My name is Boryana, and I live in Bulgaria. I was first introduced to Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) in 2013. As with many SE™ practitioners, my journey with SE™ began as a client. At that time, I had just completed therapy with a practitioner from another modality, and it was the first time I had heard of SE™ from an SE™ therapist I contacted. My previous therapy had been quite invasive and cathartic, whereas my first experience with SE™ felt like starting from scratch – as if I had never been in therapy before. I was struck by the gentleness, support, and presence of the therapist, as well as by the feeling of being understood, validated, and truly seen.
This experience inspired me to pursue professional training in SE™ abroad. Over the course of three years, I traveled thousands of kilometers from Bulgaria to Edinburgh, Scotland, and back, to study. I met people from different cultures and countries who became friends and allies, supporting each other throughout the journey of learning and healing. From the very first moment in the training room, I felt with my heart that this method had a profound purpose to be brought to Bulgaria. We called our group “Brave Hearts” because of the inward journey each of us was taking – confronting our shadows and the difficult parts of ourselves. As therapists, one of the most important things is to take care of ourselves, to be regulated, so that we can be truly helpful to others.
The training environment was a true oasis – a safe container where everyone was welcomed, supported, and regulated. Gradually, I began to incorporate elements of SE™ into my practice. I felt how the slow, gentle work supported not only me and my nervous system but also allowed me to be fully present in sessions with others. My capacity for presence, support, regulation, and empathy steadily increased. My clients began to notice changes within themselves – slow but steady transformation, a sense of being understood, and moving in the right direction.
I shared SE and my training with my clients, dreaming that this method could become accessible in Bulgaria – a country with a long history of trauma and a social and political environment that often does not support people. Despite the challenges around us – military conflicts, stress, and dysregulation – we worked to plant seeds of trust, safety, and regulation. I witnessed incredible changes in the lives of those I worked with: some overcame addictions and created healthy families; others set healthy boundaries or ended unhealthy relationships; some are expecting children after years spent in dysfunctional families with mentally ill parents; some processed profound grief from the loss of a loved one. People who had once been blocked transformed into individuals who now thrive professionally or explore the world courageously. They learned to establish boundaries that helped them live more aligned with their needs and priorities, to be authentic and self-accepting, and to follow their dreams.
Global crises, injustices, fear, and aggression, as well as the situation in our country, profoundly affect how we live, how we feel, how regulated we are, how we communicate, and how we care for ourselves and our families. All of this underscores the great need for trained SE™ practitioners. Currently, there are only six SEPs in the country.
Driven by all of this, and most importantly by my responsibility as a mother of two wonderful children, I have strived to regulate myself, my family environment, and the community around me, contributing to breaking the transmission of pain from one generation to the next. I believe that leaving a better world for our children and for those who come after us is our personal mission and responsibility.
Seeing so much positive change in myself and in the people I work with, I felt even more motivated to make this training available. With the support of my partners Milena Nenkova and Natalia Nikolova, we founded the “Institute for Somatic Education,” and this year we organized several introductory workshops. Starting next year, the first professional SE™ training in Bulgaria will commence, and the transformation in people is already visible with each group that participates in our programs.
Many of my clients have chosen to get involved with the institute, either as volunteers or as students in the training. They share photos to inspire others, record videos as people touched by the method, and help spread our work. It is like a light that has touched your heart and now you want to share it with someone else.
So much work, energy, and hope have gone into our efforts. We are also deeply grateful for the ongoing support from SEI, EASE, our mentors, teachers, assistants, and colleagues. When the soul recognizes something as good and healing, it seems as if everything around supports the effort to create a healthier environment for oneself and others. The path that began as a dream – to bring the knowledge and wisdom of SE™ to more people here – is now becoming reality.
That same tiny light within us is now expanding and growing – the light becomes bigger and reaches more people. It carries the power of a firefly, which, despite its small size, can connect with other little fireflies and together illuminate a larger portion of the darkness around. The strength and light within us can accomplish so much when awakened and touched by another source of light that resonates with our inner radiance.
Together, we aim to create a community of mutual support and to make a positive impact in the world we live in – not only as specialists working with trauma but also through our own personal regulation and care.
We eagerly look forward to welcoming our first students and are excited for all that lies ahead. We hope to connect with and touch even more people – and together, build a healthier, more connected, and brighter world.
Boryanna Momerin