Enid Balint's contribution to general practice

SUMMARY

The author, a general practitioner himself, gives an appreciation of the work of Enid Balint, with whom he worked closely in her groups for GPs until her death in 1994. He first traces the development of the Balints', and in particular Enid's, research into, and thinking about, general practice. He touches on the context of this work, in the evolution of applied psychoanalysis, which was a major interest of Enid Balint's. The importance of her conviction that the doctor needed to be helped to develop his own capacities as a doctor, rather than become a therapist, is underlined, and there is some discussion of the ways in which a general practitioner may develop as a result of a Balint group. Finally, the author gives an example from his own practice of a consultation in which he feels the influence of Balint work speaks for itself.

This paper is derived from a talk given at the British Psycho-Analytical Society as part of an evening (20 September 1995) honouring the work of Enid Balint

This paper is derived from a talk given at the British Psycho-Analytical Society as part of an evening (20 September 1995) honouring the work of Enid Balint

Notes

This paper is derived from a talk given at the British Psycho-Analytical Society as part of an evening (20 September 1995) honouring the work of Enid Balint