1. Transactional Analysis 101 Course: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of TA Focused on Social Justice
Vann S. Joines, Ph.D., Graham Barnes, Ph.D., Valerie Batts, Ph.D., and Felipe Garcia, M.A.
Certified Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analysts, ITAA
With Special Thanks to:
The Inclusion, Equality and Social Action (IESAC) Committee Members of USATAA: Janice Dowson (Chair), Cheryl Leong, Inger Acking, and Reiko True
For Planning this Social Justice TA 101 and Obtaining a Grant from the Eric Berne Fund for the Future to Video this Special Social Justice TA 101 Course
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

2. History
Transactional Analysis was developed in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s by Eric Berne, MD, a psychiatrist in Carmel, California.
Berne was born in 1910 in Montreal, Canada. He went to college and medical school at McGill University. He came to the U.S. to do his psychiatry residency. He was drafted into the military and served as an Army psychiatrist.
In 1958, Berne began the San Francisco Social Psychiatry Seminar.
In 1962, Berne and his students began the TA Bulletin.
In 1964, Berne and his students formed the International Transactional Analysis Association which now has associations in almost every major country world-wide.
In 1970, Berne died and the TA Bulletin was changed to the TA Journal.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

3. People Who Influenced Berne
Paul Federn Edoardo Weiss Eric Erikson Wilder Penfield Rene Spitz Alfred Adler Wilfred Bion Sigmund Freud
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4. Books by Eric Berne
The Layman’s Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis
Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy – 1961
Games People Play
The Structure and Dynamics of Organizations and Groups
Principles of Group Treatment
Sex in Human Loving
What Do You Say After You Say Hello? – 1972
Beyond Games and Scripts
Intuitions and Ego States – 1977
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

5. Books by Other Authors
Stewart, I. & Joines, V. (1987). TA Today: A New Introduction to Transactional Analysis. Nottingham & Chapel Hill: Lifespace Publishing.
Stewart, I. & Joines, V. (2002). Personality Adaptations: A New Guide to Human Understanding in Psychotherapy and Counseling. Nottingham & Chapel Hill: Lifespace Publishing.
Steiner, C. (1974). Scripts People Live: Transactional Analysis of Life Scripts. New York: Grove Press.
Goulding, R. & Goulding, M. (1979). Changing Lives Through Redecision Therapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
James, M. (1977). Techniques in Transactional Analysis. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1977
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

6. Definition
Transactional Analysis is both a theory of personality and human interaction, and a method of psychotherapy, counseling, organizational analysis, and educational facilitation.
It is made up of four basic parts:
1. Structural Analysis
2. Transactional Analysis Proper
3. Life Script Analysis
4. Game and Racket Analysis
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

7. Philosophical Principles
Human beings are okay.
Everyone has the capacity to think.
Dysfunctional behavior results from early decisions made in childhood that at the time are the very best option the child has available for taking care of him or herself. These decisions limit oneself in the present and can be re-decided.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

8. Structural Analysis (The Component Parts of the Personality and How Those Parts Function Intrapsychically)
Exercise
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9. Descriptive or Functional Diagram
Structural Analysis P NP CP
Ego A A C NC AC
First Order Structural Diagram
Descriptive or Functional Diagram
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

10. Structural Analysis
What Freud described as the Ego or conscious part of the personality is made up of three distinct states that represent:
1. Who the person was as a child.
2. Who the person is in the present, and
3. Who the person’s parents were.
These are referred to as the Child, Adult, and Parent Ego State.
Definition of an ego state: A consistent, coherent system of feelings and thoughts along with a correlated set of behavior patterns
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

11. Structural Analysis P2 A2 C2 Second Order Structural Diagram
Mother and Father’s Parent Ego State A3
Mother and Father’s Adult Ego State C3
Mother and Father’s Child Ego State A2 P1
The Magical Parent A1
The Little Professor C1
The Infant C2
Second Order
Structural Diagram
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

12. How the Structure DevelopsA3
Parent 6 – 12 yrs. C3
Ego A2
Adult 18 mo.s – 3 yrs. P1
Magical Parent 3 – 6 yrs.
Conception to Birth A1
Little Professor 6 – 18 mo.s P0 C1
Infant 0 – 6 mo.s C1 A0 C2 C0
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

