Transactional Analysis?

[Cyclopea]

I look forward to reading the opinions of those who practice or have experienced or otherwise reflect on the "legacy" of the Transactional Analysis movement. I love this stuff! Great thread.

[socialjustice_fsu]

The whole "Parent-Child-Adult" paradigm of the human experience in Transactional Analysis seems overly quaint, maybe even pedophillic. He seems to reduce "parenthood" and "childhood" to pathology while fetishizing them.
Did Freud theorize that the Id, Ego, SuperEgo were universal components to the psyche of all ages and "roles"? I believe so. That makes more sense to me. Perhaps it's a matter of semantics but I find the re-framing problematic.

Cyclopea, I think you are right on target with this movement. In my earlier days of psychiatry the TA movement was fading and fading fast. What I did encounter was the fall-out from some of the die-hard practitioners and their loyal believers. While this concept may serve as an etiology for what might motivate responses it hardly addresses the vital area of what we now call brief therapy. Yes, understanding the causes of responses may be good, however, one has to operate within the confines of the not so traditional psychoanalytic model that takes enormous amounts of time and questionable efficacy. (ouch)
With that said...Berne emphasized the influence of the ego states of Parent, Adult, and Child on a person's interactions with others. The Parent ego state relates to limit-setting and nurturing. The Adult ego state is concerned with reality testing and estimating probabilities in transactions with the outside world. The Child ego state comprises the feelings, wishes, and adaptations actually experienced in childhood.
Most outcomes of an exchange are decided by ulterior transactions, psychological responses that are outside the awareness of the participants. People play games, adopting the role of Persecutor, Rescuer, or Victim and using ulterior transactions in such a way that everyone loses. Treatment (?) focuses on feelings analysis, script analysis, and stroking (stimulating and recognizing other human beings). Feelings may be simple reactions, feelings from the past reactivated by a stimulus in the present, or indulgements or displaced feelings that are a backdrop in today's scene of living. I will not ramble on any more because I think this paints the landscape ot TA.

As it 'fit in' during the all about self-discovery period I find it not to be an effective model in today's arena. I have a very simple take on a model such as this and it has served me well to keep me out the court room. People generally come to a therapist because they have experienced a crisis - or, something has shook up their homeostasis...it can be the carpe diem that invokes fertile ground for change, correct? I, as an ethical therapist would never take a patient through such an ordeal to much later get to the here and now issue. Patient's generally are fragile. If the patient's ego was healthy I probably would not be seeing them. To me, it takes a well grounded therapist, a well grounded individual to reach any level of efficacy through TA. In fact, left in unseasoned therapist's hands this could be deadly. One cannot 'regress' a patient when the patient presents for help. The timing is just wrong.

I look forward to hearing AtLastHome's and Dapperbutch's take on TA. At this point in my career - which I guard defensively - I would not apply TA although some of the basic tenets can be extrapolated to build on a sensical, ethical approach that is well blended with applicable models that provide our patient's with the optimal care in a time-constrained system.

~ Socialjustice_fsu

[Cyclopea]

Originally Posted by socialjustice_fsu

The whole "Parent-Child-Adult" paradigm of the human experience in Transactional Analysis seems overly quaint, maybe even pedophillic. He seems to reduce "parenthood" and "childhood" to pathology while fetishizing them.
Did Freud theorize that the Id, Ego, SuperEgo were universal components to the psyche of all ages and "roles"? I believe so. That makes more sense to me. Perhaps it's a matter of semantics but I find the re-framing problematic.

Cyclopea, I think you are right on target with this movement. In my earlier days of psychiatry the TA movement was fading and fading fast. What I did encounter was the fall-out from some of the die-hard practitioners and their loyal believers. While this concept may serve as an etiology for what might motivate responses it hardly addresses the vital area of what we now call brief therapy. Yes, understanding the causes of responses may be good, however, one has to operate within the confines of the not so traditional psychoanalytic model that takes enormous amounts of time and questionable efficacy. (ouch)
It's true! Psychoanalysis is famously long-term and ineffective!

With that said...Berne emphasized the influence of the ego states of Parent, Adult, and Child on a person's interactions with others. The Parent ego state relates to limit-setting and nurturing.
True, but what is that really? The fascist/nurturer: is that really a key component of the human psyche: "Fascist Nurturer"? Not feeling it, lol

The Adult ego state is concerned with reality testing and estimating probabilities in transactions with the outside world. AS RELATES to the fulfillment of one's success desires.

The Child ego state comprises the feelings, wishes, and adaptations actually experienced in childhood.But what is that exactly? Are children really that easily categorized? Have our feelings as youth been scientifically established as weak, needy, subservient, dependent, reactive? Not sure about that...

