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History

Psychodrama Centre Orpheus was established in 1993 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

For many years before that in Bulgaria psychotherapy in almost all its forms at the institutional level was perceived at best as frivolous, it was belittled, denied, declared an "unhealthy, Western influence". Only just cathartic and relaxing methods have been recognized and mentioned in university teaching.

In the early 1970s, Dr. Georgi Kamenov began leading the first psychotherapy groups in the basement of the first psychiatric clinic at the Medical Academy in Sofia, and gathered around him a group of young psychologists and psychiatrists - the underground period of group psychotherapy in Bulgaria.

Dr. Georgi Kamenov with Rumen Georgiev (this photo is kindly provided by Rumen Georgiev)

 

Ten to fifteen years before the "gentle revolution" in the socio-economic sphere (1989), a group of 10-15 young psychiatrists and psychologists, like dissidents in their professional field, began to pave the way for modern psychotherapy in Bulgaria. Without opportunities for institutional training in any form of psychotherapy, without legal access to psychotherapeutic literature, but with a lot of enthusiasm, serious motivation and responsibility, the first practical steps were made in group - dynamic psychotherapy, individual, and later in family psychotherapy and a system approach

In the late 70's and early 80's this circle of self-taught psychotherapists had managed to get acquainted with the works of several leading authors in these fields and worked on the principle of mutual learning and mutual supervision. Every Friday afternoon we met and until late evening we analyzed what was happening in each group, the new candidates for inclusion in therapy, the difficulties, mistakes, successes… And leading the groups and our participation in "Fridays" was completely voluntary, completely free, - free of charge and after our-working time, with all the necessary responsibility and dedication.
At the end of this period, shortly before the socio-political changes, although slowly and reluctantly, these psychotherapeutic activities began to be perceived less hostilely by the official institutions. Presentations of our work in psychotherapy groups have already been admitted to scientific psychiatric conferences. 

The first courses in art therapy with Diana Waller and Dan Lumley (England), and family therapy with George and Vasu Vassilio (Greece), have started. 

Jenya Georgieva, Diana Waller, Dan Lumley and Rumen Georgiev (this photo is kindly provided by Jenya and Rumen Georgievi)

1983 seminar on family therapy - a systemc approach, conducted by George and Vaso Vassiliou in the clinic in Suhodol - Alexander Angelov, Maryana Gardanova, Ruben Benatov, Vasso Vassiliou, Dr. George Vssiliou, Jeni Georgieva, Marina Boyadjieva, Alexander Marinov, Galabina Tarashoeva, Rumen Georgiev, David Yeroham and Filip Dimitrov. Many of the leaders of groups in the underground movement "Fridays" took part.

It turned out that in our professional circles there is a real "hunger" for fully qualified psychotherapeutic training.

In 1986, several members of "Fridays" managed to leave for Zagreb after a serious battle for "exit visas", to take part in the IX Congress of International Association of Group Psychotherapy / IAGP /. It was my first, almost accidental encounter with psychodrama - on the advice of Dan Lumley, I participated in the workshop of Ken Sprague, his friend from England, a psychodramatist. In practice, this turned out to be a sociodrama workshop, but the experience was shaking. Then I participated in workshops led by Zerka Moreno, Rene Marineau, Goran Hogberg, Monica Zuretti and other psychodramatists and discovered my method. After my return to Bulgaria, for 3 years I corresponded with psychodramatists in a solitary search for education.

Zerka Moreno directed me to Goran Hogberg. In 1988, at the conference of psychotherapists from the socialist countries in Sofia, we invited Rene Marineau and Goran Hogberg, and they held the first psychodrama workshops in Bulgaria.

After them, I was no longer so lonely in my desire to study psychodrama. Dr. Goran Hogberg held talks with Dr. Toma Tomov to start a training program in psychodrama, led by the Stockholm Psychodrama Academy together with the Medical Academy Sofia. We received a gift from Goran - the book "The essential Moreno" edited by Jonathan Fox and ordered to gather a group of 10 people who want to study psychodrama, and start reading it

Under these conditions in April 1989. launched the first training group in psychodrama in Bulgaria (the so-called Sofia 1 group), led by the program of the Stockholm Academy of Psychodrama. A large part of the "pioneers" of psychotherapy in our country from its "underground" period took part in it. The training was led by Dr. Goran Hogberg and Gabriele Wiesman - Brun, but it included many other well-known psychodrama trainers such as Monica Zuretti, Rene Marino and others.

