Indications for short term group psychotherapy have recently been extended to problematics of dependency and autonomy, crucial questions among students. A limited group focusing on problems of dependency was proposed for one year to six students. Sessions were held weekly and were lead by two cotherapists who were themselves psychotherapy trainees. Among the main problems that came up during that period were recurrent skin ailments and the recourse to repeated absences. The expression of underlying conflict towards the therapists seemed most significant. Nevertheless the group process allowed these complaints to be worked through symbolically as seen through the metaphorical reference to moulting towards the end of therapy. Absences were also interpreted. However the conflictuality encountered lead the therapists to question what kind of transference was involved. Concurrently the time limit of a year made the therapists confine their interventions to problems of dependency and autonomy. Thus, they were lead to reconsider their relation to their own training institute. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)