Brenda Thomas, psychotherapist and the president and co-founder of Viva Consulting Family Life Inc., has an extensive background in the fields of Psychology and Human Relations. In her present role as psychotherapist she counsels individuals, couples, and families. Over the past four years she has seen more than one hundred and fifty clients. Most, but not all, of her clientele have had gambling-related problems. Brenda has an extensive knowledge of harmful impulsive/compulsive behaviours in general but what is more, she has a deep and profound awareness of the intricacies of the syndrome of “gambling addiction”. From the very first visit, the client’s realization of the depth of Brenda’s understanding establishes an atmosphere of trust and hope. Her eclectic approach (wherein she concentrates on and responds to the client’s feelings and needs expressed at that particular point in time) enables her to provide the client with positive affirmation and encouragement. Her natural warmth and non-judgemental attitude create a positive therapeutic relationship where healthy changes can occur.


Background Information:
Brenda began her teaching career in Saskatchewan. After coming to Quebec in the 1970’s, she obtained her BA (Sir George Williams University), her Quebec teaching certificate, and her Special Education Certificate (McGill). Although she taught full-time for almost thirty years, she also raised a family of six children. When her youngest started school, Brenda returned to university part-time and eventually obtained her Master of Education degree (Educational Psychology and Counselling: McGill), specializing in Family Life Education (1999).

During most of her teaching career, Brenda worked as a specialist in the Quebec public school system (both Elementary and Secondary levels--K-11) dealing primarily with students having learning disabilities and behavioural problems. This work frequently involved not only the diagnosis and remediation of the students, but the counselling of other family members as well.

Academically challenged children were not her only interest, however; she also experienced the other end of the educational spectrum. She created the TAG (Talented and Gifted) program for her school, designed to challenge and motivate academically superior students (1983-85).

In 1987, she transferred her specialist skills to the Secondary school level. As a result of her ability to counsel students and her success in positively motivating them to change, she was a nominee for the Prime Minister's Award of Teaching Excellence (1993).

As well as being a leader in the educational sector, Brenda also played an important role in the local community where her family resided from 1974-1995 (Rawdon). When her husband died of cancer at the age of 51, she moved her four youngest children and herself to Montreal. There she became one of the founders of the EXCEL Minority Youth Group (1997), an organization dedicated to encouraging and motivating young people from visible minorities. In fact, she was a charter member of the Board of Directors of EXCEL.


The Present:

Throughout her career as an educator, a parent, and a counsellor, Brenda has always been very concerned with the quality of family life. Alarmed by the rapid increase in the number of problem gamblers in our society, she foresaw that this would continue to have serious ramifications on family life and for society as a whole. Out of this concern she allied herself with Sol Boxenbaum, a reputed consumer advocate and critic of gambling expansion. Together they founded Viva Consulting, which in 2002 became Viva Consulting Family Life Inc., a federally incorporated non-profit organization dedicated principally to dealing with Problem Gambling and its impact on individuals, families, and society.

Viva Consulting Family Life Inc. has a four-fold platform:

• Consumer Advocacy via the media and the government
  
• Harm Reduction Strategies for the gaming industry
  
• Education And Awareness Presentations for companies, professionals, and organizations
  
• Counselling and Treatment for individuals and their families
  

Viva Consulting Family Life Inc. neither endorses nor opposes social gambling. However, Brenda feels strongly that the public must be made aware of the fact that for some people there is the potential danger of developing a gambling problem. She is particularly concerned with the ubiquitous availability of video lottery terminals in Quebec, and the industry’s targeting of highly vulnerable groups such as adolescents and seniors.

Although Sol is the outspoken consumer advocate and critic of gambling expansion, Brenda provides much of the background research and organization for many of his presentations.

As an educator and facilitator, Brenda assists in the design and presentation of seminars and courses for personnel in businesses, professional associations, and community organizations.

As a psychotherapist, Brenda offers private counselling to individuals, couples, and families.