At the moment, I work at Unisanté, and I am also affiliated with the Institute for Social Sciences of Religions (ISSR) at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. I hold a Specialist degree in Pedagogics and a Ph.D. in the Study of Religions (specialization in the Psychology of Religion). To continue my training, I am enrolled in the advanced bioscience program.
Currently, I do psychological research on the following topics:
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Contemplative practices—meditative and body-mind exercises rooted in various religious, spiritual, and philosophical traditions. I explore the following questions, among others: What are the effects of these practices on our psychology, physiology, and health? Can these practices or their elements be used as a part of psychological or medical interventions (for example, mindfulness)? How do these practices change the ways we construct our experiences?
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Non-ordinary experiences—experiences of altered states of consciousness arising in various settings, ranging from religions/spiritual contexts to the use of psychedelics. Currently, I explore the following questions: Do different cultures appraise these experiences in a similar manner? What are the phenomenological similarities and differences of these experiences in different contexts?
I value mix-methodology, and in my research, I combine different methods and levels of assessments, ranging from psychophysiology to qualitative approaches.​
To contact me, please write to liudmila.gamaiunova@unil.ch