About Transactional Analysis
Transactional Analysis (TA) is a way of understanding human personality based on the writings of Eric Berne. Berne, a Medical Doctor and Psychiatrist. One of its features is that the human psyche is composed of three ego states, which came to be recognized as the Child, the Parent, and the Adult.

The Child takes two forms: the NATURAL CHILD, who lives in a world of feeling and whose favorite expression is "I'd like…," and the ADAPTED CHILD, who adapts either by submitting or rebelling to avoid the pressure of being molded and whose favorite words are, "I won't," or "I can't" or "but…"

The Parent also has two forms: the CRITICAL PARENT, who is negative and judgmental, whose favorite words are "Don't", and "Why" and "But..." and the NURTURING PARENT, who give Permission to feel, and Protection from harm.

The ADULT is like a computer. It know what day it is, what time it is, and is devoid of feeling, dealing with reality as it perceives it.

Ego states may be easily seen in the story of the Three Bears. Papa Bear comes into the kitchen in the morning and in a grumpy PARENT voice says, "SOMEBODY'S EATEN MY PORRIDGE!" This wakes up Baby Bear who comes on in CHILD-like plaintive voice, "somebody's eaten my porridge!" Mama Bear enters at this point and says in an ADULT voice, "I haven't cooked the porridge yet."

The core belief of TA is, "It's OK with me to be me, and it's OK with me for you to be you." This has nothing to do with one's behavior. It refers solely to the value of every human being.

For References see: Eric Berne, Games People Play, Muriel James, Born to Win, and H. D. Johns, From Fear to Fury. For an explanation of the GWITA Logo above please click here.