Hamilton, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/14/2016 -- This September, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ), which offers recovery resources to East Rutherford, NJ residents struggling with disordered illegal sports betting and other forms of gambling, hosted its 34th Annual Statewide Conference on Disordered Gambling. Treatment professionals from across the state convened to learn from the featured speakers about approaching gambling from a multicultural perspective. One workshop, given by Dr. Sachin J. Karnik, Ph.D., LCSW, LCDP, CADC, NCGC-II, CPS, focused on a compassionate approach to treatment. Dr. Karnik is the Director of Prevention & Clinical Services for the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems.
During his presentation, which was exceptionally well-received by Conference attendees, Dr. Karnik approached problem gambling from a mindfulness perspective. Mindfulness, a therapeutic technique of focusing on the present moment while accepting one's current thoughts and feelings, has been gaining popularity in the therapeutic and recovery communities as an effective treatment tactic.
After briefly reviewing the physiological and psychological bases of addiction, Dr. Karnik encouraged the treatment professionals in the room to help patients acknowledge their addictive behaviors mindfully. According to Dr. Karnik, instead of seeing the urge to gamble (or to engage in any other behavior/substance to which the patient is addicted) as one to be fought and resisted, treatment professionals should encourage their clients to accept impulses and wait for them to pass. According to Neva Pryor, Executive Director of the Council, this approach actively encourages the development of healthy alternative behaviors to problem gambling.
In keeping with the conference's theme, Dr, Karnik also stressed the importance of achieving cultural competence. Therapists and treatment professionals who become truly competent in understanding their clients' cultural backgrounds, as well in as how those backgrounds inform problem gambling behavior, have the greatest chance of succeeding with a compassionate approach.
Learn more about the Council, this year's conference, and the support, treatment and hope offered by the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline by visiting http://www.800gambler.org. The hotline is available to anyone living in East Rutherford, NJ and the surrounding areas who is struggling with problematic illegal sports betting, casino gambling and other disordered gambling behavior.
About The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey
The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey is a non-profit, private organization dedicated to helping individuals seek help for their disordered gambling problem, and for concerned friends and loved ones to confidentially express their concerns about someone close to them. Their 24/7 hotline is 800-GAMBLER. The Council also works to train professionals in the fields of gambling addiction and recovery.
For more information, please visit http://www.800gambler.org.