The Cognitiva Team
Milena Mutafchieva
psychologist, psychodrama trainer and therapist
Milena Mutafchieva is an associate Professor in the Cognitive Science and Psychology Department of the New Bulgarian University. She got her PhD in Developmental Psychology in 2007. She is a child and adolescent psychotherapist. She has been a psychodrama trainer for adults since 2003, and a psychodrama with children trainer since 2020. She has held seminars in Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Palestine, Israel, Egypt, etc. Since 2016 she has been a co-leader of several international groups for training in psychodrama with children. She founded Center for Child Development and Psychological Consulting “Cognitiva”, Sofia, Bulgaria. She was a main partner in Evidence Based Trauma Stabilization project (EBTS- 2017-2019), funded by Erasmus+ Programme of EU. From 2015 to 2017 she was the Vice-president of Federation of European Psychodrama Training Organisations (FEPTO). Since 2020 she has been a coordinator of FEPTO Network Group for Psychodrama with Children and Youth.
Sonia Semah
psychologist, individual and group psychotherapist for children and adults, family consultant
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Family Consulting at New Bulgarian University. In 2014 she achieved the qualification of psychodrama therapist from the Chiron Institute for Psychodrama Practices. She has worked as a school psychologist and is currently working as a psychologist at a kindergarten. She has been a part of numerous national child development projects, including a project financed by UNICEF Bulgaria for an age validation of standards for early child development and learning. She is a member of the Bulgarian Society of Psychodrama and Group Therapy and has participated in numerous international psychodrama seminars.
Denitsa Petrova
psychologist, psychotherapist for children and adults, EFT for couples therapist under supervision, psychodrama trainer
Denitsa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from New Bulgarian University.
She has professional qualifications as a Jungian-oriented Psychodrama Therapist at Hiron Institute for Psychodramatic Practices; as a Child Psychodrama Therapist at the Szenen Institute, Germany, and the Hiron Institute; and as a Child Psychodrama Trainer at InterPlay International.
She is individual and group psychotherapist for adults, children, and couples in Cognitiva center, Bulgaria.
Her professional experience includes working as a psychologist at a residential care centre for children and young people with disabilities, a Centre for Social Rehabilitation and Integration, as well as a school psychologist.
She has also worked as a supervisor on projects focused on poverty reduction and the promotion of social inclusion, funded under the Operational Programme “Human Resources Development 2014–2020”.
Denitsa Petrova has participated as an expert in projects funded by national and international programmes, contributing her professional expertise in the fields of psychology, child development, social inclusion, and psychodramatic practice.
Desislava Koleva
psychologist, psychodrama therapist
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology at New Bulgarian University. In 2016 she achieved the qualification of psychodrama therapist at the Chiron Institute for Psychodrama Practices and in 2020 she completed her training in psychodrama with children. She is a leader of psychodrama training groups under supervision, patient groups for adults and psychodrama groups for children aged 4-12. She is currently completing a program for trainers at the Chiron Institute for Psychodrama Practices. She has acquired qualifications as a consultant in eating disorder at the “Unikal” Institute, working with children aged 6-12 and children with special educational needs (SEN) using the Montessori method at the Montessori Association Hand in Hand. She works as a school psychologist for children with SEN. She participated in projects related to child development and the application of innovative methods for working with children. She also works with children in sensory integration.
Nikolay Koev
psychologist, Jungian psychodrama therapist
Nikolay Koev has a Bachelor's degree in English Philology at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and has fulfilled her requirements as part of the Developmental Psychology Master's Program at NBU. He is a Jungian psychodrama therapist and ius currently continuing his education in psychodrama with children at Cognitiva and Szenen. He leads adult Jungian psychodrama groups and child psychodrama groups. He has taken part in a European project for social inclusion of children and youth living in foster care. He has experience working as a school psychologist and has taken part in numerous international seminars in the field of psychodrama.
Alexandra Sarkizova
psychologist, psychodrama therapist with children and adults under supervision
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a specialization in speech therapy at New Bulgarian University. She has experience in psychodiagnostics with preschool children, children with communication disorders, and children with SEN. She participated in scientific projects that researched the thinking of children of preschool and school age from different ethnic communities in Bulgaria. She is currently training in psychodrama at the Chiron Institute for Psychodrama Practices, as well as in psychodrama with children at Cognitiva and Szenen Institute of Psychodrama. She has participated in trainings, projects, and seminars in the field of psychology of child development and child psychopathology.
Vanya Dimova
psychologist, psychodrama assistant
Vanya Dimova has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Master's Degree in Developmental Psychology at the New Bulgarian University. She has taken part in a European project for social inclusion of children and youth living in foster care. As a partner at the laboratory of cognitive development at NBU, she has taken part in scientific project, which research early child development and thinking. She has worked as a school psychologist and has training in psychodrama with adults and children. She has earned participation certificates from trainings, projects, and seminars in the field of child development and psychodrama and has earned the qualification for working with children aged 6-12 years with special educational needs in the Montessori method.
