Join us for a thoughtful conversation on the dilemma of diversity as it presents itself in Balint Group discussions - and how facilitators can recognize and engage with these as they arise. In this session, Dr. Ali Manning will set the stage by discussing how meeting two common, and often competing identities - the social justice warrior and the medical expert, can help to enrich the discussions as we explore what it means to be a diverse practitioner. Dr. Manning's article The Goldilocks of Social Justice Education will provide you with further background on this topic.
Date: Thursday, December 11, 2025
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 Eastern
This discussion is brought to you by the ABS Diversity Committee as a member benefit. In order to ensure that we have adequate time for all to participate and benefit from our discussion, we are limiting attendance to 12 participants. If you register and you're unable to attend, please let us know so we can give your spot to someone else. more info...
This drop-in series is for ABS Credentialed Leaders and is sponsored by the History and Continuity Committee with Paul Scott as the facilitator. It generally meets the 4th Monday of even months. Attendance qualifies as a Maintenance of Credentialing activity. more info...
First time participants at a Balint Intensive and leaders of new groups are warned that the groups they will lead at “home” will not be like the ones they experienced during leadership training. Especially resident groups, but all groups, need to go through some developmental stages that are not always smooth or satisfying to their leaders. Clive and Laurel will present hallmarks of these stages to give you an idea of what to expect and discussion will follow.
The ABS Coffeehouse series is brought to you by the Communications & Marketing Committee as an ABS member benefit.
An online Balint Group is now forming which will meet monthly on the second Saturday at 11am Eastern/8am Pacific. The series will begin in January and run through August. Because group cohesiveness affects participants’ experience of the group, and a minimum number of participants are required to hold a session, registrants are asked to commit to attending all sessions. Please do not plan to arrive late, leave early or miss sessions, etc.
Leaders facilitating the group: Eddo de Lang, MD, and Darlene Lawrence, MD
Eddo de Lang, MD, has been a family physician since 1980. My first introduction to Balint was in the late 1970s while I was doing my Family Medicine Residency training in the Netherlands. after practicing for several years in Europe, I moved to the United States. Participating in Balint groups as a group member or co-leader has taught me the importance of divergent thinking and reflection. Darlene Lawrence and I are both credentialed Balint Group leaders and have co-led two previous ABS online groups and we have both co-led several in-person Balint Groups as well. I am currently involved in the ABS Scholarly Activity Committee, Balint Leadership Intensives Committee, and ABS council. It will be a pleasure meeting you online when our group will have its first Balint Group session. Hope to see you there.
Darlene Lawrence, MD, FAAFP, is a board-certified family physician who graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine, and completed her residency at the Georgetown/Providence Family Medicine Residency Program in her hometown, Washington, D.C. Providing full-service family medicine, including obstetrics for 26 years, Dr. Lawrence has been teaching medical students and family medicine residents for more than 30 years. Currently, she is associate program director of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Family Medicine Residency Program at Unity Health Care at Parkside Health Center and directs advising, Balint, Practice Management, and Resident Wellness. She is an ABS credentialed leader and faculty member at Balint intensives. She is a proud wife, parent of four and dog mom of two.
Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm Eastern Time/8:00am - 9:am Pacific. The initial meeting will be 90 minutes to allow for introductions and an overview of the Balint method, meetings two - eight will be 60 minutes. Number of meetings and Dates: Eight (8) monthly meetings on the second Saturday: January 10, February 14, March 14, April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, and August 8, 2026.
Cancellation Policy:
If cancelled by the ABS or hosts due to insufficient registrants, those registered will receive their money back. Otherwise, no return of fee is possible, including in the event of registrant's partial attendance or inability to complete the sequence of sessions.
1. Registrants must be clinically active and willing to present cases.
2. Balint work can stir strong emotions. If the registrant is at an unusually stressful period in their life, we recommend they sign up at another time.
3. Because the success of the group depends in part on cohesion, steady attendance matters. Registrants must intend to attend all sessions of the group.
4. In welcoming international participants, please know that the meetings will be held in English.
Target Audience
This series is appropriate for clinicians new to the Balint Group method as well as experienced Balint Group leaders. Suitable for those in active practice including physicians (primary care, psychiatry, other specialists), nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers, and others.
Accreditation
The AAFP has reviewed Balint Group - Decreasing Isolation with Peer Consultation, and deemed it acceptable for AAFP credit.