  Gabriele Wiesman Brun

Galabina Tarashoeva, Gabriele Wiesman Brun and Monica Zuretti

Seminar with Rene Marineau

After Sofia 1, two more groups of psychodramatists were trained by guest trainers from abroad - one (so-called Sofia 2) under the program of the Uberlingen Institute of Psychodrama, led by Grete Loidz - Germany, and the other (so-called Sofia 3) - under the program of the Ella May Shearon Institute, Germany.

 

Psychodrama Center "Orpheus" was founded after the training of the first Bulgarian psychodrama – therapists of group Sofia 1, when psychodrama was already beginning to become popular in professional circles method and sought as an additional professional qualification. In the new realities in the country the need arose and it became possible for the Bulgarian psychodramatists to commit to the responsibility of teaching new generations of psychodramatists in our country to be in our native language, led not by guests but by teachers living permanently in the country.

Of course, due to the lack of traditions and experience in this regard, this became possible with the support, assistance, counseling and supervision of many guest trainers -  leading psychodramatists from around the psychodramatic world, https://www.tarashoeva.com/en/psychodrama-center-orpheus/about-us/guest-trainers/  but also with the responsibility for the whole process by the first Bulgarian psychodrama trainers.

 

After the registration of ET Orpheus Galabina Tarashoeva on March 26, 1993, the activity of the Psychodrama Center "Orpheus" actually started on October 18, 1993 with a five-day psychodrama training seminar - Introduction to psychodrama, conducted by the first guest - teacher of the center - Prof. D-r David Kiper (Ph.D.) of the Roosvelt University of Chicago.

 

Prof. Kipper's open lecture "Actions speaks louder than words" in front of a large audience in the auditorium of the Department of Psychiatry at the Medical Academy on 21.10.93. in essence, it was the official opening of the Psychodrama Center to the professional community and the mass media.

 

After the supervision of my work by David Kiper, encouraged, guided and stimulated by him, on 14.01.94 I started and until 19.06.94. I conducted the first group for developing the personal potential "Orpheus-1".

The co-leader of this, as well as the second such group "Orpheus-2", was Daniela Kerina, a graduate psychologist studying psychodrama in the group of Bernhard Achterberg (Sofia-3) in the program of the Ella May Sharon Institute. The group "Orpheus-2", started on November 8, 1994 in Ruse, successfully completed its work on May 14, 1995.

From August 13 to 15, 1994, Sue Daniel, a psychodrama professor at the Australian College of Psychodrama, conducted a psychodrama training on role theory and supervised the work of the group's leaders, then encouraged its continuation.

On 10/07/94 "Orpheus-1" was transformed into the first training group working on a training program for psychodrama assistants, which Daniela Kerina and I created in parallel with its implementation with pioneering efforts, enthusiasm, courage and responsibility.

We received a lot of support for this from Bernhard Achterberg from the Ella May Sharon Institute in Germany - in the form of direct and indirect supervision, discussions with the team, advice and shared professional experiences.

In September 1994 and March 1995, Bernhard Achterberg was a guest lecturer at Orpheus-1 and introduced students to psychodramatic work with the help of dolls. Three people from Orpheus - 2 also took part in the work of this first training group for psychodrama first level.

 

After the practical exam conducted by David Kipper the first 14 psychodrama assistants in Orpheus completed this level of their training on December 9, 1996.

Cross-seminar in October 1996 with a guest trainer Prof. David Kipper, who also conducted the practical exam of the first psychodrama assistants in Orpheus.

And so, over the years, group after group, through - seminar after cross - seminar, https://www.tarashoeva.com/en/psychodrama-center-orpheus/history/kros-seminars-with-guest-trainers/ we worked, studied, developed, experienced unforgettable moments together - joyful, sad, difficult and successful.

Since 01.01.2003 psychodrama center Orpheus has a new independent permanent home.

Since its inception, the groups have held their work weekends and cross-seminars in various temporary rented premises - the teacher's room of two different schools, art gallery, concert hall, ritual hall, psychological counseling room, center for psycho-social activities, classroom room and gym of another school, hall in a mental hospital, etc. Orpheus had a permanent detached house before this one, for a short period from October 98. until June 99

With the working hall in the building of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and its Institute of History, Orpheus has become a real center, suitably equipped for group psychotherapeutic work.

On March 23, 2003 the first five psychodrama directors, graduated in Orpheus (the group Orpheus-1-4) passed an exam, conducted by the commission, with a representative of BSPGT. https://www.tarashoeva.com/bg/pshichodrama-centyr-orpheus/diplomirani-v-orfeus/diplomirani-v-orfeus-direktori/

The event was celebrated with a solemn presentation of diplomas in the presence of the families of the graduates and a performance by the troupe of the playback theater Orpheus.

