PSYC 441 Theories of Psychotherapy

1. PSYC 441 Theories of Psychotherapy Transactional Analysis Eric Berne #10 Dean Owen, Ph.D., LPCC METU-NCC Spring 2013

2. This presentation has been created for the sole purpose of assisting students enrolled in PSYC 441, Theories of Psychotherapyduring the Spring Semester of 2013 atMiddle East Technical University, Northern Cyprus CampusAll of the material in the presentation isdrawn from the course textbook, Theory and PracticeofCounseling and Psychotherapyby Gerald Corey

3. Explain the TA view of human nature. • Explain anxiety and psychological disturbance according Eric Berne • Explain the meaning of the P-A-C and how it can be used to understand transactions. • Recall the goal of TA • Recall the therapeutic techniques used in TA PLOsPrimary Learning Objectives for today’s lesson

4. Transactional Analysis Eric Berne 1910-1970

5. Transactional Analysis Key Figure: Founder, Eric Berne. Additionally Key figures: Harris, Steiner, James and Jongeward. The approach focuses on cognitive‑behavioral aspects. It is designed to assist a person to evaluate early decisions and to make new and more appropriate decisions.

6. Transactional Analysis • Philosophy and Basic Assumptions: The individual has the potential for choice and for reshaping his or her own destiny. • Though past scripting and programming may have molded the individual, with awareness he or she is able to write a new script. • What was once decided can be re‑decided. • Because humans need stroking, the person is taught how to ask for needed strokes.

7. Transactional Analysis • Key Concepts: Personality structure consists of three ego states: Parent, Adult, and Child. • The client is taught to recognize which ego state is operant and thus learns to choose a given ego state. • The approach focuses on games to avoid intimacy, rackets, early decisions, life scripts, parental injunctions, stroking and basic psychological positions.

8. Transactional Analysis Therapeutic Goals: The goals are to achieve a degree of awareness that enables the client to make new decisions regarding future behavior and direction of life and to become autonomous, that is, to be a script‑free and game‑free person capable of choosing for one's self.

9. Transactional Analysis Therapeutic Relationship: The approach emphasizes an equal relationship between the client and the therapist that is characterized by a joint sharing of responsibility structured by a contract. The client contracts with the therapist for specific, desired changes; when the contract is fulfilled, therapy is terminated.

10. Transactional Analysis Techniques and Procedures: The contract is an essential technique. The use of a script checklist and questionnaire to detect injunctions, games, life positions, and early decisions is also an important technique. Questioning is often employed. Other procedures include structural analysis, didactic methods, the empty chair technique, role playing, family modeling, analysis of games and rackets, analysis of rituals and pastimes, and script analysis.

11. Transactional Analysis Applications: The approach can be applied to parent‑child relations, classroom and institutional situations, marriage counseling, family therapy, and individual therapy. It is will suited to group methods. It can be used with all ages and for many types of problems: delinquent and criminal behavior, alcoholism, re-parenting of schizophrenics and interpersonal problems.

12. Transactional Analysis Contributions: Major contributions of the approach are the contract method, the active role of the client, and the emphasis on the client's doing, not merely "trying." The concepts are concrete, specific, and easily grasped. It is a brief therapy with wide applicability. It decreases the chance of dependence on the therapist. It emphasized transactions and choice, recognizes key aspects of the past a related to present behavior, and give a rationale for explaining self‑defeating behavior in terms of pay‑offs of games. Persons with any type of related professional training can make use of the principles and procedures.

13. The Ego States of Transactional Analysis 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: While superficially similar to Freud’s Id, Ego, and Superego, the ego states represent overt behaviors that can be seen by others. Parent Adult Child

14. The Ego States of Transactional Analysis • Parent ("exteropsyche"): a state in which people behave, feel, and think in response to an unconscious mimicking of how their parents (or other parental figures) acted, or how they interpreted their parent's actions. For example, a person may shout at someone out of frustration because they learned from an influential figure in childhood the lesson that this seemed to be a way of relating that worked. • Critical (controlling) Parent • Nurturing Parent

15. The Ego States of Transactional Analysis • Adult ("neopsyche"): a state of the ego which is most like a computer processing information and making predictions absent of major emotions that cloud its operation. Learning to strengthen the Adult is a goal of TA. While a person is in the Adult ego state, he/she is directed towards an objective appraisal of reality.

