Experience in group analytic psychotherapy

The Royal College of Psychiatrists classifies group psychotherapy as required experience for psychotherapy training as part of general psy chiatric training (Grant et al, 1993). This is defined as group experience in in-patient and/ or out-patient settings, with an experienced cotherapist and/or supervision. Previous surveys estimate that the percentage of trainees gaining such experience ranges from only 9% (Arnott et al, 1993) to 58% (Hwang & Drummond, 1996). The limited duration of psychiatric training does not allow experience in all types of psychother apy and trainees must therefore be selective in respect to their own training, depending on what is available. Training in group psychotherapy may be more valuable to trainees than other psychotherapy experience in considering the nature of modern psychiatric practice. I describe my own experi ence of group analytic therapy as co-facilitator of an out-patient group for psychiatric patients. While working as a registrar in general psychiatry, I was invited to co-facilitate the group by the recently appointed consultant psycho therapist. Recognising a rare and unusual training opportunity. I accepted, although not without some apprehension. The patients had already been assessed but I was present at a 'pre-group' meeting attended by some of the