Balint Group
A Balint group is a group of GPs who meet regularly and discuss clinical cases. The focus is on the psychological aspects of general practice, and particularly the doctor-patient relationship. The group is a supportive setting in which GPs can explore the human side of general practice, add a refreshing new dimension to their work, learn new skills and avoid burn-out.
Why do GPs join Balint groups?
GPs often feel "stuck" with certain patients. Interactions with such patients may leave them feeling frustrated, annoyed, puzzled or just unsettled. One way to get help with these challenging situations is to participate in a Balint group.
What actually happens in a Balint group?
The group comprises 6-12 GPs and a leader, meeting regularly, for about60-90 minutes. A GP presents a case for the group to discuss. Any patient can be presented, particularly those where the doctor has experienced a strong reaction (such as frustration, difficulty or uncertainty). The case is presented briefly and informally without notes, emphasizing the doctor-patient interactions and including the doctor's feelings and reactions. Then the group members discuss the case, trying to describe how they might feel from both the doctor's and the patient's perspective. Diverse views often emerge, reflecting the group members' varied personalities, life experiences and blind spots. There is no attempt to find the "right" answer and participants do not judge, give advice, or offer solutions. Instead, the presenting doctor is free to use the group's reflections in any way and to make their own decisions about their ongoing involvement with the patient. The approach is free of jargon, and the atmosphere one in which participants may talk freely and spontaneously, without pressure to be theoretical or diagnostic. As achieving sustainable change needs time, and some of the effectiveness of the learning in a Balint group comes from being a member of a professional and focused group over time, some Balint groups can continue to run successfully over a number of years.
What is it like to be in a Balint group?
Being in a Balint group can be very mutually supportive, as there is an opportunity to share experiences in a safe, non- judgmental setting. It can be empowering and inspiring to realize to what extent colleagues are facing similar difficulties and to realize how emotionally challenging general practice can be. The Balint group approach can be difficult at first, as it is so different from most approaches to medical education. Once learned, it can be a liberating experience, fostering deeper thought and understanding. Most participants find being in a group enjoyable, stimulating and interesting.
What will I learn in a Balint group?
GPs gain skills in applying their medical knowledge in emotionally difficult, real-life general practice situations. They learn to connect with and care for each patient as an individual. This is in contrast to learning specific treatments for generic conditions. They learn to identify their feelings and responses to patients and to make use of them to aid understanding. Feelings and responses to patients thus become tools in understanding patients better, rather than sources of stress or unhelpful behaviors. One aspect of this learning is that the GP may become more aware of their particular blind spots which create habitual and unhelpful ways of responding to particular sorts of patients and situations and become freer to respond more accurately to the needs of each patient.