Counselling Transactional Analysis (TA)

Counselling transactional analysis (TA) is a widely recognised form of modern psychology and one of the most accessible theories. In simple terms, TA is designed to promote personal growth and change. It is considered a fundamental therapy for well-being and helping individuals reach their full potential in all aspects of life.

What is transaction analysis (TA)?

Eric Berne founded it in the late 1950s based on the theory that each person has three ego states: parent, adult, and child. These and other key tools and models analyse how individuals communicate and identify what interaction is needed for a better outcome.

The therapist will work directly on problem-solving behaviours throughout the therapy while helping clients develop day-to-day tools for finding constructive, creative solutions. The ultimate goal is to ensure clients regain autonomy, spontaneity, awareness, and intimacy.

How is transactional analysis used in counselling?

TA in counselling sessions is designed to explore an individual's personality and how the experience has shaped this, mainly from the focus taken from childhood. This is achieved through skilful questioning and utilising various models, techniques, and tools.

Sessions can be carried out with individual, family, couples, or group counselling. While transactional analysis is commonly recognised as a brief and solution-focused approach, it can also be applied as an effective long-term therapy.

TA therapy is very versatile in counselling. It can be used in many areas and incorporates key themes from humanistic, integrative psychoanalytic, and psychodynamic therapies.

The atmosphere that supports transactional analysis is nonjudgmental, secure, and respectful. It ensures that a positive relationship is forged between the therapist and client and provides a model for subsequent relationships and communication that develop outside therapy.

In this setting, the therapist collaborates with the individual. Together, they identify what has gone wrong in the client's communication and provide opportunities to change repetitive patterns that limit their potential.

Benefits of transactional analysis

Designed to promote personal growth and change, transactional analysis offers the opportunity to develop skills that can be applied to all areas of life, making TA valuable for solving many types of problems.

TA has been successfully applied in various settings outside of counselling, including organisational training and consultancy, parenting, education, and coaching.

TA can be used in any field to understand individuals, communication, and relationships. It is beneficial when conflict, confusion, or a lack of something exists. 

Relationship issues between families, friends, and couples benefit greatly, as TA encourages clients to address problems built up over time.

Many people find transactional analysis appealing as it promotes an equal relationship between client and therapist, in which the client is encouraged to focus on their commitment to change. Eric Berne believed that we all can decide what we want for our lives, and TA can help us recognise our worth and achieve these goals.

"One of the exciting things about transactional analysis is the simple models and language it employs, which help you to understand why you have become who you are today and how you relate to other people."

Kay concepts of transactional analysis - Ego-states

Below is an exploration of some of the key concepts of TA therapy.

Ego-states refer to the three major parts of an individual's personality, and they each reflect an entire system of thought, feeling and behaviour. These ego-states are:

• Parent: Rooted in the past; the set of thoughts, feelings and behaviours learnt from our parents and other important people. This part of our personality can be supportive or critical.

• Adult: Rooted in the present; relates to direct responses in the 'here and now' that are not influenced by our past. Tending to be the most rational part of our personality.

• Child: Roots in the past; a set of thoughts, feelings and behaviours learnt from childhood. These can be free and natural or strongly adapted to parental influence.

Our ego-state determines how we express ourselves as individuals, interact with each other and form relationships. The simplicity of the terminology used in TA therapy makes the model very accessible.

Unconscious script

TA therapists recognise that we all have the potential to live the life we want rather than the life we are programmed to live. However, being hindered by the repetitive patterns of 'unconscious script' that stem from childhood decisions and teachings.

TA therapists use script theory to identify these unconscious scripts. These will be analysed using the ego-state model, and their identification is crucial to helping clients realise how specific permissions and prohibitions they received as children impact their lives and how they communicate.

These unconscious scripts often exist as repetitive patterns of behaviour, thoughts, and feelings, which are characteristics that suggest the child's ego-state is overbearing and tainting other parts of an individual's personality.

Transactions

When individuals communicate, their ego-states interact to create transactions. If the ego-states interact and blend healthily, transactions tend to be healthier. However, ego-states can sometimes contaminate each other to create a distorted worldview. Transactions classified as straightforward, crossed-up, or ulterior are key to conflict resolution.

Strokes

Strokes refer to compliments, acceptance, and recognition, influencing how people lead their lives. TA therapy recognises that we are incredibly motivated by the reinforcement we receive as children. If this reinforcement is dysfunctional, we will likely adopt dysfunctional living patterns as we age.

Intimacy

Another motivation recognised in transactional analysis is intimacy. Similarly to stroke, if the intimacy a child experiences is dysfunctional, it can lead to problems. Children may learn that this type of intimacy is the best way to meet basic needs and communicate with others, leading to the development of respective patterns of behaviour that can hinder a person's potential.

Re-decision

The individual's capacity to 're-decide' and make changes to specific decisions made as a child stems from unconscious scripts. Re-decision reflects the TA assumption that individuals have the potential to lead their lives as they choose. This power is released after a re-decision while a client is in their child-ego state.

Ultimately, therapists encourage clients to challenge their current beliefs and how they use their life scripts. This will help them better understand the direction and patterns of their lives, and this awareness can help them decide to change their behaviour.

"The beauty of the model is that people intuitively understand the concepts very quickly and accurately discuss which ego-state they may have been in at the given time."

Akhtar, (SAC Dip), Lead Counselling Psychologist. 

www.akhtarcounselling.co.uk