addiction

Online Learning – throw in your own buffet and it’s just like being there!

March 30, 2015 by Kate Anthony

I recently co-wrote an article with John Wilson of OnlinEvents in TILT Magazine (see page 13) about the subtleties of attending online conferences and how, if you ignore the lack of a decent buffet, the learning experience can be just as rich and fulfilling as being actually at the conference centre. A big part of this is the delegate chat room being fully functional to allow like-minded people to connect, network, have fun, and discuss the learning points as they are taught. I’ve been to countless online webinars and other events, and rarely come away disappointed. I’ve even remotely been at a stable in Chesterfield to learn and discuss Equine Therapy!

Our students attend many online events as part of their learning, and so I am really pleased to blog about the upcoming interview with Jane Fahy, who is not only a graduate of our Certified Cyber Facilitator Course but who is also now an OTI Tutor, having written our course about using blended technologies (i.e online and offline sources) to help those with a gambling addiction.

Having got bored with world of finance seven years ago, Jane retrained as a counsellor and has been specialising in working with problem gamblers ever since as Clinical Services Manager for GamblingTherapy.org, heading up the online support services. As her initial work with the organisation was as a face-to-face counsellor in their residential services, she has seen both sides of the treatment coin!

I put Jane in touch with John at OnlinEvents and now I can share details of the upcoming FREE webinar on the 17^th April at 7.30pm UK time. So if you have an interest in learning more about online support and counselling – and how that works on the global stage – make sure you sign up for the event here!

And why not treat yourself and put on a complete buffet selection? That way you’ll have the full conference experience!

🙂

New Year, New OTI Tutor!

January 14, 2015 by Kate Anthony

It’s a total pleasure for us to be starting the new year with a new appointment to the OTI Tutor Team!

Jane Fahy graduated from the Online Therapy Institute in 2013 with her Certified Cyber Facilitator qualification, and since then has been hard at work with GamblingTherapy.org as their Clinical Services Manager, a global online service for those affected by problem gambling. She also undertakes face-to-face work with problem gamblers in a residential setting for the Gordon Moody Association, and has been working with this client group for six years. She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

At OTI, we are always looking to expand our suite of online training courses – this is why our course offerings encompass topics as diverse as cognitive behavioural coaching, handling emotions at work, domestic violence, working with essential oils, and success motivation, alongside our core topics of transferring therapeutic skills to an online practice environment as a coach or therapist. Inviting Jane to join the tutor team, with her experience as both an online counsellor and a gambling addiction specialist was an obvious choice!

Jane and I look forward to officially launching the course in the coming week or two – it is ten hours of online study over eight modules, self-paced and designed to fit around other commitments, and will teach you how to blend offline and online technologies to reach those affected adversely by gambling and help them on the road to recovery! Jane will be giving personal one-to-one tutoring to each student in our unique OTI way!

Modules include: Cover TinyTake

How do you know if someone has a gambling problem?
The theory of problem gambling
Working with problem gamblers
Working with friends and family
Online support for problem gamblers
Gaming and internet use for problem gamblers
Managing suicide and risk online
Using blended technology in a face to face and residential setting

Watch this space for updates, or email jane.fahy@hushmail.com to register your interest!

Gaming online – when does it turn into a diagnosable psychiatric disorder?

October 1, 2014 by Kate Anthony

I have a special interest in this field, not only as part of my work in general but as an avid gamer myself. With the exception of World of Warcraft (more on that later), I’ve pretty much run the gamut of gaming, from the Atari’s Pacman and Space Invader games back in the 70s right through the Legend of Zelda suite to the current rash of mobile and Facebook time-sucks (I use that term fondly) such as Bubble Witch Saga 2 and Candy Crush.

And I can truthfully say that Level 500 of CCS sucks:

Recently a group of researchers tackled the controversial fact that the DSM-V includes non-substance addiction as a psychiatric diagnosis, in the journal Addiction. This is a very welcome paper, not least because the DSM-V has pretty much sidelined the concept of general Internet addiction in favour of the specific behaviours conducted over the Internet. This has wide implications for various online addictions, including gambling, sex and virtual reality environments.

I found the recent showing in the UK of Web Junkie riveting – of course I was aware of the gaming boot camps in China, but watching the participants discuss their use of nappies to ensure they didn’t miss a minute of the game for their hygienic needs really brought home the huge problems gaming can cause. These boot camps cost twice the parent’s average monthly income to attend – it is apparently never voluntary and often involves subterfuge to get the young people there in the first place. Indeed, when a group of the boot camp members “escaped”, they headed straight for the nearest Internet Cafe to play for four hours before being “caught”. Many cite combating loneliness as one of the main attractions.

I took one look at the game World of Warcraft when at a friend’s house, and vowed never to touch it. The appeal of those beautiful graphics, the team-playing, the role-playing, the social side of like-minded people banding together to defeat obstacles and missions… what’s not to like if you are an avid gamer? My gaming colleagues and friends (you know who you are) have tempted me over the years – but WoW is a time-suck too far for someone who already has mild(ish) issues with online gaming. I have almost (almost) sacrosanct boundaries in place for my gaming habit, playing only three in any one period (currently Bubble Witch Saga 2, Diamond Diggers Saga and the epic Tribez and Castlez, since you didn’t ask). These boundaries are necessary for reasons of both time (addiction/avoidance) and finance (in-gaming purchases to facilitate the addiction) – my time on Candy Crush Saga and Kitchen Scramble meant I eventually had to block them from all my devices (though if you’re ever stuck on a level, give me a shout 😉 )

There are complicated reasons for all addictions, and those within online gaming should not be ignored. My current work is focusing on the innocent use of gaming to combat other addictions, not least gambling -after all, it’s only virtual money, right? Wrong – my anecdotal research with gamblers show that online freemium play models are triggers, and a short step to being back in the offline casino or similar. The DSM-V inclusion is welcome if only to bring the topic to the fore and allow academics to reach conclusions around potential treatment.

But let’s not forget the inclusion of the excellent concept of gamification in therapy! For further reading, I’ll refer you to my colleague Mike at GamerTherapist.com – the guru of gamer affirmative psychotherapy. Check out his blog to understand the positives gaming can bring to life experience – and happy (boundaried) gaming!

🙂