49_https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM1q6uB0ysQ_reducing gambling
gpt
All right, Catherine, welcome back. I'll be interested to, sort of, after we met last time, what-what were you-- what have you been thinking about over the week 'cause, you know, I-I remembered last time I asked you what you were thinking about coming, but-
human
Mm.
gpt
-what was different this time and your thoughts about coming?
human
I suppose, my expectations are a wee bit clearer as to why I'm here.
gpt
Yeah.
human
I guess, I'm-- It made me think about how much money I have been losing recently. So, yeah. I'm happier to be here. [chuckles]
gpt
Okay, okay. So, there's a shift from last time?
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
Yeah. Yeah. My sense is we'll be able to work pretty well together. That's my, sort of, sense of, uh-- After last time, I thought, you know, "Here's a young woman who's, you know, got some energy to get things together-
human
Mm.
gpt
-and, uh--" So, really, what we'd like to talk about today is-is get a sense of, um-- Let's talk about the things that would be good to work with, um, over the next, you know, nine months together, really.
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
So, one of the things that we started to touch on, last time, was this issue of gambling, and, um, you were talking, last time, about how the gambling had, sort of, got you into trouble with your family.
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
Yeah. So, thinking about, like, you know, last time, you-you started to say that, well, you thought it was-- you deserved it and there was some thinking around that, so I'm, sort of, wondering how open you are to-to exploring that from some different angles?
human
Yeah. I'm happy to explore it, so to speak. [chuckles]
gpt
Yeah. Yeah.
human
Yeah.
gpt
Yeah. Yeah.
human
Yeah.
gpt
Yeah, so how-how-- You know, like-- 'Cause, sometimes, when we start to open things up, and then you think, "Oh, it feels a bit uncomfortable." So, how do you manage things when you get uncomfortable? How have you managed those in the past?
human
Hmm. I don't know, I probably lock off a wee bit. [chuckles]
gpt
Yeah. Yeah. So, how would I know if we were talking and you were blocking off? What would I notice, uh, in our session together?
human
Yeah, um. I'm sure you've already noticed. [chuckles] Um, I don't know, probably fidget.
gpt
Yeah?
human
That's why I am still a bit—
gpt
Yeah, that's okay.
human
[chuckles]
gpt
So-so, what would be really helpful maybe because I might miss it, you know, so, like, could you tell me? It would be really helpful if—
human
When I'm feeling uncomfortable?
gpt
Yeah, yeah. If you could just say, "Ken, hi, I am starting to, you know, tune it out here, starting to get uncomfortable," that would be really helpful.
human
Okay.
gpt
Yeah?
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
Yeah, thanks for that, okay. So, let's think about the-- It has to do with how you just sorted out the thing around the gambling 'cause last time you were here, you told me that you get a buzz, you know, it seemed like you were gambling a bit more than your girlfriends were aware of, and-and you said you owe one of your friends some money.
human
Mm.
gpt
So, um, how serious do you think this issue is to sort?
human
[sighs] I suppose it's really serious if I wanna get out of my-my-my debt.
gpt
Yeah, okay.
human
Credit comes out of my ears, and mom and dad aren't bailing me out anymore, so-
gpt
Yeah.
human
-I suppose, I've gotta sort it out myself.
gpt
Okay. So, again, on a scale of 1 to 100, how serious-- how important is it to sort it out? Yeah.
human
About 80. [chuckles]
gpt
About 80? Right up there, yeah, yeah? And another question that's, sort of, related to that, how confident are you that you can, you know, you can actually get it sorted and get on with life?
human
I'm gonna say, I'm completely confident.
gpt
Yeah? But, what would-
human
Yes.
gpt
-your level be on a scale of 1 to 100? Where does your confidence sit?
human
What, on my confidence to stop? [chuckles]
gpt
Well, to get it sorted. Not necessarily to stop. But we don't- we don't know whether-whether stopping's the right answer here, I don't know, but-but, your confidence to sort it out.
human
It's hard when it's part of your lifestyle, you know?
gpt
Mm.
human
When I went with my girlfriends to the pub last night and I went and hit a bit of a flutter-
gpt
Hmm.