Most outcomes of an exchange are decided by ulterior transactions, psychological responses that are outside the awareness of the participants. People play games, adopting the role of Persecutor, Rescuer, or Victim and using ulterior transactions in such a way that everyone loses. I like your comment below about homeostasis. Homeostasis can sometimes be a failing proposition, but importantly, a stable one. lol.
Treatment (?) focuses on feelings analysis, script analysis, and stroking (stimulating and recognizing other human beings). OMG I forgot about the whole "strokes" terminology-lmao.
Feelings may be simple reactions, feelings from the past reactivated by a stimulus in the present, or indulgements or displaced feelings that are a backdrop in today's scene of living. I will not ramble on any more because I think this paints the landscape ot TA.So cool to hear your impressions as a professional! Thank you!

As it 'fit in' during the all about self-discovery period I find it not to be an effective model in today's arena. I have a very simple take on a model such as this and it has served me well to keep me out the court room. LOL.
People generally come to a therapist because they have experienced a crisis - or, something has shook up their homeostasis...it can be the carpe diem that invokes fertile ground for change, correct? I, as an ethical therapist would never take a patient through such an ordeal to much later get to the here and now issue. Patient's generally are fragile. If the patient's ego was healthy I probably would not be seeing them. To me, it takes a well grounded therapist, a well grounded individual to reach any level of efficacy through TA. In fact, left in unseasoned therapist's hands this could be deadly. One cannot 'regress' a patient when the patient presents for help. The timing is just wrong.
So true. The power imbalance between "need help" and "helpee" is profound, plus the whole transference thing (if one follows Freud).

I look forward to hearing AtLastHome's and Dapperbutch's take on TA. At this point in my career - which I guard defensively - I would not apply TA although some of the basic tenets can be extrapolated to build on a sensical, ethical approach that is well blended with applicable models that provide our patient's with the optimal care in a time-constrained system. Enlargements/emphasis mine!

~ Socialjustice_fsu

What a great post! I am not at all educated in the field but have always had an interest in cultic "other"/"new" ideologies- and to me that is what Transitional Analysis (among many others from that era) is- an ideology, not a social or psychiatric or even pseudoscience. These self-actualization philosophies all work to some extent. They are functional systems for understanding life. They all work to some extent and are authentic pragmatic systems of coping, whether Transactional Analysis or Reverend Moon or Ram Dass or Elizabeth Claire Prophet or Catholicism or Islam or Oprah.
This whole discussion points to the distinction- if any- between Philosophy and Science. Freud attempted a theory of mental science. Philosophical or cultic systems use formulaic methods to impose order on the complex mysteries of life and humanity, usually with some degree of pragmatic success. Can one use Transactional Anal-lysis techniques to alter interpersonal exchanges? Certainly. Is this alteration more authentic than that altered by the "moonies" or "born agains" or "fundamentalist" muslims or whatever? Debatable.
What all these philosophies have in common is "ME". The success of "ME". The superiority of "ME". They are all personal success ideologies no different than late night real estate infomertials. As such they have no relation to science, social or otherwise.
P.S. Sell Amway!
lol

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by socialjustice_fsu

I look forward to hearing AtLastHome's and Dapperbutch's take on TA. At this point in my career - which I guard defensively - I would not apply TA although some of the basic tenets can be extrapolated to build on a sensical, ethical approach that is well blended with applicable models that provide our patient's with the optimal care in a time-constrained system.

~ Socialjustice_fsu

I agree with the above sentiment.

Sorry, I don't really have anything else to add to the thread on this topic because you covered my thinking about it right here! <pretend there is a "thumbs up" smilie and it is placed here>

I did write you a quick PM on it, though.

[Lynn]

My strongest training as a therapist is in the various brief, strategic models based on linguistic theories and on the significance of the relationship, itself, as the vehicle for healing. I had a great teacher who talked about training like a samurai. He said, learn the techniques flawlessly and then forget them and just be in the moment. I have found this to be very useful. As far as TA is concerned, I think it's an outdated approach which mainly restates older theories into "hip" language. On the other hand, some clients find it useful as a metaphor to validate their own perceptions of what they're doing, or what they're seeing in their own lives. I have been known to draw the little circles and arrows, which is, I'm sure, just a rudimentary way of understanding TA.

[Gemme]

I remember discussing TA in high school and some of my psych classes in college. I actually found it beneficial in one on one communication. I know most feel it's outdated but I think, in some situations and for some people, it can still be a relevant technique. I wouldn't suggest someone use it solely as their method of analysis though.

On another note, I find the use of massage oil in the picture of the two men in bed together unnecessary.