1. You cannot teach a man anything.
You can only help him discover it within
himself.
-Galileo
2. Agenda
Sketch of Eric Berne
Origins ofTransactional Analysis
What areEgo States?
Detailed Explanation ofParent,Adult, Child Ego states
Development ofEgo States
Transactions
Types ofTransactions
4. A Sketch of Eric Berne
DoB:May 10, 1910; PlaceofBirth:Canada
Studied Medicine & received M.D. and C.M (MasterofSurgery)- 1935
Psychiatricresidencyat YaleUniversity SchoolofMedicine - 1936
Begantraining as psychoanalystat NYPsychoanalyticInstitutein 1941
Armypsychiatrist during World WarII
Practiced Group Therapy
5. Breakthrough on Transactional
Analysis
Coveted title of Psychoanalyst was withheld in 1956
SpurredEric Bernetodevelopnewapproach topsychotherapy
Presented first paper on TA in 1957 -Introduced egostates
Had started testing his theories on TA in the 1950`s itself in seminars
6. Ego States
Set of consistent andcoherent patterns of thinking,feeling
and behaving
-Berne
set: each ego state has more than one manifestation
consistent & coherent: clear & integrated self-awarenessarising from
diagnosis of ego-states
thinking, feeling & behaving: total experiences of an individual
7. How were ego states discovered
Interviewing
Client felt likea child
Consistent patternof childinbehavior; NoPretense
Discovery ofChildEgoState
Two-waysofthinking, feeling & behaving:Father & Own
Discovery ofFather & AdultEgo States
11. Set of thoughts, feelings and behaviors learntor borrowed
from parents or other caretakers
Parent
CriticalParent – prejudicedthoughts, feelings &behaviors
NurturingParent – Soft, lovingandpermission giving
12. P
ParentVocabulary:
Should, don’t, must,
always, never, now
what? BecauseI said so
I’ll take careof you, poor
thing, there-there, come
on, give it a try
Tone:
Sneering, loud, harsh,
contemptuous,
condescending, punishing,
sympathetic,
encouraging
Gesture/Posture:
Pointed finger,
shaking head,
arms folded on chest,
tapping feet/fingers,
Facial Expression:
smile encouragingly,
set jaw,
outthrust chin,
raised eyebrows
13. P
Parent
Don’t argue!
Shame on you!
Be quite!
That’s really bad.
Don’t worry!
There there!
Let me help you.
Everything will be fine!
Don’t youDARE ! Have somefun.
14.
15. Seat of emotions, thoughts, memories from childhood
Child
How one responded to early experiences andthe positions
one took about oneself & others
Feelings of happiness, fear ,anxiety,withdrawaletc.
FreeChild –Spontaneous feeling, playful, authentic,emotional
Adapted Child –Comply with parental messages
Rebellious Child –Does not comply with parental messages
Types:
16. C
ChildVocabulary:
Wow,
give me what Iwant,
MINE,
I wish,
I’m scared,help,
Tone:
giggle, chuckle, whine,
swear, yell,
fast & high-pitched,
whistle, playful,
ask permission.
Gesture/Posture:
slumped,
curled up,
putting up hand to ask
question
Facial Expression:
tears, pouting, downcast
oruplifted
eyes, tilted head, wide-
eyed, fluttering
eyelashes, flirtatious,
admiring
21. Ego State
Acting, thinking, feeling like your parent
Dealing with current realities, gathering
facts, objectivity
Acting or feeling like u didwhen u were
child
36. Transactions
How peopleinteract with each other
Which ego state in me is talking to which ego state in you
Communication can sometimes be straightforward, easy and
smooth
It can also jumbled, confusing and unclear
Understanding of transactions can help keep communication as
clear as possible
42. Complementary Transactions
appropriate and expected response
follows natural orderof healthy human relationships
lines of communication openbetweenthe transactors
gestures,facial expression, bodyposture, tone included
47. Crossed Transactions
unexpected & highly unstable
inappropriate ego state activated
peopleglaring, turning backs at each other or switch
conversation in different direction
conversationmight endas well
48. Comparison
AC
sees self as
strategies
used
sees others
as
response to
disapproval
inferior, entitled to
less
equal
childhood rules
spontaneous, context
appropriate
bigger, more entitled equal
Fear, guilt, aversion objective appraisal
54. Strokes
Strokes are any act implying recognition of
another’s presence; Unit of social
recognitionStrokes are like just the physical strokes
given to infants, without which they will not
surviveStimulation Hunger: Sensory Stimulation Eg
Baby needs fondling and love
Recognition Hunger: Baby grows into
adulthood, need for sensory stimulation
changes into need for stimulation coming
from social recognition, acknowledgement,
affirmation
55. Types of Strokes
Positive Strokes: supportive of life and
activity
• I feel good seeing you do that
•I`m very proud of you, well done!