AMA/AAFP Equivalency: AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the American Medical Association as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. When applying for the AMA PRA, Prescribed credit earned must be reported as Prescribed, not as Category 1.
The American Balint Society is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The American Balint Society maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Join a special online Balint group where the focus will be not only hearing cases, but will include an "intensive style" debrief where Ali Manning and LIsa Buck will talk about leadership moves and help you solidify your skills. The group will meet four times for 90 minutes each session. We will work a case and then spend time discussing what happened and what the leaders considered during the case.
Leaders facilitating the group: Lisa Buck, MD, and Ali Manning, MD
Lisa Buck, MD, has involved with Balint work since her intern year of residency in Family Medicine, circa 1991. Balint training as a credentialed leader and supervisor soon followed. This work has been a passion for the entirety of her career. Lisa has led groups of residents, homeless shelter staff members, and groups of seasoned clinicians. Joining Ali to lead an intensive style online group with a debrief is new territory for the ABS and she is looking forward to sharing this experience with you.
Ali Manning, MD, B.Ed, FRCPC, is Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Director of Postgraduate Psychiatry Education at Dalhousie University. Her first introduction to Balint was on the Beach where she was "bitten by the Balint bug" and quickly went to successfully incorporate these into local residency programs. Ali's Balint facilitation is style is informed by both the Balint method and her teaching philosophy, which is in evident not only in how she teaches groups but also how she teaches others to teach groups. She's looking forward to joining forces with Lisa Buck to bring this exciting new Program offered by the American Balint Society.
Time: 5:30PM - 7:00PM Eastern Time/2:30PM - 4:00PM Pacific. Number of meetings and Dates: Four (4) monthly meetings on the following days: 1/21/26, 2/4/26, 2/18/26 and 3/4/26.
Cancellation Policy:
If cancelled by the ABS or hosts due to insufficient registrants, those registered will receive their money back. Otherwise, no return of fee is possible, including in the event of registrant's partial attendance or inability to complete the sequence of sessions.
Registrants must have attended at least one Balint Leadership Training Intensive.
Registrants must be clinically active and willing to present cases.
Balint work can stir strong emotions. If the registrant is at an unusually stressful period in their life, we recommend they sign up at another time.
Because the success of the group depends in part on cohesion, steady attendance matters. Registrants must intend to attend all sessions of the group.
In welcoming international participants, please know that the meetings will be held in English.
Target Audience
This series is appropriate for clinicians new to the Balint Group method as well as experienced Balint Group leaders. Suitable for those in active practice including physicians (primary care, psychiatry, other specialists), nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers, and others.
Accreditation
The AAFP has reviewed Balint Group - Decreasing Isolation with Peer Consultation, and deemed it acceptable for AAFP credit.
AMA/AAFP Equivalency: AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the American Medical Association as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. When applying for the AMA PRA, Prescribed credit earned must be reported as Prescribed, not as Category 1.
The American Balint Society is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The American Balint Society maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
The Foundation Psychosomatic and Social Medicine invites medical students to consider applying for The International Balint Award 2026 – "Ascona Prize"
They should describe a student-patient relationship, an experience, or experiences, from the student’s medical studies and include critical reflection on personal meetings with patients. Prize monies of € 5,000 are available for the authors of the best three essays. Papers must be in English. Each essay will be reviewed by an international jury with final prize winners being selected by a committee named by the Foundation and the International Balint Federation.
The criteria by which the papers will be judged are as follows:
Exposition: The paper should include a presentation of a truly personal experience of a student-patient relationship. (Manuscripts of former medical theses or diplomas cannot be accepted.)
Reflection: A description of how the student experienced this relationship, either individually or as part of the medical team.
Action: The student's own perception of the demands to which s/he felt exposed and an illustration of how s/he responded.
Progression: A discussion of both ways in which the student's own approach might change in the future, and also possible ways in which future medical training might enhance the state of awareness for individual students.
Submissions of 5.000-12.000 words should be sent by email, as a Word attachment to Prof Don Nease: DONALD.NEASE@CUANSCHUTZ.EDU
They must be received before 31st January 2026. Prizes will be given at the International Balint Congress in Aarhus, Denmark, 30 Sept – 3 October 2026.
