries.
Some clinicians have suggested that there is a biological predisposition involved. Twin studies indicate that heredity may account for up to 35% of individual differences in susceptibility to gambling problems. This study also suggested that “pathological gamblers “have abnormal activity in areas of the frontal lobes that are centres of judgement and decision-making. (1) However, it must be noted that gambling problems cannot be reduced to
In this assignment I am going to discuss what constitutes addictive behaviour in the context of therapeutic work. An evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of Person-Centred Therapy (PCT) will be used to highlight the limitations of this mode of therapy when used for clients with a gambling addiction. Other models of therapy will also be explored in order to ascertain whether a single or combination of therapies would be more effective in dealing with said addiction. Ethical issues will also be discussed. Using PCT and other models, a treatment plan will be outlined describing how a therapist might work with a client presenting with a gambling addiction.
Gambling addiction is sometimes known as the “hidden illness” because there are no obvious physical signs or symptoms as there are in drug or alcohol addiction. Problem gamblers typically deny or minimise the problem. They will often go to great lengths to conceal their gambling. Some examples of behaviour are: lying about where they have been, withdrawing from their friends and families and seeking out others who share their addiction. Experts often distinguish gambling for action from gambling to escape. Action gamblers are highly competitive and easily bored, often preferring poker, horse racing and stock market speculation. Escape gamblers are more likely to play passive games of pure chance such a slot machines, bingo, scratch cards and lotteries.
Some clinicians have suggested that there is a biological predisposition involved. Twin studies indicate that heredity may account for up to 35% of individual differences in susceptibility to gambling problems. This study also suggested that “pathological gamblers “have abnormal activity in areas of the frontal lobes that are centres of judgement and decision-making. (1) However, it must be noted that gambling problems cannot be reduced to