PSZICHOTERÁPIA
A professional journal of practice based on psychotherapeutic methods
A quarterly publication, 35rd year, issue 1, February 2026.
Contents
Editorial preface
Maria Barna, István Tiringer
STUDIES
Methodological study
Zsófia Esperger, Péter Kovács: The role of psychologizing subjective illness theories in the psychological care of oncology patients II.- Practice
Theoretical study
László Lajtai: The Dunning-Kruger effect in psychotherapy and the current situation of psychotherapy in Hungary
Theoretical study
Éva Sifter: Some considerations for the review of the current domestic system of training pathways for psychologist–psychotherapists
WORKSHOP
„This is how we work…”
Judit Somlai: Therapy under attack
Contributors: Lilla Hárdi ♦ Laura Tarafás ♦ Judit Somlai
Commentary
Comments on the workshop study Artificial Intelligence in Psychotherapy by Máté Szondy, Ágnes Magyary, Noémi Mészáros, Ágnes Zsila – Ferenc Blümel ♦ László Bokor ♦ Máté Szondy, Ágnes Magyary, Noémi Mészáros, Ágnes Zsila
PROFESSIONAL LIFE
Professional statement
Training pathways in child and adolescent psychotherapy – Júlia Cseh, Balázs John, Szilvia Kakuszi, Tamás Kovács, Andrea Kövesdi, Nóra Mailáth, Laura Németh, Anikó Osváth, Ildikó Papp, Nóra Szilágyi, Györgyi Tényiné Csábi, Beáta Tóth
Debates
Quality assurance and supervision – closing reflections: Andrea Kútvölgyi, Nóra Mailáth and Ágnes Nagy
Guidance for the future – for future psychotherapists
Specialist psychologist training programs – Hanna Demetrovics, Zita Kakuk
Ethics column
Ethical issues in therapeutic practice 49.: Kinga Farkas ♦ Ágnes Fazekas ♦ Adrienn Imre
In memoriam
Varga S. Kata: In Memory of Lilla Benczúr
Reports
Summary of the general assembly of the Association of the Psychotherapy Council
Conferences – Mária Barna ♦ Gergely Biró ♦ Gábor Kelemen ♦ Noémi Németh
Book review – Ferenc Dufla
List of professional books and periodicals
Professional programs
Editorial announcements
STUDIES
METHODOLOGICAL STUDY
Zsófia Esperger, Péter Kovács
The Role of Psychologizing Subjective Illness Theories in the Psychological Care of Oncology Patients II. Practice-Based Study
Our study examines one of the most sensitive layers of psychological work with patients living with cancer: the dilemmas surrounding clinicians’ attitudes toward psychologizing illness explanations, approached from a psychodynamic perspective. Our analysis highlights a polarizing professional tendency: on one end, identification with psychological causation; on the other, intellectual and emotional distancing from it—both of which can distort the functioning of containment. Through clinically credible fictional case vignettes, we illustrate dilemmas encountered at the interface of psycho-oncological and psychotherapeutic care. Subsequently, using a real clinical case, we contrast how the significance of containment may sometimes condense into a single moment — such as the crisis following the communication of a diagnosis — while at other times it unfolds over a process spanning years, as the patient’s guilt, shame, or regressive needs become gradually tolerable. A core question we address is how the therapist can maintain professional and ethical integrity within this field of tension, where they must simultaneously respond to the patient’s omnipotent fantasies, the expectations of the multidisciplinary team, and their own anxieties. In our outlook section, we draw on current findings from social genomics: this research shifts emphasis from etiological to prognostic narratives, framing stress not as the “cause” of cancer but as a factor that modifies disease progression. We further reflect on the potential implications of this shift for the future of psycho-oncology.
Keywords: psychologizing illness narrative – psycho-oncology – psychodynamic perspective – containment – guilt
THEORETICAL STUDY
László Lajtai
The Dunning-Kruger effect in Psychotherapy and the current situation of Psychotherapy in Hungary
The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which individuals overestimate their abilities in areas where they underperform. This phenomenon, first described by David Dunning and Justin Kruger in 1999, has since been identified in a number of different fields. The phenomenon is particularly significant in professions where misjudgment can have serious consequences, as in the case of psychotherapy. In psychotherapy, novice practitioners may overestimate their skills due to underdeveloped metacognitive abilities, which can lead to misdiagnoses and ineffective treatments. In contrast, experienced practitioners may exhibit the anti-Dunning-Kruger effect, characterized by excessive caution and risk aversion. Supervision and structured feedback mechanisms are key to mitigating these biases, ensuring that therapists remain critically reflective and receptive to continuous learning. In Hungary, where the number of professionals providing psychotherapeutic services has continuously increased in recent years, and therapeutic care is increasingly accessible within various institutional and private practice settings, the importance of addressing cognitive distortions through training, continuing education, ongoing mentoring relationships, and continuous professional development is particularly relevant for maintaining high-quality care. Institutional, workplace support, and structured mentoring programs before, during, and after psychotherapeutic training can ensure that practitioners receive timely feedback and guidance, improving their competence and self-awareness.
Keywords: Dunning-Kruger effect, anti-Dunning-Kruger effect, professional competence, clinical supervision, psychotherapist training
THEORETICAL STUDY
Sifter Éva
Some considerations for the review of the current domestic system of training pathways for psychologist–psychotherapists
In my study I list some aspects to the critique of the current Hungarian psychologistpsychoterapist education procedure. These aspects can be grouped around 3 focus points: 1. the dissatisfactionunsatisfaction of the students (long, expensive, less practical training), 2. the varying of the international and Hungarian psychologist and psychotherapist training regulation (uniformized, worldwide accepted training), 3. the changes of international and Hungarian higher education procedures due to the pressure of students, society and the market (challenge-driven education, educational procedure accompanied by study; microcredentials). I chose these aspects because they can be easily adopted to general higher education problems, on which successful innovations are already built. These general higher education problems are: demand more practical training programs (students demand); the need for uniform training enabling international mobility (European Union’s values and regulations); the issue of the compatibility of the values and expectations of the labour market and academic- scientific sphere. The CHARM-EU (an european university alliance) responds to these problems by building a challenge-based, inclusive, transdisciplinary, mobility promoting training system. In my opinion, the CHARM-EU training system can model for the psychologistpsychoterapist trainings. In my study, I address similar training questions in the field of psychologistpsychotherapist training. In my opinion, answers can be similar to the training philosophy of the CHARM-EU. I would like to show one possibility of a training system in another study.
Keywords: training path – dissatisfaction – regulation – new training practice – microcertificates
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