Work Discussion for community mental health

This paper aims to emphasize the pertinence of psychoanalytic work in the context of communitary mental health. The theoretical orientations for this are based on the concept of Social Defence Systems, as introduced by Jaques and developed by Menzies, and the intervention method used is Work Discussion, an original and applicable approach designed and consolidated at the Tavistock Clinic. With this contributions, we are able to consider the ways in which Institution´s malfunctioning relates to ways in which it´s work implies a defensive activity with which its participants, workers and patients, can be unconsciously colluded. After describing this method and the mentality behind it, this work describes in detail its application in the context of a Communitary Mental Health Centre in Santiago, Chile. Some clinical examples are included, together with some thoughts about the value that this intervention has for the community.