Susan Ratcliffe has a well established private practice in Surrey and the City of London, where she provides a comprehensive psychotherapy and counselling service. One of her specialisms is problem gambling. She has six years experience as a counsellor for Gamcare, the UK's leading charity for problem gamblers.

Possible Signs of a Gambling Problem

• Do you often gamble more than you intend?
• Is gambling interfering with your work or relationships?
• Do you ever lie about the extent of your gambling?
• Do you often find yourself trying to win back money you have lost?
• Do you ever gamble to escape from difficulties in your everyday life?
• Has gambling become the main focus in your life?
• Are you in debt because of your gambling?
• Have you done things you later regret because of your gambling?

If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions then you may have a gambling problem.

What To Do Next?

You may wish the problem would just go away and be reluctant to take the next step, but wishing a problem away is rarely an effective solution. There are self-help groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, which many people find helpful and supportive. You may, however, find groups a little intimidating and prefer to discuss your difficulties on a one to one basis with a psychotherapist experienced in treating problem gambling.

Click here to contact Susan to discuss whether she may be able to help you.

Research Into Internet Gambling

Susan is supporting the University of Leeds' research into internet gambling. If you would like to take part in this research, please click here.