Connections: Healthy Gambling and Gaming

Exploring how isolation, immigration, and lack of a sense of community can lead to gambling harm. In this episode, Ben Hires, CEO of the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC), and Kevin Lin, Family Connector and Mental Health Clinician at BCNC, join host Tana Russell and co-host Paulina Zyskowski for an honest look at how isolation, immigration, and targeted gambling marketing are shaping th...

Content Warning: this episode discusses mental health concerns, including suicidal thoughts. Exploring the turning points that move people from gambling harm toward honesty, recovery, and helping others. People impacted by gambling harm often carry years of secrecy, shame, and emotional exhaustion before finding a path to change. In this episode, Adam Lyons (The Modern Meeting podcast) shares his...

Exploring how gambling exposure in childhood and adolescence can shape risk and harm later in life, and what adults need to know to intervene sooner. In this episode of Connections, host Paulina Zyskowski, Prevention and Community Engagement Specialist at the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, is joined by prevention and behavioral health professionals Mina Hazar, Manager of the Youth Gambling...

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)...

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...

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...

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 tak...

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 help...

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...

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 Gamb...

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_o...

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...

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: Didgwalic Wellness Center , Anacortes, WA New Horizon Programs ,Hermiston, OR Swinomish Indian T...

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 t...

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 Pub...

“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...

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! #GiftResponsibl...

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, re...

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 recover...

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...

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...

Family Recovery from Gaming: A loving mother finds power and healing in her own recovery experience Guest Co-Host: Rhonda Hatefi with Oregonians for Gambling Awareness Guest: Carrie Lipe  Carrie is a loving mother of a son in recovery from Gaming Disorder. She shares her story of watching her son’s declining physical and mental health as she struggled to find answers and appropriate help for...

Sharing his story of addiction and recovery from sports betting on American basketball, football and more, Dare joins us from Australia in hopes that his story might reduce stigma and help others recover.  He opens up about how it became an addiction, leading to huge financial and relationship losses, suicidal ideation, and eventually to a decision that changed everything. Resources: Problem...