13. Parent, Adult, Child vs. Superego, Ego, and IDSE P
EGO A C ID
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14. Our Sense of Self We have a movable sense of self.
Our sense of “real self” will be wherever our spontaneous energy is greatest.
That may be different from the part of us that is in charge of what we are doing (the executive).
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

15. Types of Energy
We have 3 types of energy: 1. Bound 2. Unbound 3. Free (Spontaneous) P A C
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16. How to Diagnose Ego States
A complete diagnosis is made up of four parts:
1. A behavioral diagnosis
2. A social or operational diagnosis
3. A historical diagnosis
4. A phenomenological or existential
diagnosis
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17. How the Ego States Function in Decision – Making
Exercise – Groups of Three
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18. Ideal Functioning in Decision - MakingP A C
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19. Contamination Diagrams P P P A A A C C C
Double Contamination of the Adult
Child Contamination of the Adult
Parent Contamination of the Adult.
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20. Exclusion of the Parent
Diagrams P P P A A A C C C
Exclusion of the Child
Exclusion of the Parent
Exclusion of the Adult
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21. The Egogram (Developed by Jack Dusay, M.D.)
CP NP A NC AC
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22. Existential Position: A person’s basic belief about self and other which are used to justify decisions and behavior
You are OK
I+ U+
U+ I-
I am
not OK
I am OK
I+ U-
U- I+
You are not OK
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

23. Transactional Analysis Proper (Analyzing Our Communication)
Definition of a Transaction:
A transaction is the basic unit of social discourse made up of a transactional stimulus and a response.
Types of Transactions:
1. Complementary
2. Crossed
3. Ulterior
A. Angular
B. Duplex
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24. Types of Transactions Diagramed
1. Complementary
2. Crossed P P P P S A A A A P C C C C
3. Ulterior (Angular)
(Duplex)
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25. Rules of Communication
When the transactions are complementary, communication can proceed indefinitely.
When the transactions are crossed, communication breaks down and one or both people have to change ego states in order to re-establish communication.
When the transactions are ulterior, the behavioral outcome will be determined by the psychological level.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

26. Gallows Transaction
A “gallows transaction” is when someone laughs at or jokes about their own self-destructive or non-productive behavior and invites others to laugh also. P P A A C C
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27. Transacting (Initiating and responding to stimuli with self and others)
Transacting with self:
Internal dialogue
Internal responsive process
Feel, think, act
Transactional stimuli deserve a response
Five options for initiating and responding
Critical parent
Nurturing parent
Adult
Adaptive child
Free child
Blocking transactions
Redefining transactions
Competitive transactions
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

28. Analyzing transactions (exercise)
Think of a recent experience you had where you felt uncomfortable
What was the stimulus?
2) How did you respond?
3) What type of transactions and ego states were involved?
4) How did you end up feeling?
5) What could you have done differently?
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

29. Psychological Hungers
Berne realized that just as much of behavior is motivated by certain physical hungers like food, clothing, shelter, etc., there are certain psychological hungers that motivate a great deal of our behavior.
These are:
Stimulus hunger which gets sublimated into recognition hunger (Stroke hunger)
2 Structure hunger which has as a corollary leadership hunger
3 Position hunger
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

30. Strokes (a unit of recognition)
Strokes can be:
Unconditional or conditional
Positive or negative
Verbal, non-verbal, or physical
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

31. Types of Strokes Unconditional Positive (Positive Being Strokes)
I love you
You matter
You are ok
To self: I am ok
I like myself
Inclusion and equality
Unconditional Negative
(Negative Being Strokes)
You are not ok
I hate you
You are no good
To self: I am not ok
There is something wrong w/ me
Racism, sexism…
Positive Condition Strokes
(Positive Strokes for Doing or Having)
You did a good job
I like how you are dressed
You speak clearly
That is a great idea
 I like how we are different
To self: I am proud of my work
Negative Conditional Strokes
(Negative Strokes for Doing or Having)
You made a mistake
You are late
I don’t like your language
That’s a stupid idea
I don’t like how I did that 
To self: I made a mistake
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

32. Strokes and Cultural Rules
There are cultural rules about strokes which need examination and change
Don't ask for strokes
Don't give strokes
Don't give yourself strokes
Don't accept strokes
Don't reject strokes
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

