17/08/2026
Founded by two friends who met through Gamblers Anonymous, Good Mind Circles is a support group for those suffering gambling harm and their loved ones. The team believe recovery is not just about stopping gambling, it’s about rebuilding life and relationships too. Events are welcoming and informal, you don’t need to talk about gambling, just turn up and enjoy. Find out more about the events here.
This is Tim's story
Part of my transition to recovery was definitely admitting my gambling had taken control of my life, but the real game changer was eventually understanding that it wasn’t a gambling problem I had but a problem with life itself, how I thought about myself and how I interacted (or didn’t interact) with the world.
Although going through the 12-step programme was an important part of this process, it was the period of time I had to wait for the right sponsor to be available that I started opening up to the spiritual part of my life, which had laid dormant for 50 years.
I realised pretty early on that communicating was an extremely important part of the process. A simple, natural human function that so many of us struggle with. In the early days I struggled with it too, worried about whether I was even worthy of an opinion. But learning to be vulnerable in front of people, being open and honest and sharing important aspects of my life opened me to the possibility of growth and maturity.
This is where I see the connection with Good Mind Circles. For me, it isn't really about the walks themselves, although being outside and walking together is a big part of what makes the environment so comfortable. It is about creating a space where people can interact with each other naturally, without judgement and without the pressure that can sometimes come with more formal support environments.
Sometimes the most important conversations happen when you aren't actually trying to have a conversation. Walking alongside someone can make it easier to talk, to listen and, perhaps most importantly, to simply be yourself. You don't have to have the right words, you don't have to have all the answers and you don't have to pretend that everything is OK.
That sense of connection has become increasingly important to me. Addiction can be incredibly isolating. It can cause us to withdraw from people, hide what is really going on and spend far too much time inside our own heads. Recovery, in many ways, has been about moving in the opposite direction — opening up, connecting with people, becoming comfortable with vulnerability and rediscovering the value of simply being part of something.
That's why I see Good Mind Circles as being about much more than walking. It provides an opportunity to connect with other people in a pleasant and neutral environment, to talk if you want to talk, listen if you want to listen, and perhaps discover something about yourself along the way.
For me, that is the real value of connection. The absolute opposite of addiction.