Lilyana Ivanova
psychodrama therapist for children, psychodrama assistant
Bachelor's degree in English Philology at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and has fulfilled her requirements as part of the Developmental Psychology Master's Program at NBU. She has achieved the qualification of psychodrama assistant at the Institute for Psychodrama, Individual and Group Psychotherapy Bernhard Achterberg and is a certified psychodrama therapist with children at the Szenen Institut, Cologne and the Chiron Institute for Psychodrama Practices. She has participated in European projects for social inclusion of children and youth living in foster care.
Elena Mihaylova-Burova
psychologist, psychodrama therapist with children and adults under supervision
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a specialization in speech therapy at New Bulgarian University. She has experience in psychodiagnostics with preschool children and children with communication disorders. She participated in scientific projects that researched the thinking of children of preschool and school age from different ethnic communities in Bulgaria. She has achieved the qualification of child psychodrama therapist at InterPlay International Institute. She is currently training in psychodrama with at the Chiron Institute for Psychodrama Practices. She has participated in trainings, projects, and seminars in the field of psychology of child development.
Dimitar Mutafchiev
psychologist, psychodrama therapist with children under supervision
Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Amsterdam with a specialization in clinical psychology. He has taken part as a junior researcher in the Evidence-Based Trauma Stabilization Project (EBTS– 2017-2019), financed by Erasmus+. Since 2024 he has been collaborator on the Play More Project for the integration of the psychodrama method in kindergartens, financed by Erasmus+.
Martin Georgiev
psychologist, psychodrama assistant
Мартин Георгиев е завършил бакалавърска програма по психология в Нов български университет. Последната година специализира с фокус към социална и организационна психология. В момента е редовен студент към магистърската програма в същия университет, специалност „Клинична психология - психоаналитична перспектива“.
Дипломиран психодрама асистент за работа с възрастни към институт за психодраматични практики „Хирон“.
Има опит в индивидуално консултиране и водене на психологически събеседвания. Трупа опит като стажант - клиничен психолог. Посещава редовно семинари и участва в различни проекти в областта на психодрамата и в областта на психотерапията. Редовен член 102887 към ДПРБ „Дружество на психолозите в Република България.“ Участвал на на 53rd DGPs Congress/15th ÖGP Conference, September, 2024. Конгресът е на тема Menschen Mitwelt Medien (Хората, околната среда и медиите), който се провежда във Виена, Австрия.
Мартин Георгиев работи с възрастни. Владее английски и немски език.
Julianna Tsvetkova
speech therapist, teacher
Julianna Tsvetkova has graduated University of Veliko Tarnovo with a degree in “Preschool Pedagogy and Speech Therapy”. She is currently practicing as a speech therapist and educator. She used to be a speech therapist at a government subsidized institution “Daily Care Centre for Children with Disabilities” for 4 years. She has also improved her qualification and skills by attending two courses: “Testing the Phonological Awareness and Quick Naming as Predicting Disabilities in Reading Using Picture Test for Phonological Awareness- children aged 4-7” and “Development of Phonological Awareness, Helping the Process of Improving Literacy, in Preschool and Early School Years.” organized by Speech Therapy Centre “Talk With Me”.
Христина Тетимова
психолог, психодрама терапевт за деца, психодрама-асистент за възрастни
Христина придобита бакалавърска степен по Психология в Нов Български Университет, както и магистърска степен по Начална Педагогика към СУ “Климент Охридски”. Дипломиран психодрама асистент за работа с възрастни към институт за психодраматични практики „Хирон“, също дипломиран психодрама терапевт за деца в немския институт за психодрама Szenen.Има дългогодишен опит като педагог и психолог в детски градини.
Има допълнителни квалификации и сертификати в различни области, свързани с детското развитие. Участва в международни проекти, насочени към подобряванре на психологическата работа за деца и учители в детските градини, както и за деца в Центрове за настаняване от семеен тип.
Stefan Flegelskamp
social worker, psychodrama trainer and therapist for children and adults, supervisor
Graduate social worker, child and adolescent psychotherapist, and supervisor. He has been a psychodrama trainer for adults since 2000, and a psychodrama with children trainer since 2010. He has worked for 10 years in the Residential Care Unit for Traumatised children in Urft, Germany and 8 years in Specialised clinic for drug-addicted young adults in Schalkenmehren, Germany.
He has been the head of the Institute of Psychodrama “Szenen”, Cologne, Germany since 2011. He has held seminars in Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Palestine, Israel, Egypt, etc. Since 2016 he has been a co-leader of several international groups for training in psychodrama with children
From 2015 to 2017 he was a member of the Council of Federation of European Psychodrama Training Organisations (FEPTO). Since 2016 he has been a coordinator of FEPTO Network Group for Psychodrama with Children and Youth.
Понастоящем Stefan Flegelskamp е директор на Институт за психодрама„Szenen“, Кьолн, Германия, ко-директор на Международния Институт за Хуманистична Психотерапия с Деца ИнтерПлей Интернешънъл и е супервизор на отбора на Когнитива.