TA identifies twelve key injunctions which people commonly build into their scripts. These are injunctions in the sense of being powerful “I can’t/mustn’t …” messages that embed into a child’s belief and life-script: Don’t be (don’t exist), Don’t be who you are, Don’t be a child, Don’t grow up, Don’t make it in your life, [...]

Redefining means the distortion of reality when we deliberately (but unconsciously) distort things to match our preferred way of seeing the world. Thus a person whose script involves “struggling alone against a cold hard world” may redefine others’ kindness, concluding that others are trying to get something by manipulation. Discounting means to take something as [...]

Communication failures are typically caused by a ‘crossed transaction’ where partners address ego states other than that their partner is in. Consider the above examples jumbled up a bit. Example 1a: A:  “Have you been able to write that report?” (Adult to Adult) B:  “Will you stop hassling me? I’ll do it eventually!” (Child to [...]

I’m OK – You’re OK “I’m OK – You’re OK” is probably the best-known expression of the purpose of transactional analysis: 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. Strokes Berne observed [...]

Script is a life plan, directed to a reward. Script is decisional and responsive; i.e., decided upon in childhood in response to perceptions of the world and as a means of living with and making sense of the world. It is not just thrust upon a person by external forces. Script is reinforced by parents [...]

Another class of transaction is the ‘duplex’ or ‘covert’ transactions, where the explicit social conversation occurs in parallel with an implicit psychological transaction. For instance, A:  “I need you to stay late at the office with me.” (Adult words) body language indicates sexual intent (flirtatious Child) B:  “Of course.”  (Adult response to Adult statement). winking [...]

A simple, reciprocal transaction occurs when both partners are addressing the ego state the other is in. These are also called complementary transactions. Example 1 A:  “Have you been able to write the report?” B:  “Yes – I’m about to email it to you.”  —- (This exchange was Adult to Adult) Example 2 A:  “Would [...]

At any given time, a person experiences and manifests their personality through a mixture of behaviors, thoughts and feelings. Typically, according to TA, there are three ego-states that people consistently use: Parent (“exteropsyche”): a state in which people behave, feel, and think in response to an unconscious mimicking of how their parents (or other parental [...]