True to its role as a pioneer, Psychodrama Center Orpheus in 2012 organized the first introductory seminar on Psychodrama with children, with guest teachers Dr. Fabian Blobel and Helena Berm, direct students of the creators of the method - Alfons Aichinger and Walter Holl.


We conducted the first full course of training in Psychodrama with children according to the method of Alfons Aichinger and Walter Hol, led by Dr. Fabian Blobel from Germany.

On December 4, 2016, after an exam with a representative of BSPGT, the first 17 Directors of Psychodrama with Children graduated. https://www.tarashoeva.com/bg/pshichodrama-centyr-orpheus/diplomirani-v-orfeus/direktori-na-psihodrama-s-deca/

In continuation of our pioneering, Dr. Fabian Biobel, from 15 to 17 July 2016 held the first seminar "Introduction to psychodrama and action methods in working with groups in adolescents."

and after that the first module of this program 03 - 05- March 2017

07-09.06.19 - Successfully completed the first, two-year program at the Orpheus Psychodrama Center -"Psychodrama and action methods for working with groups of adolescents", led by Dr. Fabian Blobel. Many professionals participated in the various modules, 6 of them - in all 4 and received their diplomas.

16 -18.11.19 - The second group of the program "Psychodrama with children" successfully started, led by Dr. Fabian Blobel and Dr. Petra Marinova. The group is led with a translation into Bulgarian

22 - 24.11.19 - The third group of the program "Psychodrama with children" has successfully started, led by Dr. Fabian Blobel and Dr. Petra Marinova. The group is conducted in English

In 2020, the KOVID 19 pandemic tried but failed to stop the Psychodrama with Children training program. In November 2020 Petra Marinova and Fabian Blobel gave the first hybrid format in the Program for training in psychodrama with children.

They took the challange to realize the second weekend with 15 analog and 8 online participants to the topic of "developement of play and friendship". Thanks to the two trainers and the 2 groups members this playful and rich experiment became possible! Training on stage and on screen, exciting! Getting ready, getting connected and play!

 In 2019, the Orpheus Program for the training of the first generation of psychodramatists in Classical Psychodrama in South Africa started, http://tarashoeva.ivuworks.net/en/training-program-in-classic-psychodrama-for-the-first-generation-psychodramatists-in-sa , with trainers Galabina TarashoevaKate Bradshaw Tauvon

2019 -11-15 March in Bloemfontein / the first, five-day module was held

 

On March 13, 2019, Galabina Tarashoeva gave an open lecture - presentation at the University of Free State in Bloemfontein, on the topic - - „The birth of psychodrama, sociodrama sociometry and group psychotherapy historical and philosophical roots“.

2019 - 2- 8.11.19 in Bloemfontein was held - Second, seven-day module, which ended the first stage of the program - for personal development.


 

2020 – 18.04, 16.05, 28.06, 28.07 – Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, we had to switch to online theoretical seminars. After that, the working with the Orpheus program was terminated by the hosts.

On 01.11.19 at the invitation on The Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice at the University of the Free State Galabina Tarashova and Kate Bradshaw Tauvon conducted a workshop where they used sociometria and sociodrama to address the issue of: "CREATING A NURTURING CULTURE ~ CARE FOR THE CARERS IN SOUTH AFRICA."

2019 –26 – 28 октомври в Кейп Таун, Южна Африка,-по покана на Center for Group Analytic Study, Galabina Tarashova and Kate Bradshaw Tauvon conducted a workshop where they used sociometria and sociodrama to address the issue of: "CREATING A NURTURING CULTURE ~ CARE FOR THE CARERS IN SOUTH AFRICA."“

2019 –4-7 of July in Cairo, Egypt, 4 days collaboration of Orpheus Psychodrama Center with Rakhawy Institute for Training and Research I conducted:

  • Psychodrama, sociodrama, sociometry and group therapy: 3 days training– an workshop for beginners. In this experiential workshop the participants were introduced with the 5 basic elements of psychodrama, the 3 phases of psychodrama session, and the 3 basic techniques. They took part in Action Sociometry exercised and experienced the effect of them. At the end the participants share a big need for such deep personal work, great trust to the process, the method, the trainer and the group, an enthusiasm to learn this method and the sincere wish to do all these specially in this group, and exactly with this trainer.

