Psychotherapy in primary care: the BATHE technique.

The family physician occupies a front-line position in the detection and treatment of emotional problems and psychiatric illnesses. The practice pattern of the family physician necessitates an efficient, effective model of psychotherapy The BATHE technique is a brief psychotherapeutic method that addresses the patient's background issues, affect and most troubling problem. The emphasis of the interview then shifts to how the patient is handling the problem and a demonstration of empathy by the physician. Some of the challenges in psychotherapy are presented, and cases in which the BATHE technique was used are described.