Negative Strokes: destructive of a person`s
life or activity
• I am sorry, I did not like it very muchConditional Stroke: For ‘Doing’ or for
performance
Unconditional Stroke: For ‘being; - no
strings attachedPhysical Stroke: Physical touch
Symbolical Stroke: Using Words
56. Transactions
how people interact with each other
which ego state in me is talking to which ego state in you
like a business deal, whereone person gives something to another
and in exchange gets something back
Exchange types – Material or Recognition
Recognition: Strokes - anytime one personrecognizes another
with a smile, a nod, a frown,a verbal greeting
57. Transactions
How peopleinteract with each other
Which ego state in me is talking to which ego state inyou
Communication can sometimes be straightforward, easy and
smooth
It can also jumbled, confusing and unclear
Understanding of transactions can help keep communication as
clear as possible
58. Transactions
Transaction: Two or more Strokes
Types: Complementary, Crossed or Ulterior
Stroke: any time one person recognizes another
with a smile, a nod, a frown, a verbal greeting
64. Complementary Transactions
appropriate and expected response
communication can continue indefinitely
lines of communication openbetweenthe transactors
gestures,facial expression, bodyposture, tone included
65. Other examples - Complementary
Transactions
P
A
C
P
A
C
P
A
C
P
A
C
P
A
C
P
A
C
P
A
C
P
A
C
P
A
C
P
A
C
70. Crossed Transactions
unexpected & highly unstable
inappropriate ego state activated
peopleglaring, turning backs at each other or switch
conversation in differentdirection
conversationmight endas well
75. 3 Rules of Communication
complementarytransactions - communicationremains open
crossed transactions - communicationceases
complex transactions- outcome is predicted onlyat
psychological level
76. Allthe world’s astage
And allthe men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
Eachman in his time plays many parts.
Shakespeare
Life Scripts
77. Life Scripts
an unconscious lifeplan – decidedon early in lifein
response toearly parental influence
the individualis programmed to move as it were relentlessly
towards its finaloutcome
followedin all majordecisions
78. Life Scripts
unconscious– soon after script is consciously formed, it is
forgotten - action perceived natural
early parentalinfluence– when the influencesperceived to
containhidden messages
programmed – freedom circumscribed& person doesn’t
know
80. Cultural Script
expected & accepted patterns ina society
determined by said & unsaid assumptions believed by
majority of people
liketheatricalscript – themes, actors, roles,costumes
81. Cultural Script
may change or new theme may emerge withtime
might be rejecteddue to irrelevance
“nationalcharacter”
same drama may repeat for generations
82. Subcultural Script
each subculture evolves owndramatic actions
conflictvery common
many exist inlarge & complexculture
defined by geography, religiousbeliefs, gender, age etc.
83. Family Script
passed on from Parent to Parentego state
some families develop uniqueactions; insist on children
playing traditionalroles
transmittedfrom generation after generation
84. Injunctions
Prohibitingmessages, usuallygiven as hiddenmessages and
indirectly
Such messages – expressions of disappointment, frustration,
anxiety establish thedon`ts by whichchildrenhave to live
Givenfrom Parent`s childego state out of awareness of their
adult ego states
Examples– Don`t be, Don`t need, Don`t think,Don`t be a child,
Don`t belong
85. Counter Injunctions
Parental directives on how to livein a sociallyacceptable way
Messages convey the “shoulds”, “oughts”,“dos” of parental
expectations
Consist of certainpermissions as wellas prohibitions that assist
childto exist in the society
Can become drivers to the child
Examples– Be perfect, Hurryup, Be strong,
86. Program
Educationgiven by parents
Through theirown examples
Givento the Adult of the small childon how to livehis or her
life-script
Usuallyconstructive andPositive
Examples– Be perfect,Hurryup, Be strong
87. First permission and Injunction
Don’t Exist
Permission: For the infantto exist
If ignored,kept at a distanceetc. : willnot experience
permission to live
Manifestationof Don’t Exist injunction
– Overt suicidal behavior, significant depression
“Go away”,“Iwishyou’d never have been born”
88. Permission - To have and be aware of sensations
Second Permission and Injunction
Don’t Feel Sensations
infant needs basic bodily sensations:
hunger, pain, temperature and touch
may not use parts of sensations, if parents upset by them
mother annoyed by cries of hunger; disliked feeding
learned to stop crying and suppresshis feeling of hunger
89. Third Permission and Injunction