  • Open lecture –„The birth of Psychodrama, Sociodrama, Sociometry and Group Therapy – historic - philosophical roots, following the life and the development of ideas of J.L. Moreno, the creator of Psychodram“ - 05.07.19

  • practice workshop with research tools - SAI R, CORE OM, HAT, and open lecture “Can we prove the effectiveness of psychotherapy in research? And do we want to? Peculiarities in psychodrama” 06.07.19 –

  • in the Scientific Day 06.07.19 – an open lecture “From anxiety to wellbeing through spontaneity

On 11.01.20, after a long break in Orpheus, the Group for development of the personal potential started again - 25th; with directors Galabina Tarashoeva and Silvia Vasileva, one of the first Psychodrama directors graduated in Orpheus. Due to the pandemic of KOVID 19, we missed only one working meeting – this in April, and we returned to working in the hall, already in masks following all anti-epidemic rules.

October 11, 2920 - "Vienna Ball" with masks in Orpheus

We had to finish the work of the group online on 05-06.12.20, and we gathered in the hall for the presentation of certificates on 22.05.21

Since 2020, the training activity in Orpheus has expanded with partnership with Center for Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy "Ariadna" in Veliko Tarnovo, with trainer Lyuba Tsanova. Together with her we are teaching one group director’s level and one group assistant’s level. https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%8A%D1%80%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%20%D0%BF%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%85%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%20%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B5%20%D0%B8%20%D0%BF%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%85%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%8F%20%22%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%B0%22

 

05 – 06.09.20 – A Group of Director’s level at Veliko Tarnovo started with trainers Galabina Tarashoeva and Lyuba Tsanova. We started working on site, with masks, but soon had to move to work online in Zoom or in various forms of hybrid for a few months.

24 -25.10.20 - started an Assistant Level Group in Veliko Tarnovo, with trainers Galabina Tarashoeva and Lyuba Tsanova. At 21-22.11, due to participants quarantined for COVID, we had to use a hybrid form (7 participants are in the hall with masks, and three are in quarantine or sick, and are in Zoom, projected with the screen the on the wall).

Then from 19- 20.12.20, in a few months we switched to an entirely online format.

On the second weekend, the trainee successfully leads a group warm-up in a hybrid session. The quest to master psychodramatic skills cannot be stopped by Covid!

The hybrid form proved to be useful after we returned to the new hall of Ariadne - in case of illness or other circumstances, preventing participation in the hall.

 

On 20-21.03.21 Orpheus - Ariadne Group Assistant level in Veliko Tarnovo works successfully in a new version of the hybrid - one leading online, the other leading with the group in the hall with masks.

30-31.01.21- a new group Assistant level, based in Sofia, started online directed by Galabina Tarashoeva and Maria Gorinova, one of the first directors graduated in Orpheus Psychodrama. This group continued to work online until 13-14.03.21, when we first met and saw live in the hall of Orpheus.

 

In 2021, already calmly using skills to work with psychodrama online, and in order to meet the needs of those interested, we began providing opportunities to participate in International Experiential and Didactic Online Seminars, in teams with various internationally recognized colleagues, in English.

2021 – February – 4, 11, 18 и 25 - International Experiential and Didactic Online Seminars Dealing with losses, grief and their transformation , with directors D-r Monica Zuretti and Galabina Tarashoeva. The workshops were organized in collaboration with ZERKA MORENO CENTRO DE PSICODRAMA Y SOCIODRAMA. Duration: 4 sessions in 4 consecutive Thursdays, one session per week, 3 study hours (150 minutes) per session. https://www.tarashoeva.com/.../application-form-for-the.../

We worked with group of 22 participants, from 15 different countries, on 5 continents,

2021 - International Online Experiential and Didactic Workshops with d-r Fabian Blobel and d-r Galabina Tarashoeva.:

  •  March 2021– 02; 09; 16; 23 - Introduction in Psychodrama with children - 4 workshops. A meeting of “the Inner stages” from 5 continents and 10 countries on the ZOOM stage of Psychodrama Center Orpheus.

 II module 20.05.2021, 27.05.21; 03.06.21; 10.06.21; The group:

  • Theories of dynamic

  • Psychodrama in the group

  • Disturbances

  • Supervision

This module has the focus on working with the children group. Theoretical inputs about the most important group theories and models give the tools to analyze the dynamic of the group and plan psychodramatic interventions.

III module: Self-reflection through children Psychodrama

  • My role protocols

  • My energies

  • Me in a couple

  • Supervision

 

IVmodule: Disorders

  • Introduction

  • Internalizing disorders

  • Externalizing disorders

  • Supervision

 

V module: Special topics

  • Working with Trauma

  • Working with adolescents

  • Working with parents

  • Supervision

We continue to write the Hystory of Psychodrama Center Orpheus 
and follow our mission!