Transactional Analysis ?

What is Transactional Analysis ?  A theory of personality as well as a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change.  Among psychological approaches, it is outstanding in the depth of its theory and the wide variety of its applications.  It is finding wide application in organizations and education.

Ego States  Eric Berne made complex interpersonal transaction understandable when he recognized that the human personality is made up of three "ego states"; each of which is an entire system of thought, feeling, and behavior from which we interact with each other.  The distinctions of Parent, Adult and Child ego states form the foundation of Transactional Analysis theory.  These concepts have spread into many areas of therapy, education, and consulting as practiced today.

Strokes and Transactions  TA suggests that all interactions are made up of strokes and transactions, which we aim from one ego state to another.  A STROKE is a single unit of recognition between two people. Strokes can be verbal or non-verbal, positive or negative, and of varying degrees of intensity.

A Transaction  A TRANSACTION is an exchange of two strokes between two people. The first stroke is called the stimulus, the second is called the response.  Sometimes transactions get 'crossed', or are 'ulterior', causing misunderstandings to occur, and communication to break down.

Games People Play  Berne labeled socially dysfunctional behavioral patterns as games, i.e.  the repetitive, non-productive transactions to obtain strokes which reinforce negative feelings and self-concepts, and  which mask the direct expression of thoughts, wants and needs.

Life Script  Eric Berne proposed that dysfunctional behavior is the result of self-limiting decisions made in childhood in the interest of survival.  Such decisions culminate in what Berne called the Life Script, which is  the unconscious life plan derived 'from early experiences that govern the way life is lived out.

Contracts  Transactional Analysis is based upon mutual contracting for change.  Transactional Analysts view people as capable of deciding what they want for their lives.

Ego States Basic Needs I’m Not OK, You’re Not OK I’m OK, You’re not OK I’m OK You’re OK I‘m Not OK, You’re OK Life Positions ADULTRationalityCynical Task Obsessive Problem Solving PARENT Over- whelming Regulating Love, Care Power Traditional Over Indulgent Prescriptive Rescuing Normative Supportive Indifferent Ingratiating CHILD Adaptive Reactive Creative Nurturing Approval, Safety Aggression Creativity Sulking Withdrawn Humorous Complaining Aggressive Bohemian Resilient Confronting Innovative Dependent Intropunitive Satirical

Typical Behaviors Advising Criticizing Ordering Telling Fault Finding Moralizing Scolding Nurturing Caring Loving Fact Finding Questioning Analyzing Problem Solving Helping Cooperating Planning Coordinating Scheduling Thinking Laughing Crying Sulking Being Frightened Playing Enjoying Dancing Curiosity Obeying Dependent ADULT PARENT CHILD

Aim of Transactional Analysis psychotherapy  To help a person to choose to be in a particular inner state, instead of just allowing the current ego-state to dominate feelings, attitudes and behavior.  Changing the Life Script  Replacing organizational or societal scripting with cooperative non-violent behavior is the aim of other applications of Transactional Analysis.

"I'm OK - You're OK" This is probably the best-known expression of the purpose of Transactional Analysis, which is  To establish and reinforce the position that recognizes the value and worth of every person.  Transactional Analysts regard people as basically "OK" and thus capable of change, growth, and healthy interactions.