Gambling Therapy in Florida
Are you tired of saying “this is the last time,” and then finding yourself stuck in the same cycle?
Therapy for sports betting, online gambling, and other gambling problems that are starting to affect your finances, relationships, stress level, or peace of mind.
If gambling has started affecting your finances, relationship, stress level, or sense of control, therapy can be a place to slow things down and work on the pattern without shame.
Confidential telehealth sessions are available statewide across Florida.
Gambling can start small and still become a real problem
You may notice things like:
Thinking about bets more than you want to
Chasing losses after saying you would stop
Hiding gambling from a partner or loved one
Feeling anxious, ashamed, or sick after gambling
Using sports betting or online gambling to escape stress, boredom, or frustration
Telling yourself “just one more” and then losing track
Worrying about money, secrecy, or where this could lead
You do not need to call yourself an “addict” for therapy to be useful. If gambling is starting to take up too much space in your life, that is enough reason to talk about it— and hopefully save you some money in the long run.
I help people struggling with sports betting, prediction markets, online casinos, loot boxes, eSports betting, gamified stock and crypto trading, trading cards, and other gambling-related habits that have started to feel hard to control.
How therapy can help
Therapy for gambling problems is not just about telling yourself to stop.
Often, there is a pattern underneath the behavior. For many people, gambling becomes tied to stress relief, boredom, loneliness, or the urge to quickly undo a loss.
In therapy, we can work on things like:
Understanding what keeps the cycle going
Spotting triggers, urges, and high-risk situations earlier
Interrupting chasing, rationalizing, and “one more time” thinking
Reducing secrecy and shame so change becomes more possible
Building better ways to handle stress, boredom, disappointment, and urges
Repairing trust and improving honesty in relationships where needed
Creating a realistic plan for reducing or stopping gambling
The goal is not perfection. The goal is steadier control, more honesty, and a life that feels less hijacked by the cycle.
My approach
My style is practical, straightforward, and nonjudgmental.
I focus on helping clients understand the pattern, build more control around urges and decision-making, and reduce the shame that often keeps the cycle going.
For some clients, therapy may focus more on behavior change and accountability. For others, it may involve stress, avoidance, impulsivity, anxiety, or relationship damage that has become tied to the gambling pattern.
I use a combination of CBT, DBT, ACT, and IFS depending on the individual and there needs.
Joseph Brooks, MA, RMHCI
Founder and Owner, Brooks Counseling & Wellness
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Specialized in Therapy for Digital Habits
Florida registration status: Active
Clear Through: 10/2030. Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling
Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (IMH28583)
Supervised by Jorelle Degen, LMHC (MH14882)
Based in Gainesville, Florida. Offering in-person and telehealth counseling for adults and young adults
What Progress Can Look Like
Progress may look like fewer relapse cycles, less chasing losses, fewer hidden bets, and more ability to slow down before acting on an urge. It can also look like more honesty, less shame, and a stronger sense that gambling is no longer running your life.
Schedule and Pricing
Sessions are 50 minutes and $80 per session, self-pay only - I do not take insurance.
Therapy is available through secure telehealth across Florida.
Some people want just a few sessions to get some clarity, others stay for longer term therapy. Both are completely OK.
Schedule a first session to get started.