33. Strokes Permissions You get what you stroke Stroke what you want
Ask for strokes
Give strokes
Accept strokes
Reject strokes
Give yourself strokes
You get what you stroke
Stroke what you want
Notice target strokes
Notice target discounts
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

34. Strokes (exercise)
Using a scale of 0 to 5; 0 representing “never” and 5 “ very often”, place a number in each box that represents how often you utilize strokes
Types/Ways
Give
Receive
Accept
Ask For
Give self
Reject
Positive Being (unconditional)
Negative Being
(Unconditional)
Positive Doing /
Having Conditional
Negative Doing/
What did you learn about yourself?
What are the ramifications of this awareness?
What would you like to change?
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

35. Time Structuring
Exercise
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36. Degree of Psychological Risk
Time Structuring
Withdrawal
Rituals
Pastimes
Activities
Games
Intimacy
Intensity of Stroking
Degree of Psychological Risk
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

37. Position Hunger Existential Life Positions:
I’m Okay – You’re Okay (Reality)
I’m Not Okay – You’re Okay (Depressive)
I’m Okay – You’re Not Okay (Defensive)
I’m Not Okay – You’re Not Okay (Despair)
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

38. Okay Corral You’re Okay Get away from (Depressive) Get on with
(Healthy)
I’m Not Okay
I’m Okay
Get nowhere with
(Despair)
Get rid of
(Defensive)
You’re Not Okay
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

39. Typical Behaviors in Each Quadrant
You’re Okay
Kick Me Scare, Sadness, Confusion, Guilt Depressive Loveless Run Away, Suicide
Excited (Positive Feelings) Problem – Solving
I’m Not Okay
I’m Okay
Blemish Anger Defensive Joyless Homicide
WDYYB Frustration Despair Mindless Go Crazy
You’re Not Okay
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

40. Life Script Analysis (Becoming Aware of Our Unconscious Life Plan)
Definition of a Life Script:
A person’s life plan concerning what of significance will happen to them in their life, which they decided on in childhood, and of which they are likely to be unaware in the present.
Three Types:
1. Winners
2. Losers
3. Non-Winners
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

41. Time Patterns in Scripts
Always
Never
After
Until
Almost or Over and Over
Open Ended
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42. Counter-Injunctions (Drivers)
Script Matrix
Mother
Father
Counter-Injunctions (Drivers)
Self P P P A A A
Permissions C C C
Program (Here’s How)
Injunctions
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43. The Five Drivers Be Perfect Be Strong Try Hard Please Others Hurry Up
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44. The Injunctions Behavioral Don’t be or don’t exist
Don’t be well or sane
Don’t be you
Don’t make it
Don’t be close or trust
Don’t grow up
Don’t be a child
Don’t be important
Don’t belong
Don’t enjoy
Don’t talk
Don’t
Feeling
Don’t feel
Don’t feel (x)
Don’t feel what you feel,
feel what I feel
Thinking
Don’t think
Don’t think (x)
Don’t think what you think,
think what I think
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

45. Script Terminology Counterscript = Counterinjuctions + Child’s
Acquiesence
Drivers = Specific Group of Universal
Counterinjunctions
Script Proper = Injunctions + Child’s Decision
Program = Parent’s Modeling for How to Carry
out the Injunctions
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

46. Fairytales and Childhood Stories
The Child will find a story that existentially fits his or her predicament.
The story gives the Child a magical sense of power and control in a situation where otherwise the Child would feel helpless.
The story becomes the basic template for the individual’s Life Script.
The story is based on magic and doesn’t work in reality.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

47. How People Make the External World Fit Their Internal Belief System (Script)
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48. Frames of Reference
A way to justify our Life Script and thereby keep our world consistent and predictable
Maintained through Discounting, Redefining, and Tangential and Blocking Transactions
F. of R.
F. of R. P P A A NC AC AC NC
Intimacy
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

49. Racket and Game Analysis (How We Use Our Transactions for Ulterior Purposes in Order to Support Our Script)
People support their life script:
By maintaining psychological rackets
By playing psychological games
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

50. Racket Analysis (How and Why We Maintain Unpleasant Feelings)
Definition of a racket:
The process of seeking out and maintaining a familiar unpleasant feeling as a way of manipulating support from the environment.
Escalating a familiar unpleasant feeling rather than taking direct action to resolve the feeling.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

