Family physicians leaving their clinic--the Balint group as an opportunity to say good-bye.

The cornerstone of family medicine is the belief in both the continuity and availability of care. These beliefs are challenged when a doctor leaves his or her clinic because of personal reasons. In the example described in this article, the involvement of colleagues in a Balint group led a doctor to a flash insight into her conflicting feelings related to leaving her clinic. The group process helped her to prepare and deal with her own feelings and needs, as well as those of her patients and staff. Balint groups are a secure place to explore and gain insight into the emotional aspects of attachment and separation of physicians from their patients.