A team dedicated to behaviour change

Lisa Moussaoui

After completing a degree in applied psychology at the University of Geneva, I undertook a PhD on pro-social collective behaviour (blood donation, pro-environmental behaviour) under the supervision of Professor Olivier Desrichard. I defended my thesis in 2017, after which I had the opportunity to spend time at universities in Belgium and Australia to gain a different kind of research experience.

Since my return, I have been working as a lecturer and research fellow at the University of Geneva. My teaching focuses in particular on behaviour change techniques and the evaluation of interventions.

From 2019 onwards, I began working in parallel as a consultant for various organisations (government departments, international organisations) seeking to encourage healthy lifestyles or environmental protection. It was to carry out this consultancy work that I founded the company Behaviour Change Expertise.

Loris Charrière

I have long been fascinated by human beings and how they function. Understanding the reasons behind our actions has always struck me as essential to gaining a better understanding of the world around us. This curiosity led me to enrol on the Applied Psychology in Sustainable Development programme at the University of Geneva.

This course has enabled me to gain a great deal of knowledge about the social, emotional and environmental factors influencing behaviour, but it has also allowed me to discover a passion for project management and knowledge-sharing. My experiences as an intern at the Geneva State Department of Territorial Affairs, as well as on projects in collaboration with the HUG, have only served to reinforce this initial passion for people and for understanding their actions.

I was delighted to be recruited by Behaviour Change Expertise straight after graduating. Our team was tasked with identifying the underlying psychological factors behind soft mobility behaviours. This understanding should enable us to provide recommendations for future projects aiming to encourage such actions. In addition, I am currently working on a project focusing on men’s mental health.

Barbara Kaiser

Having obtained a PhD in psychology in 2008 and holding a university qualification in cognitive and behavioural therapy, I began my career working with adolescents in the care of social services, specialising in behavioural disorders and poly-substance use. As part of efforts to promote young people’s health, and more specifically contraception, I also had the opportunity to work with the Maison des adolescents de Savoie.

As a lecturer at the Geneva School of Health for over a decade, I developed a teaching programme on motivational interviewing as an intervention tool (smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, diet, domestic violence, chronic illnesses). It was during this period that I began training healthcare professionals in psycho-educational counselling using simulations with standardised patients.

My research has focused on the determinants of health behaviours, particularly in the perinatal context (physical activity, diet, screening), and on the development of professional skills and attitudes. I have been a lecturer at the University of Geneva since 2019, where I teach motivational interviewing, as well as risk prevention and health promotion.

I am also a project manager for the development of simulated interactions and a trainer on several continuing professional development courses, notably for Behaviour Change Expertise.