Meet our psychologist: Mária Klinger

Where did you complete your studies?

I earned my degree in Psychology from Eötvös Loránd University in 2002. In 2006, I completed my studies in Work and Organizational Psychology at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. My additional qualifications include Family and Systems Therapist, Brief Coach, and OH-Card Instructor. I have also completed several method-specific trainings, including Gordon Training, Williams Life Skills, Transactional Analysis, Cognitive Psychology, Experiential Learning and Humanistic Psychology, Aroma Freedom, and Schema Therapy. In addition, I hold both a basic and an advanced professional qualification in Child Protection.

What professional experience do you have?

I have been working as a psychologist for more than 25 years. My first position was at a youth mental health counseling center in Budapest, where I provided psychological and life coaching, couples and family therapy for young people and adults, as well as self-awareness and skills development group sessions.

I then worked as an occupational psychologist at the Balassagyarmat Border Guard Directorate, where I was responsible for the selection of border guards and for periodic and targeted suitability assessments. Alongside individual psychological counseling, I also conducted team-building and skills development trainings.

The next major stage of my career was serving for 10 years as director of a 60-person integrated social institution in Vác. In this role, I coordinated social services (family assistance, child welfare, social catering, home care, homeless services, and school and community health services, including district nurses and school doctors) and was involved in organizational development, training, research, grant writing, organizing conferences and city events, as well as individual and family therapy. During this time, I also began working in drug prevention and harm reduction as coordinator of low-threshold services for people struggling with addiction in the city.

After stepping down from my leadership role, I continued as a part-time psychological counselor at the institution. My work included life coaching and running various groups for expectant mothers, homeless individuals, and staff members. I also worked with high school students from the city, focusing on career guidance, skills development, self-awareness, and stress management.

Currently, alongside my private practice in Vác and Budapest, I serve as the professional lead of the Területi Összefogással a Megelőzésért Foundation, coordinating psychiatric and addiction community care services as well as low-threshold addiction services. I also provide supervision and case consultations for social and healthcare professionals (such as nursing home staff, homeless shelter social workers, and health visitors). On weekends, I lead open self-awareness workshops on various topics and in collaboration with colleagues.

I joined the DokiApp psychology team in 2020, and for the past two years I have also served as its professional lead. In addition to coordinating psychologists, I conduct individual sessions and deliver lectures and group development programs, focusing on areas such as self-awareness, assertiveness, conflict and change management, and burnout prevention.

In what cases can people turn to you?

Throughout my decades of professional experience, my work has primarily focused on relationship blocks, changes, and losses—whether at the individual, couple, family, group, workplace, or organizational level. In my psychological processes, I place great emphasis on uncovering suppressed or unrecognized feelings and needs. The focus is always on finding solutions after processing problems and difficulties.

My main areas of activity and the issues I work with are listed at the end of this introduction.

Why did you start writing?

It has long been a dream of mine to put into writing the professional and personal experiences and insights I have accumulated over the years—perhaps even in the form of a book, as several of my esteemed psychologist colleagues have done. However, I eventually realized that my current work leaves little time for a full-length book, and that I actually prefer to share my knowledge in a shorter, more concise format on various psychological topics.

My aim is to communicate my messages in clear and engaging language, making them accessible to everyone, rather than relying on complex and often difficult-to-follow theories. I am delighted that my articles have been published for several years now on the DokiApp blog, and based on readers’ feedback, the goals I set for myself have truly been achieved.