Transactional Analysis Counselling in Action

by Ian Stewart

This book is a practical guide to the use of transactional analysis in counselling. It is aimed at counsellor trainers and their trainees, as well as at practising counsellors who are interested in developing TA skills.

TA is notable for its clarity of concept and simplicity of language. It offers an approach that promotes understanding and immediately catches the imagination. Yet underlying this surface appeal is a closely-reasoned theoretical structure. Since the pioneering work of Eric Berne in the 1950s and 60s, transactional analysts have continued to innovate. This book emphasizes powerful new techniques and concepts in TA that have been developed during the past two decades.

Illustrating by means of an actual case-history, Ian Stewart describes the systematic process of counselling in TA. He traces the client's progress from first contact and intake, through diagnosis and treatment planning, to contract-making and the implementation of the planned treatment sequence.

Each phase of the treatment process is explained clearly and accessibly. The descriptions of technique are reinforced by `self-supervision' sequences: sets of self-assessment questions that readers can use to sharpen their skills in TA.

Genres: Psychology, Counselling, Nonfiction

188 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1989

About the author

Ian Stewart is the Co-Director of the Berne Institute, has been a practising Transactional Analysis psychotherapist for over 30 years, and has presented Transactional Analysis trainings worldwide.

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Reviews

[Sara Kamjou · Rating 4 out of 5]

این کتاب تخصصیه و برای درمانگران با روش تحلیل رفتار متقابل (TA) مناسبه و نکات خیلی خوبی داره. نوع توضیحات جا داشت یه کم بهتر و واضح‌تر باشه.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up hoping to get an in depth look at the structure and theory behind transactional analysis, but this book looks more at the practice of TA. It starts with the initial session and goes through all the way to termination.

While it wasn't the book I was looking for, I enjoyed being able to see the similarities in TA and other theories (some similarities to solution focused and reality therapy--perhaps TA was Berne's way of making psychoanalysis more short term?).

If you are thinking that TA might be your theory of choice, this would be a great book to pick up. But if you are looking to understand the ego stages and games of TA...this isn't it.

[Cris Drg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although his was of doing it seems a bit mechanical and robotic, the books does a great job of presenting most of TA concepts and basic theory in a very accessible and clear way. I'm most impressed with his presentation of impasse theory (which seemed very complicated and unclear before). A useful read.

For practitioners, probably not a great role model. I feel like it lacks the human element, though I'm not sure why and how I got this feeling. Probably the exact reciting of certain words (like for contracting or closing escape hutches) as if they were "magical". Also the obsessive focus on contracting every single element of a conversation, which gets annoying really fast.
Everything turned around at the end when he elaborately explains that even after re-decision (the most complex, in-depth therapy-work one can do), all of the progress can easily go down the drain because "in Child, the person still has many motivations to go back to the familiar strategies" and because the people in the client's life don't change so they will invite them back to "scripty" behaviors. So, is it all a matter of having a "strong will"?!?
Not a good look.

[Debra Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative book