44

This article addresses the issue of loss from the angle of the support provided to a group of long-term psychotic patients in a psychiatric institution. We observe that these patients exhibit an extreme dependence on the institutional framework. The question arises of how to support the empowerment process. This article presents our work with an analytic psychotherapy group and describes a clinical session, which is used to illustrate our thoughts on the role of psychological motivation in psychotic functioning related to the experience of loss.