We Bulgarians somehow always land on our feet (like the proverbial cat). In our country’s almost 14-century history, we endured the Byzantine Empire for 200 years and the Ottoman Empire for 500 years. In the second half of the 20th century, we got through 50 years of socialism, and now the country is a member of the European Union. Go us!

This generational ability to manage and get through tough times probably helped me to navigate my immigration to New Zealand a couple of decades ago. This was followed by years of studying and establishing myself in a profession that is very dear to me.

Last year, I had the privilege to participate in a relatively new Bulgarian podcast titled "Flip the Coin", where I discussed my life and professional evolution. The discussion was primarily focused on my work in the field of EMDR therapy and its transformational effect on individuals' reintegration into their personal and community life. Conversing was easy and included a nostalgic walk down memory lane, which made it extra special for me. The podcast hosts were two fantastic professionals: Ani Vladimirova, a well-known psychologist in Bulgaria who often features on TV, and Sofia Vladimirova, a seasoned journalist with extensive experience in hands-on journalism, governance, and media monitoring. 

The podcast is now live on Bulgarian National Radio and is subtitled in English (as are all episodes of "Flip the Coin"), except for two specific examples about my real clients, where the discussion is summarised. New Zealand is the land of three degrees of separation, and I was mindful of my clients' privacy when approving the subtitles.

The entire "Flip the Coin" podcast is not solely about EMDR, even though EMDR is the main treatment modality of my colleague and EMDR mentee Ani Vladimirova. It is about hope, whether it comes in the form of saving animals in Sofia Zoo, providing psychiatric care both in the West and East, or playing music on two continents. And hope is what keeps us, like the cat with nine lives, to always land on our feet despite the odds.

I hope you will enjoy my video reflections. And if you a curious, browse through the rest of the series and get your daily dose of hope. 

Till next time.