Don’t Feel
Permission: To feel emotions
infantable to express satisfaction, dissatisfaction
& severe stress
If parents discount his feelings, they transmit a Don’t Feel
injunction
childmay discount his feelingsand substitute other feelings
whichhis parents approve of
90. Fourth Permission and Injunction
Don’t Think
From “the LittleProfessor” stage, individualneeds
permission to think
It’s important forparents to respond reasonably, clearly,and
withinterest to ideas, creativityandenthusiasms of the child
Discounting(ignoringand makingfun) gives
Don’tThink injunction
92. Decisions & Re-decisions
•TA emphasizes our ability to become aware of our decisions that
governour behavior andthecapacity to makenew decisions that
willbeneficially alter our courseof life
•We look at the decisions made in response to parental
injunctionsand counterinjunctions
•Example 1-“Don’tmakemistakes”
Children fear takingrisksthatmakethem lookstupid.They tend
toequate mistakestofailure
PossibleDecisions– “I`mscared of makingthe wrongdecision, so
I simplywontdecide”
93. Decisions & Re-decisions
•Example 2–“Don’t beclose”
•Message interpreted as Don’ttrustpeople and don’t love
Possible Decisions– “because itsscary toget close, i`llkeep
myselfdistant”
•Example 3-“Don’tbe a child”
Message says– ActAdult and keep control of yourself
PossibleDecisions– “I`ll takecare of othersand wont askmuch
for myself. I wontlet myselfhaveall thefun”
94. Decisions & Re-decisions
Whatever injunctions people have
received, and whatever the resulting life
decisions were, transactional analysis
maintains that people can make
substantive life changes by changing
their decisions—by re-deciding in the
moment.
Basic assumption of TA – Anything that
be re-learnt
95. Psychological Positions
• Mentally healthy position
• Realistic people; can solve problems on their own
• Accepts significance of others
I’m OK, You’re OK
• Person feels victimized, So victimizes others
• Blame others for their miseries
• Delinquents & criminals – extreme: Homicide
I’m OK, You’re not-
OK
• Feel powerless when compare with others
• Leads them to withdraw, to experience depression
• Severe case: suicidal
I’m not-OK, You’re
OK
• Lost interest in living
• Schizoid behavior
• Extreme case: suicide or homicide
I’m not-OK, You’re
not-OK
98. Transactions
Transaction: Two or more Strokes
Types: Complementary, Crossed or Ulterior
Stroke: any time one person recognizes another
with a smile, a nod, a frown, a verbal greeting
99. Life Scripts
an unconscious lifeplan – decidedon early in lifein
response toearly parental influence
the individualis programmed to move as it were relentlessly
towards its finaloutcome
followedin all majordecisions
100. Injunctions
Prohibitingmessages, usuallygiven as hiddenmessages and
indirectly
Such messages – expressions of disappointment, frustration,
anxiety establish thedon`ts by whichchildrenhave to live
Givenfrom Parent`s childego state out of awareness of their
adult ego states
Examples– Don`t be, Don`t need, Don`t think,Don`t be a child,
Don`t belong
102. Decisions & Re-decisions
•TA emphasizes our ability to become aware of our decisions that
governour behavior andthecapacity to makenew decisions that
willbeneficially alter our courseof life
•We look at the decisions made in response to parental
injunctionsand counterinjunctions
•Example 1-“Don’tmakemistakes”
Children fear takingrisksthatmakethem lookstupid.They tend
toequate mistakestofailure
PossibleDecisions– “I`mscared of makingthe wrongdecision, so
I simplywontdecide”
103. Decisions & Re-decisions
•Example 2–“Don’t beclose”
•Message interpreted as Don’ttrustpeople and don’t love
Possible Decisions– “because itsscary toget close, i`llkeep
myselfdistant”
•Example 3-“Don’tbe a child”
Message says– ActAdult and keep control of yourself
PossibleDecisions– “I`ll takecare of othersand wont askmuch
for myself. I wontlet myselfhaveall thefun”
104. Decisions & Re-decisions
Whatever injunctions people have
received, and whatever the resulting life
decisions were, transactional analysis
maintains that people can make
substantive life changes by changing
their decisions—by re-deciding in the
moment.
Basic assumption of TA – Anything that
be re-learnt
109. Games
a series of transactions-complementary (reciprocal),ulterior,
proceeds towardsa predictable/definite outcome.
complementaryare also said to beulterior
predictable/definite:cross transaction willhappen;
communicationceases: Switch
feelingof guilt,anger, fear, tiredness etc.
122. Why Play Games?
gainingattentionand stimulation,whichare essential for our
well being
Defending againstinternalfears and old unwantedfeelings
theavoidance of afeared situationby playingthe game
Providing players withpseudo-intimacy
