Therapy with Daniela Aneva / For expats in Bulgaria
An English-speaking therapist for expats in Bulgaria
Take your life in your hands and take the next step on your journey to your future and your happiness.
You chose Bulgaria for the mountains, the sea, the pace of life or the work. Nobody mentioned how lonely the first winter can feel, or how tiring it is to explain yourself in a second language when you are already worn out. If you want to talk to someone, in English, who understands both Bulgarian life and life far from home, this is the place.
What people living here often bring
Moving countries tests everyone, even when the move was the right one. People come to us when anxiety or panic has started to show up out of nowhere, when burnout followed them across the border, when a relationship is straining under a new life that one partner wanted more than the other, or when the excitement has faded and something quieter and heavier has taken its place. Others come because an old pattern, the people-pleasing or the perfectionism or the fear of being left, has followed them here and is louder now that the usual supports are thousands of kilometres away.
Some are remote workers and digital nomads in Sofia or Bansko, some are retirees who settled on the coast or in a village, some arrived with an international employer, and some are Bulgarians who came back after years abroad and now feel like expats in their own country. All of them are welcome.
How we work
We combine cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), schema therapy and clinical hypnotherapy. In the first session we look at what brings you here, since when, and what you have already tried, and we agree on what you want to be different. From there we work with real situations from your week, the thoughts and reactions inside them and the deeper patterns underneath, and try new responses that fit the life you are actually living. Read more about the credentials behind the practice.
The practice is led by Daniela Aneva, a CBT therapist and clinical hypnotherapist with a master's degree in psychological counselling and the author of The Anatomy of Panic. Daniela is Bulgarian and has spent many years living and working internationally, so you will not need to explain either side of the culture gap.
How it works
Pay securely online
Choose a single session (€140), the MMPI assessment (€70) or a package of 10 sessions (€1,300, which works out at €130 each).
Pick your time
You go straight to the calendar and choose a slot that suits your time zone and your week.
Meet on Zoom
From Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Bansko, Veliko Tarnovo or anywhere else. A quiet room and a steady connection is all you need.
Payment is secure, through Stripe, to Develop U, a company registered in Bulgaria. Fees are in euros.
Questions expats ask
Is there an English-speaking therapist in Bulgaria?
Yes. Daniela works with expats across Bulgaria in English, or in Bulgarian if you prefer, online on Zoom. A 60-minute session is €140.
Do I need a referral or NHIF (NZOK) registration?
No. Sessions are private and paid directly online, so you need neither a GP referral nor NHIF registration. Some international health insurers reimburse private therapy, so it is worth asking yours.
I live outside Sofia. Can I still work with you?
Yes. Every session is online, so it makes no difference whether you live in the capital, on the coast, in the mountains or are travelling for a few weeks.
Is it confidential?
Yes. What you share stays between you and your therapist, within the limits set by law and professional ethics, and your personal data is handled under the EU GDPR.
I am not sure therapy is for me. Can I ask a question first?
Of course. Write to daniela@danielaaneva.com and you will get a personal reply.
Please note: sessions are not an emergency service. If you are in crisis or your life is in danger, call 112, the emergency number that works everywhere in Bulgaria and the EU, in English too, or go to the nearest emergency department.
Read more: Therapy with Daniela Aneva · Services and fees · На български