Balint Srbija

BSS development

Balint method is well known and institutionalized form of doctors' education.

The development of Balint method is related to the recognition of the importance of doctor-patient relationship for the treatment and diagnosis by the great man of medicine and psychoanalysis Michael Balint, who has been working with the general practitioners in small groups since the 50's in London. Michael Balint has created this method called Balint Group and today, this method of education is an integral part of basic medical education (BME), specialization in general practice and CME.

Balint work in our country has been known since the very beginning and yet its application has started significantly later. Although Balint method is not intended for psychiatrists, the method was adopted by psychiatrists from Institute of Mental Health / IMH in Belgrade, an institution that has played an important role in the development of psychotherapy in this region. The first attempts of implementing the Balint group in our country originated from the psychiatrists, psychotherapists IMH 70`s: Prof. Milan Popovic, who was a member of the Balint group lead by M. Balint, and primarius Stevan Vidojkovic; but until 1996. there was no sight of Balint work in Serbia.

In former Yugoslavia in 1989. in Bihac on the Professor Kulenovic initiative, the president of Croatian Balint Society, Association of Balint Groups of Yugoslavia was founded and existed only a year because of the breakdown of Yugoslavia.

The first organized Balint education in Serbia in the form of Balint seminar began in 1996. by Natasa Vranjes in IMH, a psychiatrist-psychotherapist, the first certified Balint leader, educated in Germany. In parallel with basic education, Balint training for Balint group leaders took place according to the standards of the International Balint Federation. In the year 2003. all requirements were meet for the establishment of Balint Society of Serbia and Montenegro in Belgrade and was founded on the initiative of the first Balint group leaders in Serbia: Natasa Vranjes, Tatjana Vasilic-Popovic, Ana Krdu, Vesna Djuric and other colleagues.

In 2004. the Balint Society of Serbia and Montenegro became a member of the International Balint Federation at a meeting of the Board of the International Balint Federation in Dubrovnik.

In 2009. Balint Society of Serbia and Montenegro was re-registered in the Balint Society of Serbia. During all these years there was continued collaboration and support of the International Balint Federation and its members country, especially the Balint Society of Germany, England, Croatia, USA and Romania. The role of Balint Society of Serbia is recognized through the development of broader applications of Balint method towards the goals of international and national strategies for healthcare that promotes the importance of education of doctors in doctor-patient relationship.