human
-so, you know, I think I'm a bit weird if I just sit-sit at the bar on my own. [chuckles]
gpt
Yeah. Yeah, so-so, you fluttered last night with them?
human
Yeah.
gpt
Yep. Okay, okay. And-and when they stopped fluttering, were you still fluttering or did you stop with them? Where-where were you with—
human
Oh, I had to stop halfway 'cause I'd ran out of money. [chuckles]
gpt
Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah, yeah. So, you were saying before that, you know, there was, you know, money you couldn't really afford-
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
-'cause you owed your mom and dad some money, and they weren't bailing you out anymore, and you had to go out and find some money, I think?
human
Yeah.
gpt
Yeah? Yeah. Yep. So, it seems like almost, like, you're still in the behavior, you know, still creating some problems?
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
Yeah? Yeah.
human
Yeah.
gpt
There's some feelings when you, kind of, think about that?
human
I don't know, but I'd like to get back on track, but—
gpt
Yeah.
human
Not really planning on spending my life in debt. [chuckles]
gpt
Mm.
human
I don't mind traveling, and, you know, I've got friends that are saving for the [unintelligible 00:18:27] and I'm 25 and working in retail, and got four credit cards-
gpt
Yeah.
human
-so I won't be doing any traveling any time soon.
gpt
Okay. So, again, that, sort of, sounds really important. So, what's-what's your dreams? What are your dreams? Where do you wanna be in five years' time? Where does Catherine wanna be? What do you wanna be doing? What are your dreams?
human
Maybe I wanna have traveled and found the man of my dreams. [chuckles]
gpt
Yeah, yeah.
human
I don't know. Kids maybe, but-
gpt
Okay.
human
-I'm not gonna- [sighs] I'm not gonna make a decent mom the way I am, at the moment, am I? So I probably need to get on track at some stage. [chuckles] I'll be pushing 30 and still in debt, at this rate.
gpt
Okay, okay. So, it seems like you're-you're, kind of, in a state in your life of considering your next steps.
human
Yeah.
gpt
Yeah? Yeah. "Do I continue with the, you know, my little current lifestyle," and you are so much the party girl you used to be-- I was speaking to last time-
human
[chuckles]
gpt
-wasn't that-- Is that right? Yeah? So, "Do I live a party lifestyle-- party-girl kind of lifestyle, or am I got some other dreams to follow?" So, they're hard calls to make. And-and it all-- And there are no three ways. We will have to make those calls at some point.
human
Mm.
gpt
And, my sense, is that some of the challenge for you, at the moment? Yeah?
human
Yeah.
gpt
When you think five years ahead, which-which position do you wanna be in? Which-which feels best? Party girl still, you know, with those four credit cards maxed out major, or would you wanna be actually, you know, thinking about having traveled and, you know, maybe, starting a family, those other things? Which-which direction feels best for you at this point?
human
Party girl at 30s is a bit sad, really, isn't it? [chuckles]
gpt
I don't know.
human
I don't know. It's been fun up to now-
gpt
What's your hunch? Yeah.
human
-but I really do wanna travel, so.
gpt
Yeah, yeah. Where in particular? You've got any ideas about what—
human
Um, Egypt, always been, yeah.
gpt
Egypt?
human
Yeah.
gpt
Uh, what's that about Egypt, that, uh?
human
Oh, I just think it's just fascinating.
gpt
Yeah?
human
Yeah. Just the, um, the outlook, and the culture and the history and-
gpt
Oh.
human
-somewhere I've always wanted to go.
gpt
Yeah.
human
It's not the safest place at the moment, mind you, but [chuckles].
gpt
No, that's true.
human
Yeah.
gpt
But for obvious times.
human
Yep.
gpt
It could be very different.
