
The International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB1), established to represent best practices in the field of disordered gambling treatment, is delighted to introduce INTENTA as one of its first approved training partners to deliver a full, web based training curriculum for the new International Gaming Disorder Certificate (IGDC). The certificate will be available from July 2020 and aims to increase the number of counselors equipped to address gaming disorders in their current outreach, prevention and clinical settings.
On 18 June 2018, gaming disorder was included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) by the World Health Organization. Hours spent gaming can adversely affect a young person’s education, social development and career prospects. Best practices and evidenced-based approaches are emerging for the treatment of gaming and digital misuse, as well as the intersection with problem gambling and gambling disorders. Without comprehensive education, professionals risk causing harm to clients by making ineffective and counterproductive interventions.
INTENTA offers the first approved mental health practitioner international certificate training for gaming disorder. Digital technology touches all aspects of modern life, therefore complete abstinence is an unrealistic and unsustainable approach to problematic digital use. Rather than advocating for less technology and digital use, INTENTA equips mental health professionals with resources on digital disorders to empower an intentional digital culture. INTENTA is spearheading a comprehensive shift to re-imagine the modern relationship with digital technology from compulsive use to intentional use.
Never before have we seen such a convergence of gambling and gaming disorders in prevention, intervention, and recovery. IGCCB continues to lead the field, internationally, with evidence-based and best-practices certifications in problem gambling. It is time to include gaming disorders and begin legitimizing prevention, intervention and treatment research outcomes to inform practice.
– Jeremy Wamper, President, IGCCB
Dr. Harshal Awasthi, Yale-educated Addiction Psychiatrist said: “INTENTA is the first comprehensive clinical training of Gaming Disorder and it fills in a crucial gap in current formal medical training. The World Health Organization now formally recognise gaming disorder in their International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Problematic gaming behavior continues to grow in our community and has seen a huge surge during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With a strong correlation with mental health disorders, this is expected to be a major social burden in the coming year and we need clinicians prepared to address this.”
With 3.4 billion active gamers worldwide and an estimated 3% at risk of gaming problems, the industry continuing to grow year-after-year. Gamers and their loved ones are struggling to find local trained specialists so it is more important than ever that mental health professionals become equipped to support gaming clients. With the global gambling landscape and nascent gaming environment evolving rapidly, IGCCB and INTENTA are at the forefront of meeting the professional demand for digital disorder resources, minimizing gaming-related harm and improving quality of care for clients.
To learn more about the International Certificate, go to IGCCB.org/IGDC2
Press Enquiries
For questions about the training program please contact Amanda Powlesland at INTENTA: amanda@intenta.digital
Editor’s Notes
International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB)
In 1984 the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB) was established to offer voluntary International/International certifications that assure a body of qualified and competent professionals working in the field of clinical treatment of disordered, problem and at-risk gamblers and their families/concerned others. Certification standards established by the IGCCB represent the current best practices in the field of disordered gambling treatment.
INTENTA
INTENTA was launched in April 2020 to equip mental health professionals with resources on digital disorders by closing the clinical skill gap. The training provides a comprehensive understanding of problematic and disordered gaming, allowing mental health professionals to understand the context, dynamics, mechanisms and special issues that present with gaming clients. The new International Gaming Disorder Certificate (IGDC) is provided by INTENTA co-founders and gaming disorder experts Cam Adair of Game Quitters and clinical psychologist and treatment developer, Jamison Wiggins. Cam Adair is an international speaker and entrepreneur who is widely hailed as a leading expert on video game addiction. He is best known as the founder of Game Quitters, a support community for gamers from 95 countries. In 2011, Jamison completed a Masters in East-West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. His thesis focused on emergent technology use disorder including gaming, social media, digital devices and streaming media. In 2019 Jamison designed, developed and deployed a comprehensive gaming disorder clinical treatment program for a world leading residential treatment facility.
Footnote:
- https://www.igccb.org/
- https://www.igccb.org/igdc-certification