Report on the discussion meeting of the adult section

The discussion began with a question from Poland on the universal standards of the psychotherapeutic profession, which appear to be important in Poland, and in connection to the forthcoming integration plans of Poland into the EU, a question was formulated on the recognition of EFPP by the EAP. This brought up Serge Frisch's comment on these issues, about the possibility of action on political grounds through local political governments but not through EFPP or the EAP, as the EU government discusses issues only with local governments and not Federations or Associations. Also the issue of psychotherapy as an independent profession similar to that of medical doctor, was discussed with some light being shed on the way it is in EU countries.

The question of refundation of psychotherapy by the public sector health service was discussed, how there is possibility to negotiate with those in charge of the public sector health service, and to finance psychotherapy in the public sector. There were many ideas of how the media, books, etc. can be helpful to present psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, in other words to increase social awareness on psychoanalytic thinking. There were views from Estonia and Romania on how difficult it is to accept psychoanalytic psychotherapy in the psychiatric hospital setting by staff and that patients themselves have little idea of thinking on an emotional level. Serge Frisch spoke of possibilities of free-of-charge consultation as a means of enhancing others in this aspect. In Latvia there seems to be a huge interest of patients in the personality aspects and an interest to broaden one's viewpoints and a good many prospects.

The Lithuanian delegation gave, what seemed a very important comment, that perhaps it is necessary for psychoanalytic psychotherapists to recognise also other psychotherapies, that psychoanalytic psychotherapists should be careful in their omnipotent fantasies and accept that some patients may better benefit from e.g. cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy.
The issue of membership in the EFPP was discussed, how countries or rather their regional networks firstly become associate members, to become regular members.

Another issue was that of finances and the difficulty to finance e.g. training or conference participations. There were ideas on the co-operation with business companies in conducting training programmes by the psychologists and pharmaceutical companies by the medical doctors. This brought up a discussion on the psychological and biological millieus and a necessity of a dialogue on this ground.
Serge Frisch raised the proposition on the introduction of clinical material in the next conference, so that the clinical material would be a canvass for the meeting point of the various viewpoints. There was a Lithuanian delegation announcement on the psychoanalytic conference of the Baltic States to be organised soon, which was met with the comment of Serge Frisch that perhaps it could be under the auspices of the EFPP.

The meeting point of the next conference was discussed with a warm invitation to Riga, on behalf of the Latvian delegation.

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