16. The Ego States of Transactional Analysis • Child ("archaeopsyche"): a state in which people behave, feel and think similarly to how they did in childhood. For example, a person who receives a poor evaluation at work may respond by looking at the floor, and crying or pouting, as they used to when scolded as a child. Conversely, a person who receives a good evaluation may respond with a broad smile and a joyful gesture of thanks. The Child is the source of emotions, creation, recreation, spontaneity and intimacy. • Adapted Child (compliant) • Free Child (rebellious)

17. “Strokes” in TA Strokes are the recognition, attention or responsiveness that one person gives another. Strokes can be positive (nicknamed "warm fuzzies") or negative ("cold pricklies"). Fundamental to TA is the idea that all of us need strokes and that lacking positive strokes, we will seek whatever kind they can, even if it is recognition of a negative kind.

18. Transactions in TA Transactions: Communication between or among individuals composed of explicit (words used) and implicit (hidden psychological message) Both of which occur in parallel. Transactions occur simultaneously at both explicit and psychological levels. Example: sweet caring voice with sarcastic intent. To read the real communication requires both surface and non-verbal reading. Transactions can be experienced as positive or negative depending on the nature of the strokes within them. However, a negative transaction is preferred to no transaction at all, because of a fundamental hunger for strokes.

19. Types of Transactions in TA • There are basically three kinds of transactions: • Reciprocal/Complementary (the simplest) • Crossed • 3. Duplex/Covert/ Ulterior (the most complex)

20. Types of Transactions in TA • Reciprocal/Complementary (the simplest) • A: “Have you completed the report, yet?” • B: “Yes, I was about to email it to you.” My adult addressed your adult and your adult responded to my adult… P P A A C C

21. Types of Transactions in TA • Reciprocal/Complementary (the simplest) • A: "Would you like to skip this meeting and go watch a film with me instead?" • B: "I'd love to - I don't want to work anymore, what should we go and see?" (Child to Child) My Child addressed your Child and your Child responded to my Child… P P A A C C

22. Types of Transactions in TA • Reciprocal/Complementary (the simplest) • A: "You should have your room tidy by now!" (Parent to Child) • B: "Will you stop hassling me? I'll do it eventually!" (Child to Parent) My Parent addressed your Child and your Child responded to my Parent P P A A C C

23. Types of Transactions in TA • Crossed Transactions (possibility for conflict) • 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 Parent) My Adult addressed your Adult and your Child responded to my Parent P P A A C C

24. Types of Transactions in TA • Crossed Transactions • A: "Is your room tidy yet?" (Parent to Child) • B: "I'm just going to do it, actually." (Adult to Adult) My Parent addressed your Child and your Adult responded to my Adult P P A A C C

25. Types of Transactions in TA Duplex Transaction A: "I need you to stay late at the office with me." (Adult words) body language indicates sexual intent (flirtatious Child) B: "Of course." (Adult response to Adult statement). winking or grinning (Child accepts the hidden motive). P P This is but one example of the amazing complexity of human communication…words, posture, even tone of voice can convey multiple messages. A A C C

26. Types of Transactions in TA Duplex Transaction Boss: What time is it? (Overt) A to A You're always late (covert) P to C Secretary: It's three o'clock (Overt) A to A You're always criticizing me (Covert) C to P P P This is but one example of the amazing complexity of human communication…words, posture, even tone of voice can convey multiple messages. A A C C

27. Life Positions in TA • One’s general feeling (i.e. not a conscious • philosophical position, but an unconscious one) • about life is called "a life position" in TA theory. • Initially there were proposed four of them: • "I'm Not OK, You're OK" (I-U+) • "I'm Not OK, You're Not OK" (I-U-) • "I'm OK, You're Not OK" (I+U-) • "I'm OK, You're OK" (I+U+)

28. Life Scripts in TA • Script is a life plan, directed to a reward. • Script is decisional and responsive; i.e., decided upon in childhood in response to perceptions of the world and as a means of living with and making sense of the world. It is not just thrust upon a person by external forces. • Script is reinforced by parents (or other influential figures and experiences). • Script is for the most part outside awareness. • Script is how we navigate and what we look for, the rest of reality is redefined (distorted) to match our filters.