51. The Purpose of Unpleasant Feelings
1. They let us know what we are needing.
2. They are a stimulus for problem-solving.
The Process of Problem-Solving:
What am I feeling?
What’s going on that I am feeling that way about?
What can I do about it?
Choose an Option.
Implement the option and let go of the feeling.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

52. Rackets are the feelings people go into in a situation of stress.
They are learned though life situations.
They are what the parents paid the most attention to the child for feeling.
They are the feeling(s) that were modeled by one’s parents in a situation of stress.
They are like old shoes – well known and comfortable but worn out.
People work hard to justify them.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

53. Favorite Cop-outs The Gene Theory My Horoscope My Biorhythm
Other People or Things
My Unconscious
The Devil
God
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54. How People Justify Their Racket
 Look for evidence in their lives
 Look for evidence in the newspaper
Look for evidence on the TV news
Talk with others who have the same
Racket (Racketeering)
 Set up a Game
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

55. How People Keep Themselves in a Racket
Familiar
Here and Now
Past
Future
Unfamiliar
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56. The Racket System Existential Behavioral Reinforcing
Feelings & Display Memories
Beliefs
(Reinforces)
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57. Game Analysis
(How we justify what we are already feeling and believing internally and shift the responsibility externally to someone or something else – Jacqui Schiff)
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58. Definitions of a Game
A series of ulterior transactions outside the awareness of
those involved in which everyone ends up feeling confused,
misunderstood, and negative about themselves or others.
Three ways of analyzing a game:
Karpman Drama Triangle
Berne’s Formula “G”
The Kupher-Goulding Transactional Diagram
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

59. Degrees of Games 1st Degree – Socially acceptable
2nd Degree – Involve enough embarrassment
that people prefer to keep them
hidden
3rd Degree – Played for keeps: involve
tissue damage or other serious
consequences
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60. Karpman Drama TriangleV
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61. Examples of typical Games
Why don’t you – yes, but
Now I got you, SOB
Kick Me
Schlemiel
Stupid
Blemish
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62. C + G(H) = R S X P Berne’s Formula “G”
Con Gimmick (Hook) Response Switch Cross-up Payoff
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63. The Kupher – Goulding Model
An ostensible straight
stimulus.
A secret message.
A response to the
secret message.
A bad feeling payoff.
The entire series of
ulterior transactions
are not within Adult
awareness.
Student
Professor P 2. P 1. A A 3. C C
4. Sad Angry
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

64. John James - The Game Plan
What keeps happening over and over again
in your life that you end up feeling bad
about?
What happens first?
What happens next?
And then what happens?
How does it end?
What do you feel and tell yourself?
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

65. Jacqui Schiff: Games Result From Unresolved Symbiotic Relationships -
Discounting is the mechanism
and grandiosity is the
justification.
Levels of Discounting Levels of Passive Behavior
Problem Doing Nothing
Significance Over-adapting
Solvability Agitation
Person Incapacitation or
Violence P P A C C
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

66. Characteristics of Games
Repetitive
Out of awareness
Negative payoff
Ostensible adult stimulus
Involves a switch
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67. Why Do People Play Games?
To structure time
To reinforce existential position
To give and get strokes
To avoid intimacy
To make people predictable
To advance the script
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

68. How to Avoid Playing a Game
Avoid the con
Confront the con
Ask for strokes directly
Avoid discounting yourself and others
Learn from the payoff
Practice responsivity
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

69. Avoiding Games and passivity through the Internal Responsive Process
1. Awareness of feeling
Joyful, powerful, peaceful, sad, angry, scared
2. Think about the feeling and identify the need, want.
Sad, natural response to loss. Healthy response provides support, understanding, compassion, empathy and space.
Scared, natural response to real or imagined threat. Healthy response provides protections, space, support, encouragement and reality testing or confrontation.
Angry, natural response to boundary intrusion. Healthy response can include establishing or reestablishing boundaries, confrontation of the intrusion, verbalize resentment.
Peaceful, joyful, powerful, indicates homeostasis: enjoy, keep on keeping on.
3. Act to get need met (See external responsive process).
4. Experience relief or recycle process.
Note: Be aware of substitute feelings which cover up real feelings.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

