Transactional Analysis (TA)
This therapy is based on the work of Eric Berne, it also includes a theory of personality and of social relationships. Berne stated that as human beings we begin from an OK life position, that early life influences us to lose. Also each of us has three Ego states: Parent, Adult and Child, these are symbols of feeling, behaving and thinking. These are respectively based on experience of culture and parents; reality based thinking; and childlike qualities: the one most closely aligned to impulses and actions will command experience.
Transactions are units of recognition or ‘strokes’. Scripts are life plans that play out in people’s lives; sometimes these are Not-OK because they are influenced by parental control, and familial games, (ie the nurturing or critical parent) where the child does not have autonomy. These scripts then play out in life for example, a woman behaves like a little girl in her relationships rather than acting like a grown woman, because she was not allowed to make important decisions for herself.
The purpose of this therapy is to help people conduct themselves from an Adult script, thus be more aware; be able to be intimate and respond openly and lovingly to another person; also be able to feel and express emotions without getting caught up in how they were brought about. The boundaries are strong and less permeable than the Not-OK space.
This is another humanistic therapy. The therapist will help the client to talk about and work on immediate problem-solving methods presented in the sessions and helping clients to identify other creative ways of dealing with potential issues in the future.
This therapy is suitable for adults and families. This theory is also used in organisations to solve issues amongst staff.