The prize winners will be expected to give a short presentation of their essay (not more than 15 minutes) at the Congress and the full text of the papers will be published in the Proceedings of the Congress and other Balint journals.
The Congress fee will be waived for prize-winners and they will be provided with free accommodation. In addition, each prizewinner may claim reasonable travel expenses (the lowest available air fare) on the production of appropriate receipts.
This drop-in series is for ABS Credentialed Leaders and is sponsored by the History and Continuity Committee with Paul Scott as the facilitator. It generally meets the 4th Monday of even months. Attendance qualifies as a Maintenance of Credentialing activity.
Reminders and the Zoom link are available on the Credentialed Leaders message board. more info...
The ABS Diversity Committee invites you to a facilitated discussion to explore some of the complicated dynamics that arise in Balint groups when the Balint case raises issues related to the full range of diversity and difference.
Possible questions for discussion are how to:
Help the group explore the patient-clinician relationship when issues of diversity and difference arise
Find opportunities to help the group dig deeper
Facilitate a group in which the clinician’s identity and personal values seem at odds
When: Thursday, March 12, 2026 Where: 8:00 - 9:00 pm Eastern Who: Any ABS Member leading a Balint Group Cost: $ 0.00 (Free)
In order to ensure that we have adequate time for all to participate and benefit from our discussion, we are limiting attendance to 12 participants.If you register and you're unable to attend, please let us know so we can give your spot to someone else.
The four-day Intensive course is designed to teach Balint group leadership technique primarily through experiential groups, supplemented by topic-focused small discussion groups and faculty panel discussions. Attendees will have ample time to present cases, practice leading a Balint group, and engage informally with other participants.
The Spokane Leadership Intensive course is appropriate for clinicians new to the Balint Group method as well as experienced Balint Group leaders. The course is well-suited to those who are currently leading, expect to lead in the future, or are seeking a better understanding of Balint groups. The curriculum is appropriate for physicians (primary care, psychiatry, other specialists), psychologists, social workers, other mental health care providers, veterinarians, and pastoral care providers.
Because group cohesiveness affects participants’ experience of the course, registrants are required to commit to attending all sessions and to attending each session in its entirety. Please do not plan to arrive late, leave early or miss sessions.
The Balint Leadership Intensive is a training course and is not intended as therapy. Nevertheless, Balint Group work can sometimes stir up strong feelings. Prospective registrants who are experiencing a particularly vulnerable period in their lives may want to consider participating in this training at a later date. Course Schedule
The conference will be held at the Ruby River Hotel where hometown hospitality and peaceful river views greet every guest. Located on the Spokane River with easy access to the Centennial Trail and Riverfront Park, perfect for a leisurely walk or bike ride.
This drop-in series is for ABS Credentialed Leaders and is sponsored by the History and Continuity Committee with Paul Scott as the facilitator. It generally meets the 4th Monday of even months. Attendance qualifies as a Maintenance of Credentialing activity.
Reminders and the Zoom link are available on the Credentialed Leaders message board. more info...
Health care professionals are invited to attend the Healing, Mindfulness and Compassion Retreat at the beautiful and tranquil Ratna Ling Conference Center in the Redwoods of Sonoma County, California. The weekend conference combines Eastern and Western approaches to healing: Tibetan Yoga and Meditation as well as Balint sessions that address the complex emotional landscape of the clinician-patient relationship. The Balint group format is an empathy-enhancing practice to strengthen treatment alliances, improve care delivery, increase practitioner resilience and decrease professional isolation. Further context on the neuroscience of compassion and its importance in the provision of effective service will increase understanding of the connection between practitioners’ self-care and the care they are able to offer others. The accommodations and architecture are exquisite and the weekend is educational, restful, and rejuvenating.
Cancellation Policy
Registrants wishing to cancel their registration must do so in writing by the cancellation deadline of March 12, 2026. For cancellations received by the cancellation date, $100 of the registration fee will be withheld for administrative fees and the refund will be issued within 30 days of acknowledgment of the cancellation. For cancellations received after the cancellation date, no refunds will be available. Complete Event Details
The ABS Diversity Committee invites you to a facilitated discussion to explore some of the complicated dynamics that arise in Balint groups when the Balint case raises issues related to the full range of diversity and difference.
