Transactional Analysis Topic 7
What is TA? A model for understanding human personality, communication and relationships. It is a way of analysing patterns of communication -transactions- that people use when they are relating in pairs and groups. classed as humanistic, behavioristic and psychodynamic Eric Berne (1910-1970)
Philosophical Assumptions *People are ok. *Everyone has the capacity to think. *People decide their own destiny, and these decisions can be changed.
TA Theory The Ego State Model Ego state - set of related behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Parent, Adult, & Child (PAC model)
Transactions, strokes, and time restructuring cont'd Transactions, strokes, and time restructuring Transaction - exchange of communiction Stroke - any act of recognition Time restructuring - analysis of the use of time people use during transactions
cont'd There are SIX ways that humans spend time. They are Withdrawal {least-involving}, Ritual, Pastiming, Work or Activity, Games, and {most-involving} Intimacy.
cont'd Life Positions I'm not ok, you're ok I'm not ok, you're not ok I'm not ok, you're ok I'm not ok, you're not ok I'm ok, you're not ok I'm ok, you're ok
cont'd Life script - unaware life-story script messages - instructions about how to be or not to be, what to do or not to do injunctions - scripts with negative messages
cont'd Script analysis - using the concept of the life script to understand how people may unawarely set up problems for themselves, and how they may set about learning those problems.
cont'd Discounting, redefining, and symbiosis redefining - distorting our perception of reality so that it would fit our script discounting - selectively ignoring information about a situation so that it would fit our script symbiosis - getting into relationships as grown ups which replay the relationships we had with our parents when we were children.
cont'd Rackets, stamps, and games rackets - continuing to cover our authentic feelings with the feelings that were permitted to us as children. stamp- storing up a racket feeling instead of expressing it at the time. games - a repetitive sequence of transactions in which both parties end up experiencing racket feelings.
Therapeutic goals * not insight, nor progress, but CURE - a progressive process that moved through four stages: social control, symptomatic relief, transference cure, and script cure * become autonomous components of autonomy: awareness, spontaneity, and the capacity for intimacy
Relationship bet. CL and TH * TH and CL take joint responsibility for achieving change whatever the client wants to make. *The CL, as well as the TH, should have full information about what is going on in their work together.
Therapist's function and role *TH develops an analysis of the client's problem. * Intervenes actively in a planned and structured manner to help the client achieve changes. *Give the client permission to go against the the prejudicial command of the parent in her head. * Convince the client that she has more potency than the internal parent
cont'd * Convince the client that she has more potency than the internal parent. *Provide the client with appropriate protection from the wrath of the parent
Stages of TA therapy (Woolams&Brown) Motivation - awareness of their own unhappiness or discomfort provides the motivation necessary to work toward change. Awareness - the TH assissts clients in deciding what it is, in concrete, specific terms, that they want to change through therapy
cont'd Establishing the treatment contract - the client decides in terms of beliefs, emotions, and behaviors what she plans to change about herself in order to reach her goals. Deconfusing the child - clients learn to accept responsibility for their decisions and discover how they use their behavior to maintain their scripts.
cont'd Redecision - involves client changing some aspect of his or her script. Relearning - continuing therapy to learn new skill to enable them to carry out new decisions. Termination - ckient has met the goals outlined in the therapeutic contract.
Who will most bebefit from TA? * clients with simle problem situations * temporary stress reaction *deep-seated emotional and relationship difficulties and personality disorders