Published in The Monitor
November 17, 1999

Montreal West has a new and much needed Family Life Counselling centre that is tackling one of society’s most insidious and increasing problems – addictive gambling.

Viva Consulting is run by two exceptional pros: Sol Boxenbaum, the former Executive Director of the Canadian Foundation on Compulsive Gambling (Sask.) and Brenda Thomas, a psychotherapist who knows first-hand how gambling can destroy a family.
"I watched my uncle lose his first house . . . then the second one, too," said the 52 year old mother of six who holds a Masters degree from McGill University.

"Over 5% of the adult population are addicted to gambling, and this number increases five-fold with teenagers," said Thomas, naming video lottery terminals, Mise-0-Jeux, and scratch tickets as the prime culprits.

Because of gambling’s devastating ripple effect, Viva Consulting offers companies workshops and seminars on identification of problem gamblers and intervention strategies.

"One chronic gambler can affect as many as 18 people, including co-workers" said Thomas, who also offers private counselling sessions for those suffering from gambling fall-out.

Thomas credits her strength and ability to solve family problems to her 28 years of experience as a special education teacher. She has also overcome personal family challenges including the loss of her husband, a child with his own addiction and the responsibility of supporting her own children and her late friend’s two children.

"For me, family is the essence of life. Viva Consulting is here to make sufferers feel alive again," says the hard-working healer.

But Thomas admits to an addiction of her own . . . "I love my work!"