Possible questions for discussion are how to:
Help the group explore the patient-clinician relationship when issues of diversity and difference arise
Find opportunities to help the group dig deeper
Facilitate a group in which the clinician’s identity and personal values seem at odds
When: Thursday, June 11, 2026 Where: 8:00 - 9:00 pm Eastern Who: Any ABS Member leading a Balint Group Cost: $ 0.00 (Free)
In order to ensure that we have adequate time for all to participate and benefit from our discussion, we are limiting attendance to 12 participants.If you register and you're unable to attend, please let us know so we can give your spot to someone else.
This drop-in series is for ABS Credentialed Leaders and is sponsored by the History and Continuity Committee with Paul Scott as the facilitator. It generally meets the 4th Monday of even months. Attendance qualifies as a Maintenance of Credentialing activity.
Reminders and the Zoom link are available on the Credentialed Leaders message board. more info...
This drop-in series is for ABS Credentialed Leaders and is sponsored by the History and Continuity Committee with Paul Scott as the facilitator. It generally meets the 4th Monday of even months. Attendance qualifies as a Maintenance of Credentialing activity.
Reminders and the Zoom link are available on the Credentialed Leaders message board. more info...
The ABS Diversity Committee invites you to a facilitated discussion to explore some of the complicated dynamics that arise in Balint groups when the Balint case raises issues related to the full range of diversity and difference.
Possible questions for discussion are how to:
Help the group explore the patient-clinician relationship when issues of diversity and difference arise
Find opportunities to help the group dig deeper
Facilitate a group in which the clinician’s identity and personal values seem at odds
When: Thursday, September 10, 2026 Where: 8:00 - 9:00 pm Eastern Who: Any ABS Member leading a Balint Group Cost: $ 0.00 (Free)
In order to ensure that we have adequate time for all to participate and benefit from our discussion, we are limiting attendance to 12 participants.If you register and you're unable to attend, please let us know so we can give your spot to someone else.
This drop-in series is for ABS Credentialed Leaders and is sponsored by the History and Continuity Committee with Paul Scott as the facilitator. It generally meets the 4th Monday of even months. Attendance qualifies as a Maintenance of Credentialing activity.
Reminders and the Zoom link are available on the Credentialed Leaders message board. more info...
Eddo de Lang, MD, has been a family physician since 1980. My first introduction to Balint was in the late 1970s while I was doing my Family Medicine Residency training in the Netherlands. after practicing for several years in Europe, I moved to the United States. Participating in Balint groups as a group member or co-leader has taught me the importance of divergent thinking and reflection. Darlene Lawrence and I are both credentialed Balint Group leaders and have co-led two previous ABS online groups and we have both co-led several in-person Balint Groups as well. I am currently involved in the ABS Scholarly Activity Committee, Balint Leadership Intensives Committee, and ABS council. It will be a pleasure meeting you online when our group will have its first Balint Group session. Hope to see you there.
Darlene Lawrence, MD, FAAFP, is a board-certified family physician who graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine, and completed her residency at the Georgetown/Providence Family Medicine Residency Program in her hometown, Washington, D.C. Providing full-service family medicine, including obstetrics for 26 years, Dr. Lawrence has been teaching medical students and family medicine residents for more than 30 years. Currently, she is associate program director of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Family Medicine Residency Program at Unity Health Care at Parkside Health Center and directs advising, Balint, Practice Management, and Resident Wellness. She is an ABS credentialed leader and faculty member at Balint intensives. She is a proud wife, parent of four and dog mom of two.
e is designed to teach Balint group leadership technique primarily through experiential groups, supplemented by topic-focused small discussion groups and faculty panel discussions. Attendees will have ample time to present cases, practice leading a Balint group, and engage informally with other participants. 
Health care professionals are invited to attend the Healing, Mindfulness and Compassion Retreat at the beautiful and tranquil Ratna Ling Conference Center in the Redwoods of Sonoma County, California. The weekend conference combines Eastern and Western approaches to healing: Tibetan Yoga and Meditation as well as Balint sessions that address the complex emotional landscape of the clinician-patient relationship. The Balint group format is an empathy-enhancing practice to strengthen treatment alliances, improve care delivery, increase practitioner resilience and decrease professional isolation. Further context on the neuroscience of compassion and its importance in the provision of effective service will increase understanding of the connection between practitioners’ self-care and the care they are able to offer others. The accommodations and architecture are exquisite and the weekend is educational, restful, and rejuvenating.