Transactional Analysis

At Simply Therapy, Bury, Rossendale, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, we offer a tailor made flexible bespoke counselling and psychotherapy service which can be carried out in one of our exclusive offices, in the comfort of your own home or suitable location. At Simply we will work with you to overcome your issues and support you to alter your behaviour and improve your quality of life and mental health and well-being.

What is Transactional Analysis?
Transactional Analysis (TA) is a widely recognised form of modern psychology designed to promote personal growth and change that involves a set of practical conceptual tools to do this. Founded by Eric Berne in the late 1950’s it is based on the theory that each person has 3 Ego states (Parent Adult and Child).

In TA the client is taught to alter the ego state as a way to solve emotional problems increasing well-being and helping individuals reach their full potential in all aspects of life. The method deviates from Freudian psychoanalysis which focuses on increasing awareness of the contents of unconsciously held ideas.

How Transactional Analysis is used in practise:
TA therapy is very versatile it can be used in a wide range of areas and incorporates key themes from humanistic, integrative, psychoanalytical and psychodynamic therapies. The client is supported by the TA therapist to develop day to day tools resulting in problem solving and creative solutions. They work on the ‘Here and Now’ (what is happening from one moment to the next) with the goal being to ensure clients regain absolute autonomy over their lives. Eric Berne defines this autonomy as the recovery of three vital human capacities.

TA is a talking therapy and sessions are designed to explore an individual’s personality and how this has been shaped by experience – particularly those from childhood decisions and teachings. The approach is non-judgemental, secure and respectful, ensuring a positive collaborative relationship between client/s and therapist. The aim is to provide opportunities to correct what has gone wrong in their communication with others and to change behaviour and patterns limiting the negative effect.

This is achieved through skilful questioning and the utilisation of various models, techniques and tools. These are explained below.

Scripts theory is used by the TA therapists to identify unconscious scripts, which often exist as repetitive patterns of behaviour, thoughts, feelings and characteristics that suggest the child ego-state is overbearing and tainting other parts of a person’s personality.

Benefits of TA
The benefits of TA are to promote personal growth and change, offering the opportunity to develop and learn skills that can be applied to all areas of life therefore it has application within counselling but also other area (business) with the aim of improving outcomes. Essentially TA can be used in any field where there is a need for understanding of individuals, communication and relationships. As a result, it is particularly useful where there are issues of conflict and confusion.

TA techniques at Simply Therapy ca be used to support Anger clients having relationship issues resulting in great benefit as TA encourages clients to address problems and become more self-aware that have built up over time.

TA therapy promotes an equal relationship between client and therapist, in which the client is encouraged to focus on their commitment to change. Berne believed everyone has the capacity to decide what they want for their lives TA helps clients to recognise their worth and value in order to go about achieving these goals.

• TA can support individuals to eliminate unhelpful ways of thinking, feeling, behaving and communicating
• TA can be valuable for individuals, couples, families and groups
• Helpful skills can be developed which can be applied to all areas of life including relationships, occupation and everyday interaction
• You can learn the most effective ways to communicate. This may mean that you are more likely to get what you would like from life
• This approach promotes personal reflection.

Presenting client issue here are anger and rage (Freud’s Id function) as a TA therapist using awareness analysis in exploration and problem solving for example using person centred therapy and TA to understand awareness then build a process between client and therapist formulating solutions looking at the Ego states.

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Contact us and take that first step to changing your life and access our personalised tailor made mental health service.