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 [...]

TA is a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change. As a theory of personality, TA describes how people are structured psychologically. It uses what is perhaps its best known model, the ego-state (Parent-Adult-Child) model to do this. This same model helps understand how people function and express themselves [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

TA is not only post-Freudian but according to its founder’s wishes consciously extra-Freudian. That is to say that while it has its roots in psychoanalysis – since Berne was a psychoanalytic-trained psychiatrist – it was designed as a dissenting branch of psychoanalysis in that it put its emphasis on transactional, rather than “psycho-”, analysis. With [...]