A calm, non-judgmental place for adults to look at the role gaming plays in their life, whether or not anything feels "serious enough" yet. Registered psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Psychologists, social workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), counsellors certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), and therapists with a range of credentials. In person in Edmonton and St. Albert, or virtual across Alberta. Evening and weekend appointments available as well.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Counselling for Gaming Is Right for You

You may not be sure your gaming is a real problem. Plenty of adults play to unwind, stay in touch with friends, or switch off after a long day. So it can be hard to tell where an ordinary habit ends and a concern begins. You might also be here because someone close to you raised it, and you are still deciding whether they have a point.

Some people describe it in small, everyday ways:

• planning to play for an hour and looking up to find the evening gone
• feeling uneasy when you check what you have spent on games or in-game purchases
• noticing that the game has become the easiest place to be, while sleep, work, or time with people keeps getting pushed back

None of this means something is wrong with you as a person. Gaming can be enjoyable and meaningful, and it may give you rest, connection, or a sense of progress. When a habit that once fit well starts to pull against other parts of life, that is a common human experience. It is not a character flaw, and it is not a diagnosis.

If you are curious whether talking it through could help, you may wish to read on. This page explains what counselling for gaming concerns looks like at Wholesome Psychology, what it does not involve, and how people get started when they decide to.

Who We Help

This page focuses on counselling for adults. People arrive here at different points. Some are ready to book, some are unsure, and some are reading on behalf of someone else.

This service may be a good fit if you:

• are an adult who wants to understand your gaming habits, whether or not you want to change them
• have noticed gaming affecting areas such as routines, sleep, work, school, relationships, finances, or wellbeing
• feel torn because you value gaming and also wonder whether something needs to shift
• want to set goals that make sense to you, rather than rules someone else has set
• are a partner or family member affected by someone else's gaming and want support for yourself

This service may not be the right fit if you:

• are in crisis or in immediate danger. Please use the crisis resources below.
• need a psychological assessment, a formal diagnosis, or a report for court, an employer, or an insurer. Psychological assessments are a separate service, and forensic or legal needs are outside this counselling service.
• are looking for counselling for a child or teen. See the Children and Youth section below.
• need medical care or a specialized addiction program. A clinician can talk with you about other services that may help.

If arguments at home about gaming, money, or anything else have left you feeling unsafe, your safety comes first. The Family Violence Info Line below is available at any hour.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling is not designed for emergencies. If you or someone else is at immediate risk, please contact one of these services:

• Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if there is immediate danger.
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free), if conflict at home has become unsafe

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What This Service Is

Problem internet gaming counselling is talk-based support for adults who want to look closely at the place gaming has in their life. Here, "problem internet gaming" is an everyday phrase for gaming that feels hard to balance with other parts of life. It is not a diagnosis. Counselling can start with your experience and your goals, without assuming that gaming itself is the problem.

You may have come across the term gaming disorder. The World Health Organization's classification system, ICD-11, includes a category called gaming disorder, with predominantly online and predominantly offline forms (World Health Organization [WHO], n.d.). We mention this for general context only. A webpage cannot determine whether that label applies to any individual.

Counselling here involves:

• exploring patterns, context, and personal goals in a collaborative, non-judgmental way
• moving at a pace you set, not one set by your therapist
• a conversation about confidentiality and its limits at the start (see Confidentiality and Privacy below)

Counselling here is not:

• a diagnosis or a psychological assessment, which is a separate service
• a legal service or an investigative process
• crisis intervention or emergency care
• a replacement for medical care or specialized addiction services

Every clinician works within the scope of their training and professional regulation. If your concerns fall outside what counselling here can offer, your clinician can talk with you about that openly. This page is general information and is not a diagnosis or an emergency service.

Signs Gaming May Be Affecting Other Parts of Your Life

There is no checklist that settles this. Some adults seek support when they notice gaming is affecting areas such as routines, relationships, work, school, sleep, finances, or wellbeing. You might recognize a few of these patterns:

• Sleep: later nights than you intended, and mornings that feel harder as a result
• Energy and self-care: meals, exercise, or basic routines slipping when play runs long
• Work or school: tasks put off, or a sense of falling behind
• Relationships: more arguments at home about time spent gaming, or feeling distant from people you care about
• Money: spending on games or in-game purchases that sits uneasily with you
• Mood: feeling stressed, flat, or lonely, and unsure how gaming fits into that picture
• Mixed feelings: wanting things to be different while not wanting to give up something you enjoy
• Uncertainty: not knowing what a workable balance would even look like for you

Noticing some of these does not mean something is permanently wrong. It does not establish a diagnosis either. These are common patterns, and they can be useful starting points for a conversation. Structured, collaborative support can give you room to understand them and decide what, if anything, you want to change.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. You can use our Match with a Therapist tool or browse profiles on our Our Therapists page. If you would rather talk it through, our admin team can help at 780-904-4880.
• Book your first session. Your first session includes a discussion of consent, confidentiality, and what you would like support with. You can ask questions before you share anything personal. You can book online through our booking system.
• Build your plan together. You and your clinician create a plan based on your goals, preferences, and circumstances. For some people, goals involve changing routines. For others, they involve understanding the role gaming plays in their life.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly or every two weeks, and adjusted to suit you.
• Progress check-ins. Your clinician reviews how things are going with you regularly, and the plan adapts as your needs change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is collaborative, and your voice matters at every stage. You can read more on our Getting Started with Therapy page.

