Lived experiences of all kinds can be hugely valuable for increasing our self-awareness and so avoiding endlessly repeating our mistakes. However, lived experience is only of value if we know how to take wisdom from our experiences and this book can help you do just that. The author, Liz Karter, is a leading UK therapist specialising in gambling addiction in women. You might have come across one of her frequent TV and radio appearances as consultant therapist. Since 2001, Liz has helped hundreds of women successfully stop addictive gambling patterns and go forward into rewarding lives free from further addiction problems.Two and a half years ago Liz wrote the first edition of ‘Four Weeks to Freedom’ and was honoured to receive hugely positive feedback from women who had used it to help overcome gambling addiction. Giving conference talks and book launch presentations in countries throughout Europe and the Middle East, it became apparent that ‘Four Weeks to Freedom’ resonated with women worldwide. Interestingly, and not altogether surprisingly, it resonated not just with women who had an addiction to gambling. Women the world over, who had never had an addiction of any kind, were also keen share that they could empathise with the underlying causes of gambling addiction and bought ‘Four Weeks to Freedom’ for just that very reason alone. This is because the causes are about so much more than money, fantasising about the odds of winning and chasing losses. Those things are the consequences of the addiction, once all money has been lost and panic has set in.The causes of gambling addiction in women are something that any woman can recognise all too easily: feeling overwhelmed by the demands and expectations of the modern world. And, equally overwhelming, the unrealistically high expectations we have of ourselves as women. Women are in some ways in the most wonderfully fortunate position that we have ever been in because in theory we can have and do and be anything we want. What so many women find in practice is that although in theory we can do anything, in reality the idea that we can do everything and remain happy and healthy is a fantasy. There is a painfully high price to pay for that dream. Exhausted, and often resentful, from striving to be the perfect partner, parent, daughter, friend and employee, and all the time presenting an Instagram ready image, creates ever increasing levels of stress, anxiety and depression. For the women Liz Karter has treated for gambling addiction, the absorption and escapism offered by gambling on slot machines or online is their self- medication, as she describes in detail throughout this book. The focus on the slot machine or computer screen numbs thoughts and feelings about lives they can no longer manage so that they can keep going. Until of course the addiction brings them to collapse. Taking wisdom from those experiences is essential for creating a lifelong rewarding recovery from addiction to gambling. As well as being packed full of practical strategies to stop gambling ‘Four Weeks to Freedom’ will help you understand why you became addicted to gambling and what you need to do to protect yourself from the risk of relapse. ‘Four Weeks to Freedom’ can help you to stop gambling and become a much wiser, happier and healthier woman.

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