Main description:

Michael Balint's work grew out of a desire to analyze the doctor-patient relationship and improve diagnosis and treatment, and is now known and implemented internationally. In The Theory and Practice of Balint Group Work Heide Otten presents a practical guide to Balint groups and their relevance to clinicians in the modern world of internet diagnoses, distant patients and teams of specialists.

The book begins with a history of the therapeutic relationship and its influence on the development of Balint's work. Otten demonstrates how the sessions work, and goes on to look at the practical aspects of Balint group work with various professional and student groups, with participants of different cultural backgrounds and nationalities, and internationally. The requirements for leading a Balint group are then explored, and the book concludes with research findings and a look at how the practice can be extended to other professional groups. Case material from the author's own work is included throughout, and suggestions for additional creative elements such as sculpting, role play and psychodrama are also featured.

The Theory and Practice of Balint Group Work is an essential guide for psychoanalysts, psychoanalytic psychotherapists, counsellors and medical practitioners and theorists coming to group work for the first time or utilising Balint's ideas in their day to day practice. It will also appeal to others working in the helping professions seeking to strengthen the therapeutic relationship.

Contents:

Forewords by E. R. Petzold, John Salinsky, and Donald E. Nease

Acknowledgements

1 Introduction

I History and Basics

2 The doctor patient relationship in History

2.1 The Classical Era

2.2 Old Testament

2.3 Arab Medicine

2.4 Middle Ages to Renaissance

2.5 Romantic Era

2.6 Industrial Age

2.7 Age of Psychoanalysis: Freud, Ferenczi, Balint

2.8 21st Century

3 Development of Balint work

3.1 How it began

3.2 The idea is spreading

3.3 International confederation

II Practical Aspects of Balint work

4 How the sessions work

5 Balint groups with doctors working in somatic medicine

6 Balint groups with Psychiatrists, Psychotherapists, Psychosomatic

Physicians

7 Balint work with Students

7.1 the Ascona-Balint Prize for Students

7.2 Balintgroup work with Students

7.3 The UCL Student Psychotherapy Scheme

8 Homogeneous and heterogeneous groups

8.1 Various Professional groups

8.2 Different Cultural Backgrounds and Nationalities

8.3 Balint work in different Countries

9 Balint groups with added creative elements

9.1 Sculpture

9.2 Role play

9.3 Psychodrama

9.4 Imagination

III Requirements for Leading a Balintgroup

10 Prerequisites

11 Balintgroup Leaders' Training

11.1 Leaders' Seminars

11.2 Supervision for Balintgroup Leaders

IV Results and Opportunities

12 Research Findings

13 Balintwork with other Professionals

14 Summary

15 Bibliography