Ian Stewart and Tony Tilney

Transactional analysis (TA) is a model for understanding human personality, communication and relationships.  TA got its name because it was originally developed as a way of analysing the patterns of communication - transactions - that people use when they are relating in pairs and groups, and this is still an important emphasis within the approach.

A central supposition of TA is that - with practice and appropriate training - you can reliably judge someone's internal experience from their external behaviour.  In particular, you can judge by the person's observable behaviour whether she is 'in the here and now', or replaying part of her childhood, or unawarely copying the behaviours, thoughts and feelings of one of her own parent-figures.

TA therapy is most often classed among the humanistic approaches to personal change, because of its emphasis on personal responsibility, equal relationship between client and therapist, and the intrinsic worth of the person.  However, TA also shares some characteristics with the behavioural approaches, notably in its use of clear contract-making; and TA's central theoretical ideas were drawn directly from the tradition of psychodynamic thought.

Further information about this therapeutic approach written by the authors, can be found in "Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy: The Essential Guide", edited by Professor Stephen Palmer and published by Sage, London.  Price £18.99.

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