29. Time Structuring in TA • There are six ways of structuring time by giving and receiving strokes: • Withdrawal • Ritual • Pastimes • Activity • Games • Intimacy

30. Time Structuring in TA • Withdrawal: Essentially this is an elected • decision to be alone…to isolate oneself for • others…it can serve many purposes… • To provide for personal contemplation and thought • To rest and seek restoration • To prevent further hurt….etc.

31. Time Structuring in TA • Rituals: The are relatively superficial and highly stereotyped social interactions…. • “Hi Bill, how’s it going?” • “Great…how ‘bout you?” • A. “Just fine…Have a great day.” • “You, too!”

32. Time Structuring in TA • Rituals: The are relatively superficial and highly stereotyped social interactions…. • Some phenomena associated with daily rituals: • If a person exchanges fewer strokes than expected, the other person may feel that he is either preoccupied or arrogant. • If a person exchanges more strokes than expected, the other person might wonder whether he is trying to butter him up or get on good terms for some vested interests. • If two people do not meet for a long time, a backlog of strokes gets built up, so that the next time they meet, they may exchange a large number of strokes to catch up.

33. Time Structuring in TA Pastimes A pastime is a series of transactions that is complementary (reciprocal), semi-ritualistic, and is mainly intended as a time-structuring activity. Pastimes have no covert purpose and can usually be carried out only between people on the same wavelength. They are usually shallow and harmless. Pastimes are a type of small-talk. Often this interactions revolve around recreation activities or at times of boredom (talking with a seatmate on a long flight for example).

34. Time Structuring in TA Activity (work) Activities in this context mean that individuals work together for a common goal. This may be work, sports or something similar. In contrast to Pastimes, there is a meaningful purpose guiding the interactions, while pastimes are just about exchanging strokes. Strokes can then be given in the context of the cooperation. Thus the strokes are generally not personal, but related to the activity.

35. Time Structuring in TA Games A game is a series of transactions that are complementary (reciprocal), ulterior, and which proceeds towards a predictable outcome. They are frequently referred to as dishonest attempts to get strokes. While they often have the desired outcome (strokes), they generally prevent honest intimacy from occurring due to their manipulative nature.

36. Time Structuring in TA Intimacy Intimacy as a way of structuring time allows one to exchange the strongest strokes without playing a Game. Intimacy differs from Games as there is no covert purpose, and differs from Activities as there is no other process going on which defines a context of cooperation. Strokes are personal, relating to the other person, and often unconditional.

37. Some Common Games • Here are some of the most commonly found themes of games described in Games People Play by Eric Bern: • WDYB: Why Don't You, Yes But. Historically, the first game discovered. • IFWY: If It Weren't For You • WAHM: Why does this Always Happen to Me? (setting up a self-fulfilling prophecy • SWYMD: See What You Made Me Do

38. Some Common Games • UGMIT: You Got Me Into This • LHIT: Look How Hard I've Tried • ITHY: I'm Only Trying to Help You • LYAHF: Let's You and Him Fight (staging a Love triangle) • NIGYYSOB / NIGYSOB: Now I've Got You, You Son Of a B*tch • RAPO: A woman falsely cries 'rape' or threatens to - related to Buzz Off Buster

39. Example • Why don’t you…yes but (often seen in counseling) • White: I wish I could lose some weight. • Black: Why don't you join a gym? • W: Yes but, I can't afford the payments for a gym. • B: Why don't you speed walk around your block after you get home from work? • W: Yes but, I don't dare walk alone in my neighborhood after dark. • B: Why don't you take the stairs at work instead of the elevator? • W: Yes but, after my knee surgery, it hurts too much to walk that many flights of stairs. • B: Why don't you change your diet? • W: Yes but, my stomach is sensitive and I can tolerate only certain foods.

40. The Function of Games in TA Berne identified dozens of games, noting that, regardless of when, where or by whom they were played, each game tended towards very similar structures in how many players or roles were involved, the rules of the game, and the game's goals. Each game has a payofffor those playing it, such as the aim of earning sympathy, satisfaction, vindication, or some other emotion that usually reinforces the life script. The antithesis of a game, that is, the way to break it, lies in discovering how to deprive the actors of their payoff.