Fun？？es clínicas do trabalho de referência junto a pacientes psicóticos: uma leitura winicottiana

this article discusses the findings of a survey on the therapeutic functions of a clinical-organizational arrangement called "patient care teams or professionals" from the perspective of psychotic patients treated in community mental health services. a qualitative and participative methodology was used; data were collected in two focus group cycles including 10 community mental health service patients and indepth interviews of another eight patients. data discussion is based on references from public health and winnicottian psychoanalysis. the patients state that the patient care professionals know them deeply and perform as mediators in their social, family and work relationships. those statements meet the proposals of winnicott's theory for the treatment of psychosis, in which it is essential to offer individuals emotional support so that they may take ownership of their experiences and manage these in a personal manner.