About Us
The Brain Connections project began in 2015 as a collaboration between Dr. Iris Balodis of the Peter Boris Centre (St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton) and Deirdre Querney of the City of Hamilton’s Alcohol, Drug & Gambling Services.
The idea for the project arose from a need identified by problem gambling counsellors to have consistent, evidence-based answers to questions about the brain and problem gambling. The original clinical handouts were designed to help clinicians talk about the brain and problem gambling with clients seeking treatment. The project then evolved into creating even more accessible information in the forms of a short video and BE Brief! (quick answers to commonly-asked questions about gambling and the brain).
Brain Connections has been funded by the Gambling Research Exchange of Ontario (GREO).
If you have any questions or comments you wish to share, please do not hesitate to Contact Us.

Iris Balodis, PhD
Assistant Professor,
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences
Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
100 West 5th Street
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
L8N 3K7
tel: (905) 522-1155, ext. 39703
email: balodisi@mcmaster.ca

Deirdre Querney, MSW
Registered Social Worker and
Certified Problem Gambling Counsellor
Alcohol, Drug & Gambling Services
City of Hamilton, Public Health Services
21 Hunter Street East, 3rd floor
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
L8N1M2
tel: 905-546-3606
email: deirdre.querney@hamilton.ca
Click here to contact us!