70. Avoiding Games and passivity through the External Responsive Process
Operations
Initiations
Responses
1) Asking for wants
● Will you make some time for us to talk?
● Will you watch the children while I am gone?
● Certainly. How about now?
● Yes, I'd love to, or No, I don't want to right now.
● No, not now, how about tomorrow morning?
2) Verbalizing Feelings
● I want to share some feelings with you, are you willing to hear it? If yes;
When you (describe specific behaviors), I felt (impact on you)
● I hear that when I do____ you feel___
That makes sense to me.
● What would you want me to do instead?
3) Setting Limits
● Please don’t touch the papers I left on the table.
● Please stop interrupting me. Can we set up another time?
● I have too much work to do and cannot take that on right now.
● Saying “no”
● I hear you and will respect that.
● I’ll respect you and your boundaries.
I understand.
4) Checking out interpretation of others behavior
● I notice that you may be avoiding me. Did I do something to offend you?
● I sense we haven’t been close, is there a problem?
● Yes, (state resentment)
● What is true and what is not true about interpretation? Share seed of truth
● Yes. I am angry; I am sorry I had not told you; when can we talk about it?
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

71. Avoiding Games and passivity through the External Responsive Process
Operations
Initiations
Responses
5) Sharing Information
● Your father is looking for you.
● I will have your lunch for you by tomorrow at 7:00 a.m.
● I just got promotion. I got an A!!
● I won’t be here tomorrow when you get home. I have a doctor’s appointment.
● Thank you.
● How wonderful! (Mirror the feeling of joy, excitement, sadness, fear.)
● Thank you for letting me know.
6) Stroking
● I appreciate you very much.
● You mean a lot to me, I am glad you are in my life..
● Thank you for fixing breakfast.
● I like hearing that.
● You are welcome. My pleasure.
7) Accounting (Lewis, 1998)
● Includes feelings, thoughts and plan.
● I want to account for not getting home in time for dinner yesterday. I thought I would be finished with work earlier. Next time, I’ll call to let you know.
● I accept your apology.
● I appreciate your explanation and look forward to your checking things out with me.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

72. How to Help People Change Their Life Script
Eric Berne’s View: 1. Structural Analysis, 2. Transactional Analysis Proper, 3. Game and Racket Analysis, and 4. Life Script Analysis.
Bob and Mary Goulding’s View: The early decision holds the Script together. Help the client change the early decision and the Script falls apart (It is no longer necessary).
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

73. The Overall Goal
To help individuals experience themselves as okay, take back the power and autonomy they had to give up in childhood, regain their spontaneity, feel safe in being intimate with others, and create the kind of life they want for themselves in the present.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

74. Contracts A mutual agreement regarding a well-defined outcome.
Contracts define who both people are, what it is that they are going to do together, what the outcome will be, how they will both know when they get there and how that will be beneficial or pleasing to the client.
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

75. Contracts Involve Four Basic Elements
Mutual consent
Valid consideration
Competency
A lawful, ethical object
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76. Muriel James’ Five Questions that are Useful in Contracting Plus Vann Joines’ Addition
What could you change about yourself that would really enhance your life?
What would you need to do to accomplish that?
How will that be beneficial or pleasing to you?
How would you and I both know once you had accomplished that?
How could you sabotage that?
Vann Joines’ additional question: What will you do instead?
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

77. A Transactional View of Contracting Versus a Game
Client
Therapist
Client
Therapist P P P P A A A A C C C C
Game
Contract
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78. Putting IT All Together
Two Overviews
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79. Birth I’m Okay – You’re Okay Parents Injunctions
Decision(s) (I and/or You are
not okay)
Racket
Game
Stamps
Script Payoff
Redecision
Script
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

80. Hope Versus Courage Hope 100% Courage 98% Exploring Being Real
Enthusiasm and Commitment
Searching
Pretending
Monomania
Active
Waiting
Giving up
Patience
Letting Go
Passive
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19

81. Where to Get More Information
Stewart, I. & Joines, V. (2012). TA Today: A New Introduction to Transactional Analysis, 2nd Ed., Nottingham & Chapel Hill: Lifespace Publishing.
Certification Training Program in Transactional Analysis and Redecision Therapy at the Southeast Institute for Group and Family Therapy, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Website:
© Vann S. Joines 6/18/19