Evidence and Approaches

Clinicians draw on different approaches depending on your goals and preferences. We want to be clear about what the research reviewed for this page does and does not show. That evidence is limited. It supports the terminology above and confirms that cognitive behavioural therapy for gaming concerns has been studied, but it does not include outcome findings. No approach below is presented as a guaranteed solution.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-Informed Strategies

What it helps with: Looking at how thoughts, routines, and situations connect to gaming habits, and practising skills for changes you choose.

Evidence summary: A systematic review with an expert panel evaluation has examined the common practice elements of CBT for gaming disorder ("Common Practice Elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Gaming Disorder," n.d.). The evidence reviewed for this page records that this review exists, but not its findings. A clinician may discuss CBT-informed strategies where appropriate, as described on our Cognitive Behavioural Therapy page.

Limitations: No effect sizes or outcome data were available to us, so we make no claim about how well CBT works for gaming concerns. Responses vary from person to person.

Motivational Interviewing

What it helps with: Exploring mixed feelings about gaming, such as valuing it while also wondering whether something should change.

Evidence summary: The evidence reviewed for this page did not include research on motivational interviewing for gaming concerns. It is listed here because it is an approach offered at Wholesome Psychology, described on our Motivational Interviewing page. Motivational approaches may be considered when they fit your goals and preferences.

Limitations: Without reviewed outcome research, we make no claim about its effectiveness for gaming-related concerns. It may not suit everyone.

Client-Centred, Values-Focused Counselling

What it helps with: Clarifying what matters to you and setting realistic, self-directed goals about the place gaming has in your life.

Evidence summary: This approach reflects how counselling is offered at Wholesome Psychology: collaborative, client-centred, and built around personalized planning. The evidence reviewed for this page did not include research on this approach for gaming concerns. Related information is on our Person-Centred Therapy page.

Limitations: No outcome research for gaming concerns was reviewed, so results cannot be predicted. Some people prefer a more structured, skills-based approach, which you can discuss with your clinician.

What Results to Expect

Change rarely moves in a straight line. Some people notice shifts fairly early, while others benefit from longer-term work. Both are common, and neither says anything about how hard you are trying.

Things that can influence how counselling goes include:

• the nature of your concerns and what you want from counselling
• what else is happening in your life right now, such as work, study, relationships, or stress
• the fit between you and your therapist

No therapy can guarantee a particular outcome, and we cannot promise that counselling will change your gaming in a specific way. Outcomes vary from person to person. Fit matters, and if a therapist or approach does not feel right, changing either one is always an option.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential, within limits set by law and professional standards. Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). They also follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists.

Alberta laws that protect your information include the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Which one applies depends on the setting. In private clinics, PIPA generally governs how personal information is collected, used, and shared. The HIA applies to health information held by designated health custodians.

There are a small number of legal exceptions where a clinician may need to share information without your consent:

• a risk of serious harm to yourself or someone else
• suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which must be reported under Alberta law
• a court order

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly in your first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal, and at any point after. The same standards apply to virtual sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to go into detail about my gaming or how things got to this point?

No. You decide what to share and when. You can start with what is happening now, such as your routines, your goals, or what feels hard this week, rather than a detailed history. Your clinician will follow your pace.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within limits. What you share is confidential under professional standards and Alberta privacy law, including the HIA and PIPA. Exceptions include a risk of serious harm, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and a court order. The Confidentiality and Privacy section above explains more.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no fixed answer. Some people find short-term work helpful, while others prefer longer-term support. You and your clinician will review progress regularly and decide together what makes sense.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is okay to say so. You can tell your clinician, or contact our admin team at 780-904-4880, and they can help you find a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I attend sessions online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available across Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply. Our Online Counselling page explains how virtual sessions work.

Do I need a diagnosis, or will I get one?

You do not need a diagnosis to talk about gaming in counselling, and this service does not provide one. If a formal psychological assessment might be useful, your clinician can discuss that with you. Assessments are a separate service.

Does counselling mean I have to stop gaming?

Not necessarily. Counselling explores your own goals. For some people, that means changing routines or setting boundaries. For others, it means understanding what gaming gives them and how it fits with the rest of their life.

I am worried about someone else's gaming. Can I reach out?

Yes. You are welcome to contact the admin team to talk about options. Adults choose their own counselling, so the person who games would need to decide to book for themselves. You can also look for support for yourself, for example through adult counselling or counselling for family issues.

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Certified Canadian Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW).

Clinicians differ in their training and areas of focus. Individual profiles on our Our Therapists page describe each clinician's approach, and the Match Tool can help you narrow your options. If you would like guidance on who may suit gaming-related concerns, the admin team can help at 780-904-4880.

Children and Youth

This page focuses on adults. If you are a parent or caregiver concerned about a child's or teen's gaming, Wholesome Psychology also offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people. Clinicians who work with younger clients can talk with families about age-appropriate approaches and how caregivers are involved. You can learn more on our Child and Youth Counselling page and our Problem Internet and Gaming Use page.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to talk through what is happening with gaming, or ask a few questions first, here are some ways to start:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy

Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Common practice elements of cognitive behavioral therapy for gaming disorder: A systematic review and expert panel evaluation. (n.d.).
• World Health Organization. (n.d.). ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics.