Dr. Zsofia Margittai
Dr. Zsofia Margittai
Phone
Phone: +49(0)1575 029 9111
E-mail address
Address
Klosterstr. 22
40211 Düsseldorf
Born in 1982
My path to coaching and consulting
"My goal is to support people before stress, conflict, or uncertainty become illness."
My professional path has been shaped by diverse experiences. For many years, I worked in the private sector, including in sales, marketing, and finance. During this time, I gained several years of leadership experience, which gave me a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by leaders and the importance of resilience and communication in everyday professional life.
One key lesson I learned during my time in sales is that success and satisfaction often depend much more on internal factors than we might think—on clear communication, resilience, and the ability to understand and inspire people.
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An equally important factor is how we relate to ourselves. Those who accept themselves, including their insecurities, can find both satisfaction and strength. True fulfillment does not come solely from external achievements but also from the ability to treat oneself with dignity. This realization ultimately led me to study psychology and pursue a PhD in the field. ​My research focused on neuroeconomics—a fascinating intersection of economics, psychology, and neuroscience. I was particularly interested in how stress influences our behavior and decision-making.
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After completing my PhD, I underwent clinical training in psychotherapy and eventually opened my own practice. During this time, I became increasingly aware of how long people struggle with their challenges before seeking support—whether in their personal or professional lives. I saw how deeply unresolved issues can affect well-being and how little companies often do to support their employees in these areas. This insight inspired me to offer coaching and consulting services tailored to both businesses and individuals.
My goal is to help people find solutions before stress or uncertainty lead to illness. I integrate psychotherapeutic insights with practical coaching methods to foster mental strength, self-reflection, and sustainable change—both for individuals and for leaders and teams.
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International experiences have significantly shaped my perspective on many topics. I have lived and worked in different countries and speak fluent German, English, and Hungarian. This has shown me how much our cultural backgrounds influence our thinking, actions, and personal development.
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I have learned that we often grow the most when we face difficult situations. Challenges are not just obstacles; they are opportunities to develop new skills, build confidence, and discover our inner strengths. This is exactly where I want to support you—helping you see your difficulties as opportunities and using them to reach your goals with greater confidence and clarity.
Additional qualifications
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Systemic Therapy and Counseling
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Hypnotherapy
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Hypnosystemic Therapy
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
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DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)
Training
2017-2021
Training and license as a Psychological Psychotherapist (CBT)
IKV - LVR Hospital Düsseldorf
2013-2019
Doctorate (Dr.rer.nat.) in
Neuroeconomics
Heinrich Heine University
Dusseldorf
2011-2013
MSc. Psychology
Heinrich Heine University
Dusseldorf
During my state-recognized continuing education, I acquired comprehensive knowledge and practical tools in the field of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) . Through my many years of working with mentally ill patients with a wide range of disorders and backgrounds, I have learned to flexibly adapt my approach to the individual needs of my clients.
In my academic work, I have investigated the effects of stress on our behavior and our decision-making . The results illustrate how strongly emotions influence our decisions . With this knowledge, I can support my clients in making informed and long-term, meaningful decisions in stressful and challenging situations.
During my studies I learned scientifically sound fundamentals of psychology, as well as special knowledge in work and organizational psychology , neuroscience and clinical psychology
Training
Academic Publications
Margittai, Z., van Wingerden, M., Schnitzler, A., Joëls, M., & Kalenscher, T. (2018). Dissociable roles of glucocorticoid and noradrenergic activation on social discounting. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 90, 22–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.01.015
Margittai, Z., Nave, G., Van Wingerden, M., Schnitzler, A., Schwabe, L., & Kalenscher, T. (2018). Combined Effects of Glucocorticoid and Noradrenergic Activity on Loss Aversion. Neuropsychopharmacology: official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 43(2), 334–341. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2017.75
Strombach, T., Margittai, Z., Gorczyca, B., & Kalenscher, T. (2016). Gender-Specific Effects of Cognitive Load on Social Discounting. PloS One, 11(10), e0165289. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165289
Margittai, Z., Nave, G., Strombach, T., van Wingerden, M., Schwabe, L., & Kalenscher, T. (2016). Exogenous cortisol causes a shift from deliberative to intuitive thinking. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 64, 131– 135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.11.018
Margittai, Z., Strombach, T., van Wingerden, M., Joëls, M., Schwabe, L., & Kalenscher, T. (2015). A friend in need: Time-dependent effects of stress on social discounting in men. Hormones and Behavior, 73, 75–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.019
Margittai, Z., Yardimci, T., Marin, D., Kamp, D., Cordes, J., Kujovic, M. Cognitive deficits of electroconvulsive therapy for depression: Moderating variables and neuropsychological testing. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 2018; 86(11): 690-698 DOI: 10.1055/a-0758-1387
Kujovic, M., Bahr, C., Riesbeck, M., Benz, D., Deiß, M., Margittai, Z., Henges, S., Reinermann, D., Plewnia, C., & Meisenzahl, E. (2025). Effects on impulsivity and delay discounting of intermittent theta burst stimulation add-on to dialectical behavioral therapy in borderline personality disorder: a randomized, sham-controlled pilot trial. Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation, 12(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00278-3
Kujovic, M., Bahr, C., Riesbeck, M., Benz, D., Wingerter, L., Deiß, M., Margittai, Z., Reinermann, D., Plewnia, C., & Meisenzahl, E. (2024). Effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation add-on to dialectical behavioral therapy in borderline personality disorder: results of a randomized, sham-controlled pilot trial. European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 10.1007/s00406-024-01901-0. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-024-01901-0
Kujovic, M., Benz, D., Riesbeck, M., Mollamehmetoglu, D., Becker-Sadzio, J., Margittai, Z., Bahr, C., & Meisenzahl, E. (2024). Comparison of 8-vs-12 weeks, adapted dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder in routine psychiatric inpatient treatment-A naturalistic study. Scientific reports, 14(1), 11264. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-61795-9
Kujovic, M., Benz, D., Riesbeck, M., Bahr, C., Kriegs, C., Reinermann, D., Jänner, M., Neufang, S., Margittai, Z., Kamp, D., Plewnia, C., & Meisenzahl, E. (2024). Theta burst stimulation add on to dialectical behavioral therapy in borderline personality disorder: methods and design of a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial. European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 274(1), 87–96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-023-01692-w
Schweda, A., Margittai, Z., & Kalenscher, T. (2020). Acute stress counteracts framing-induced generosity boosts in social discounting in young healthy men. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 121, 104860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104860
Kujovic, M., Malikovic, A., Jochum, S., Margittai, Z., Lange-Asschenfeldt, C., & Supprian, T. (2019). Longitudinal progression of posterior cortical atrophy over 11 years: Relationship between lesion topology and clinical deficits. Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology, 41(8), 875-880. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2019.1638345