[Group therapy in clinical practice (author's transl)].

Not only the large number of mental problem patients and the necessity of institutionalized mental care arising therefrom justifies carrying through open patient groups in the medical clinic. In addition, the groups offer specific starting points, even within a closely restricted period of time, to set in motion psychosociodynamic learning processes and to overcome acute crisis situations. Group work can be a substantial step on the road from disease-and-symptom centered medicine to a patient centered medicine. Experiences with an open patient group are described in which 77 patients took part within one year.