More about TA
TA can be used for personal growth and change and for professional and group
development.
It creates a framework for thinking about the way people interact. It helps us to
understand what “position” or attitude a person is communicating from, and
what position or attitude they are assuming for the person they are communicating
with.
We all adopt different attitudes or styles when we speak with, or communicate
with others. Sometimes we are very conscious of the attitude we are using and at
other times we are not aware at all. The attitude, and hence the choice of words, gestures and expressions, are critical to the meaning of what we convey in each communication.
TA uses a framework to describe these positions, attitudes and styles and to help us change the way we communicate, or to understand more clearly how we can express something, or what someone else is trying to communicate to us.
Even though some of the ways we communicate are unconscious, i.e. we are not aware that we are doing it that way, we can learn to become aware and adapt the communication to the circumstances with quite startling results.
TA teaches us to respect each person whatever the form of their communication. It also recognises that most people have an innate ability and desire to improve themselves. TA offers an approach to learning about communication with specific tools and frameworks which will change the way you interact with others and help you to give appropriate responses to people who communicate with you in ways you do or don’t appreciate.
TA is "a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change" as defined by the ITAA (International Transactional Analysis Association).
The TA theories and techniques help us understand ourselves and others better and to make the changes we choose.
TA is practiced as part of a contractual arrangement - in other words clients are expected to use the theory to understand themselves better, and to work in partnership with the transactional analyst towards a mutually agreed outcome.
Transactional Analysis helps us become more aware, spontaneous and capable of intimacy; i.e. more integrated (within ourselves), and autonomous (in relating to others). It holds that everyone is “essentially OK and capable of learning to think, feel and behave in satisfying ways. The model of ego states (Parent, Child, Adult), helps us understand those behaviours, thoughts and feelings.
From the premise that we relate on equal terms (I’m OK and You’re OK) Transactional Analysis uses the concept of contracts to achieve the process of change which delineates and protects the rights and responsibilities of the parties.
There are five main areas of Transactional Analysis:
 |
structural analysis is the analysis of the personality, or of a series of transactions, according to Parent, Adult and Child ego states |
|
transactional analysis proper is about the ways we interact with each other (the types of transactions we use, the way we ‘recognise’ others, how e put ourselves and others down and the basic hungers we have as human beings |
|
game analysis is the analysis of a series of ulterior transactions leading progressively to a well-defined climax; a set of interactions with a gimmick |
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racket analysis relates to stylised repetitions of substituted permitted feelings which were stroked in the past |
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script analysis incorporates conscious and unconscious life plans and positions |
Schools of TA
A 'school' means a body of people who are under a common influence, who hold common theoretical positions and follow common methods. The three original schools of TA that were generally recognised are:
A 'school' means a body of people who are under a common influence, who hold common theoretical positions and follow common methods. The three original schools of TA that were generally recognised are:
|
School |
Originator |
Principles |
|
Classical |
Berne |
analyse, decontaminate the Adult ego state share the TA theory with the client |
|
Cathexis |
Schiff |
use regression and create a healthy symbiosis create a reparenting relationship |
|
Redecision |
Gouldings |
the power is in the patient we can redecide in the Child ego state |
Additional schools are being added as time goes by. Some currently in place are:
|
School |
Key Authors |
Principles |
|
Developmental |
Hay |
the focus is on health rather than pathology and development rather than cure |
|
Co-creative |
Summers & Tudor |
the practitioner and the client co-create reality |
|
Constructivist |
Allen, Loria |
we construct our reality |
|
Relational |
Sills & Hagarden |
use the relationship with the therapist to bring about change |
So TA provides a theory of communication which gives us insight into determining how organisations and systems function. It assists us in understanding what might be contributing to unhelpful relationships and options to assist in developing ways of communicating clearly. This is why it is so useful for those working in organisations and education as well as those people providing counselling and psychotherapy.
A list of articles and books is provided in the reference section
To find information about training courses
A list of articles and books is provided in the reference section
To find information about training courses
Transactional Analysis (TA) Training & Supervision