Hi, I am

Eszter Nagy,

a mental health counselor, English teacher, reflective addiction specialist in training, and food addiction professional.

Reflecting on my story, I find the core calling to my helping vocation in the summer of 1995 as the 17-year-old Eszter was sitting under a walnut tree in her grandmother’s garden by Lake Balaton. It was there that I vividly envisioned myself as a helping professional, as I was pondering my options for further studies. Although, at that time, my path eventually led me to study English at Pázmány University, the calling voice has not gone silent ever since. Before starting university, I had spent a year in England as a volunteer caregiver. This experience had a life-long impact on me, and the insights I gained there became an indelible and fundamentally defining part of my identity.

After completing my studies in English and Theology, I moved on to Semmelweis University, where I studied Mental Health Counseling. The training was so much more than studying –

I felt I had arrived home,

into a perspective, a vocation, and a path that truly felt authentic to me.

Photo: Katalin Földes

Due to the course of my personal life, English remained my professional foundation for many years.

However, over time, I gradually strengthened “my other leg – as I often refer to it”, my helping vocation within me: I studied psychodrama (Hungarian Psychodrama Association), then bibliodrama (also with the HPA), and children’s drama (under Hanna Kende).

I worked extensively with groups using various dramatic tools for self-awareness, and eventually, my interest shifted toward resilience (Rick Hanson), positive psychology (Barbara Fredrikson), and a strengths-based approach (Ryan Niemiec). My perspective has evolved significantly over the years.

At the same time, I have been a dedicated seeker on my own journey of self-discovery.

Through meaningful realizations and personal experiences, my interest recently turned toward the dynamics and nature of addiction, with a particular focus on a specific form of dependency that can subtly infiltrate a susceptible individual’s life. This form of addiction gradually creates a life of discomfort, dissatisfaction, and an overwhelming sense of unlivability — it is food addiction. In early spring 2024, I earned a certification as a Food Addiction Professional through the international training at the INFACT School. This training opened up a whole new world to me and having studied from the top experts in this field (Paul H. Earley, Marty Lerner, Dr. Vera Tarman, Esther Helga Gúdmonsdóttir, etc) I felt a growing desire to share this knowledge and the related tools with people who suffer. This issue has become especially important to me due to my own experiences, and I am committed to providing education and counseling in this neglected field of addiction to help those struggling with problematic relationships with food, focusing on food addiction.

I am a firm believer in lifelong learning,

and I am currently expanding my professional competencies through the Reflective Addiction Counseling program at the University of Pécs.

To me, walking, traveling along the path of self-discovery is the greatest adventure in life, and it is an honor to accompany those who reach out for support on their journey.

Qualifications

MA in English Language and Literature, Teacher, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, 2002
Religious Studies Teacher, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Theology Faculty, 2002
Translator in Social Sciences and Economics, Kodolányi János University, 2009
Mental Health Counselor, Youth and Sports Specialization, Institute of Mental Health, Semmelweis University, 2005
Psychodrama Assistant, Hungarian Psychodrama Association, 2013
Bibliodrama Group leader, HPA, 2014
Children’s Drama Training, Hanna Kende Association for Children’s Psychodrama, 2015
Trainer, Vintage Academy, 2022
Food Addiction Professional, INFACT School (International School for Food Addiction Counseling and Treatment), 2024
Reflective Addiction Professional, University of Pécs, 2024/25

Eszter Nagy,

I felt I had arrived home,

At the same time, I have been a dedicated seeker on my own journey of self-discovery.

I am a firm believer in lifelong learning,

Qualifications

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