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
Yeah. Okay, so you've been-- How long have you had this-this idea for that that's what you'd like and that's where you'd like to go?
human
Oh, since I was young, early teens.
gpt
Oh, yeah?
human
Yeah.
gpt
Mm. So how much does the kind of, uh, current lifestyle rob you of that, you know, take away from that dream?
human
Yeah, well, I suppose with the amount of money I've spent over the last five years I probably could have gone to Egypt and back five times by now. [chuckles]
gpt
Yeah. Well, yeah.
human
Mm.
gpt
There you go. So there's some decisions to make around, uh, which dream, which path you wanna follow.
human
Mm.
gpt
Hmm. What do you reckon to be the-the hardest bit of taking that pathway to-to traveling and realizing the-the dream? What would be the tough things that you'd have to confront?
human
I believe then to cut off some of my friendships. Um, 'cause since you see that's, you know, part of their lifestyle.
gpt
Yeah.
human
Yeah. It will be a big change.
gpt
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. So I see this is- this is something you've been thinking about for a while. So how far away do you think you are from that change? You know, 'cause obviously it can-can be on the never, never, but how far away are you from it, making some decisions about that?
human
Seems like a bit of an unrealistic dream. Um, and I'd like to take the first step but, uh, that's gonna be easy.
gpt
No, no. That'll be easy. So what is the first step for you?
human
Probably, um, [chuckles] cutting up the credit cards for a starter, and trying to restrain myself, and not to be led into temptation, I suppose, so.
gpt
Okay.
human
You know, if the pokies are at the pubs, just don't go to the pub. [chuckles]
gpt
Yeah, it's hard, isn't it? It's hard being in the pub thing, in that environment.
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
We'd-we'd-we'd have an illustration for them, I suppose. We call those high-risk situations. You know, it's that-- so you might learn some language about some sort of the way that we describe-
human
Mm. [chuckles]
gpt
-it and stuff, but, you know, being at the pub, you know, you want to sort of get the buzz of, you know, gambling, you know, horror situation, really easy to just go against what you decide that you wanted to do. Yeah?
human
Mm.
gpt
Yeah? So how today have you sort of found some ways to manage that?
human
Um, I haven't managed it to-to this point, so [chuckles] I don't know.
gpt
Mm.
human
Um, I suppose I've just got to get tougher with myself.
gpt
Yeah. I think somewhat being tough with yourself, what-- yeah, people often say that, but, you know, it's not-- I think there are some things that you can do, and you've already-already identified a really good strategy.
human
What? Cutting off some of my friendships?
gpt
Well, it's a couple of ideas. O-one, thinking about who your friends are and will your friends support you to realize your dream of traveling to Egypt.
human
Mm.
gpt
Um, and the other idea you talked about before was, actually, cutting up your credit cards. So kind of amazing what that thing makes there on different cards isn't it?
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
It's very helpful and healthy. So, yeah, a couple of really good ideas already you've got, guess so?
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
Yeah. So that's-that's some work that we can continue to work with. Yeah? Yeah?
human
Yeah.
gpt
So 'cause-'cause I asked the question before, is what might be the hardest thing, and you'd identified that your friends, you know, could be one of the habits.
human
Mm.
gpt
Yep, yep. Could that mean that some of your friends are probably moving around some similar sort of stuff like you, wondering about where they're going and-
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
-what they want to further their dreams, yeah?
human
Mm. Yeah.
gpt
Okay, so we talked about sort of where things you-w-- Where you might be in five years and which path you wanna take, yep, yep? And you seemed very clear about it.
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
Yeah, yeah. Something we can- we can do over the next while is-is really get some very concrete things in place to support you to do that.
human
Yeah.
gpt
Yeah. So what's one thing you can do between now and the next time we meet?
human
Find the scissors. [laughs]
gpt
Yeah, find the scissors.
human
Cut out the girls.
gpt
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
human
Then, um, I don't know if the debts are still gonna be there or not but I-I've gotta find-
gpt
Yeah.
human
-a way to pay them off and-
gpt
Truly.
human
-I don't know how I'm gonna do that.
gpt
Yeah. Okay, so sounds like so-some budget to buy stuff will be helpful.
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
Yeah, and of the things that-that we often put people in touch with here is some budget advice service, it's a great service here, um, and something that you can get to.
human
Mm.
gpt
So let's talk about how we can organize a-a meeting with them.
human
Mm-hmm, that will be good.
gpt
Okay.
human
Yeah.