[Institutional Consultation/and advisory service from the aspect of group analysis (author's transl)]

First of all, the author underlines that the article is concerned with a specific of institutional advisory service, namely, the subconscious/part played by the mutual co-operation of the members with each other and with the clients of an institution. He classifies his statements into three sectors: first of all, in comments on group analysis; secondly, in comments on the "induced phenomenon of spontaneity in the group"; and, "thirdly, in a description of the intrapsychic, interpersonal and institutionalized forms of defence. One of his theses is: In the same manner as the individual is made up of many and partly contradictory aspects in his life and is nevertheless experienced as a unit, an institution can likewise be considered as a unit. This would also show clearly the great importance which must be attached to the participation of each individual member of an institution in one or several well-functioning working teams in order to fully mobilize the resources available in every institution. This leads us to consider the actions of the members of the institution as reflecting the behavior of the clients. Consequently, all opinions voiced by members of the institution must be taken seriously, even if they are not in line with conventional opinions, as reflections of the overall institutional body. We must conclude therefrom that our aim "to help the mentally diseased patient" can be achieved more successfully, with less frictionally conditioned loss of energy, the more we succeed in taking these various aspects seriously and in not suppressing them below the threshold of consciousness, and rather in understanding them as far as possible via a frank discussion of opposing viewpoints.