Balint groups – helping trainee psychiatrists make even better use of themselves

Abstract

Objective: The paper presents a pilot study of Balint group work to establish it as a potential training tool in psychiatry. The aim was to test whether, in the training setting, it was possible for a cohesive group to form, such that trainees could make use of a Balint group experience. Method: Nine psychiatry trainees were offered three 90-minute Balint sessions and provided written feedback. Results: The trainees reported unanimously that group participation was a positive and worthwhile experience. They began to feel supported by their colleagues and experienced the method as an effective way to manage stress and anxiety. They reported that they experienced doctor–patient interactions in a different way, which appeared to correspond with a greater understanding of the patient’s experience. Conclusions: The pilot suggested that, within the public health training setting, a cohesive group could form such that trainees were able to make use of a Balint group experience. It suggested that this practice could be beneficial in managing the stresses, isolation and intense feelings of working with patients in this setting. The feedback indicated that the group helped trainees ‘think differently’ by fostering self-awareness and so furthered their development of psychodynamic skills.