“I cried on the day I arrived here, and will probably cry on the day I leave”.
These words came from one of our current residents who has been in treatment with us for 11 weeks, having completed his two-week assessment and is now in week nine of our 12-week treatment programme for gambling addiction.
The tears on arrival were from a person at “rock bottom” who was broken and unsure what the future had in store. The emotion on leaving will be from someone who will be very proud of what they have accomplished at GMA as they embark on their road of recovery.
It was great to visit Dudley this week. Too many days have been spent working from home this year and it was good to venture out, connect with colleagues and residents again and be reminded of why we do what we do.
At Dudley the reception wall is adorned with scores of thank-you cards and notes from former residents, it is regularly updated regularly and an inspiration to read. The sun was shining, and I made my way through to the garden and up to the newly refurbished games room where a game of pool was in full swing.
The games room looks great. It is a welcome retreat where our residents can relax and play pool, darts or table tennis, bash out some chords on the electric guitar hung on the wall or chill out on the sofa with a book or a DVD.
While some will be taking a break after an intense day of treatment, many residents have often said that some of their most emotional and important discussions have happened in the communal areas after hours. Peer support is a huge part of our GMA programme.
The pool match concluded, and I had a great talk with the residents and colleagues. Due to refurbishments and Covid restrictions we have a cohort of four residents who were in great spirits and making great progress in their treatment. We recently updated our treatment programme and they provided some excellent insight and honest feedback. I look forward to celebrating their success once they graduate.
One resident was preparing a beef bourguignon for the evening meal. And, as good as it smelled I left them to it and made my way back through the garden past the Halloween pumpkins that had been carved as part of that day’s activity and were now being enjoyed by the squirrels.
Before I left, I had time to catch up with Levi who had completed his treatment at Beckenham and was currently living in the recovery house at Dudley.
Levi was the first resident to complete treatment post-lockdown and we spoke of his experience of arriving at Beckenham in chaos, the highs and lows during treatment, and when he thought about leaving but committed to the programme and saw it through.
He now feels so much better in himself in both mind and body and has plans for the future. Levi is now enrolled at college and training as a plasterer.
Best wishes to you Levi you are a credit to yourself and to GMA.
Our 50 years of experience has created a safe environment that helps the most obsessive gamblers to break free from their addictions helps them rebuild their lives through a stimulating programme of residential therapy, dedicated aftercare and the emotional and practical support they and their families need to sustain their recovery. If you are in need of help you can apply to Gordon Moody by visiting https://www.gordonmoody.org.uk/how-to-apply or calling us on 01384 241292.
Until next week, stay safe, look after yourself and each other.