[Therapeutic community. Part 2 : La Chrysalide.]

In this article, the authors make explicit the conception of psychosis underlying their approach in a therapeutic community called "La Chrysalide", founded in January 1981. They view psychosis as a defence system against relational and intrapsychic conflicts. Subsequently they describe, in concrete terms, the structure and functioning of this community and then analyze its first sixteen months of operation which followed the social approach of Jones. In particular, they analyze the types of crisis, the roles, and retrace the cyclical evolution of the group of residents during these several months.