[17] Lived Experience- Ted Hartwell shares his story of Gambling Addiction and Recovery

In this episode I am joined by Ted Hartwell from Las Vegas, Nevada. He has over 14 years in recovery and has a powerful story from start to finish in which he details his journey from controlled gambling starting at a young age, through his compulsive gambling years into his time in recovery. He is a member of the Nevada Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling and the Nation Council on Problem Gambling. Im grateful to have had Ted come on and share his story of recovery, strength and hope! From the NCPG website Name Ted Hartwell  (State) NV Biographical Statement Mr. Hartwell has a Master’s degree in Anthropology and has been a member of the research faculty of the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Las Vegas since 1991.  He is a longtime member of the National Council on Problem Gambling. Mr. Hartwell is the Principal Investigator of a DRI research study examining the impact of problem gambling in Native American tribal communities in Nevada.  He has presented on this research at several state, regional, national, and international conferences. As a problem gambler in long-term recovery himself, Mr. Hartwell promotes awareness, prevention, and treatment of problem gambling as a consultant to the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).  He has spoken publicly and personally on this issue on many occasions and is dedicated to humanizing and illuminating the illness of disordered gambling.  He provides annual lectures for the UNLV Boyd School of Law Gaming Regulation and the University of Utah Gaming Regulation classes, and training for Clark County social workers and other providers on the issue of problem gambling. Mr. Hartwell has participated for many years in the UNLV International Gaming Institute’s Responsible Gaming Ambassador training program for Las Vegas Sands Corporation, and he has also served as a consultant to MGM Resorts International and the US-Japan Business Council in their efforts to develop business related to the first Integrated Casino Resorts in Japan. Mr. Hartwell helped introduce the NCPG’s youth gambling awareness and family gambling awareness programs into the Clark County School District (CCSD), and has recently developed NCPG educational programs for local schools on the topics of video gaming disorder and student-athlete gambling awareness. Mr. Hartwell has served at the pleasure of three Governors on the Nevada State Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling since November 2012.  He was the 2014 Shannon L. Bybee Award recipient for his continuing work on advocacy, outreach, and research on the issue of problem gambling. Mr. Hartwell lives in Las Vegas, where he is also a professional cellist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, a soccer and volleyball coach, devoted husband to a recent Russian immigrant, and the proud father of a precocious 16-year old girl and three cats. Also please check out my wife Kellys Podcast "I, Butterfly: A Podcast For Affected Others: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7GpTILF7OkeT0xEMCSUevw?si=oDKnePKJR-ekVdyMzM2lYQ&utm_source=native-share-menu&nd=1