The Gambling Act (2005) has increased access to gambling opportunities in Britain. Since there is increasing evidence that gambling can be associated with both social and health costs (Griffiths, Reference Griffiths2004), Overcoming Pathological Gambling offers clients and health professionals the chance to benefit from evidence based treatment.

Overcoming Pathological Gambling, both therapist guide and client workbook, are written for the American based series, Treatment That Works. The overall aim of these two books is to bring newly developed evidence-based psychology interventions for gambling into the health care setting. The authors of these texts, Robert Ladouceur and Stella Lachance, are lead researchers in gambling addiction from Laval University in Canada. These books draw from their comprehensive knowledge of the area. The Overcoming Pathological Gambling books are based on a treatment protocol used in outcome research that has lead to an impressive 80% stated recovery (Sylvsain, Ladouceur and Boisvert, Reference Sylvsain, Ladouceur and Boisvert1997). Since a key focus of the authors’ work has been on the cognitive components in the maintenance of gambling, the therapist guide and workbook are essentially a CBT manual comprising assessment, 12 treatment sessions, and post assessment follow-up. The authors intend that the clinician and client work simultaneously through the therapist guide and workbook respectively. The chapters in both texts run in parallel to each other and include session plans, questionnaires, worksheets, useful information and exercises. There is also access to a valuable web page to download forms and worksheets.

As you would expect from the Treatment That Works series, both texts have a clear layout and follow a logical step-by-step progression of therapy. A real strength of these books lies in how the authors have used the same format for each chapter. The authors support the introduction and execution of any interventions with clear rationales, useful tips, working examples and a comprehensive variety of workbook exercises. There is also a healthy emphasis on homework assignments woven into the content and structure of treatment sessions to enhance learning.

After a brief introduction to the field and presentation of background research supporting the manual, Chapter 2 of the therapist's guide covers a qualitative and quantitative CBT assessment of gambling (Chapter 1 and 2 of the client workbook). Similar detail is covered in chapters 9 and 10 (in both texts) that describe post and follow-up treatment assessment sessions. The first treatment session (Chapter 3 in both texts) is wisely dedicated to motivational enhancement, focusing mainly on the advantages and disadvantages of continuing and stopping gambling. Behavioural interventions are the main elements explored in sessions 2 and 3 (Chapter 4), where the primary interventions are coping strategies to identify, avoid or deal with high risk situations leading to gambling, including a systematic approach to problem solving. Cognitive interventions are explored within sessions 4 and 10. Session 4 (Chapter 5) begins with identification of gambling related beliefs though a cross sectional analysis of a recent episode. Session 5–7 (Chapter 6) contains advice on helping the client identify and understand erroneous predictions (gambling traps) triggered by gambling situations. Of great value here is the targeting of cognitions regarding exaggerated perceptions that gambling is based on skill rather than a game of chance. Sessions 8–10 (Chapter7) teach the client skills to challenge these erroneous predictions. Sessions 11 and 12 (Chapter 8) are essentially focused on normalizing the possibility of relapse and practical methods to prevent or deal with relapse should it occur. The final chapter in the therapist guide finishes with issues related to possible treatment difficulties.

In summary, I would recommend both these texts as a useful resource to those planning specific treatment of gambling. They provide a clear rationale and treatment plan for therapist and client. These books are useful additions to the literature as there has been so little previously written on the subject. Having made this recommendation I feel that I should highlight a few application issues. The authors stress that there has been careful consideration as to how much material is presented in each session. At times I felt that session content was ambitious. Furthermore, as homework assignments were an integral part of this treatment manual, I would have liked more time in the session plan to discuss homework with the client. As with any manual of this kind, I also wondered how adaptable the treatment protocol would be for those clients who are less committed to change and those with common co-morbid presentations, especially in cases where issues of low self-esteem and mood regulation play a significant part in maintaining addictive behaviour. As a CBT treatment manual I also felt the books may have benefited from more emphasis on formulation and how this might form the basis of a shared understanding of treatment and recovery.