Bern Eric: transactional analysis as a method of psychotherapy

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Eric Berne became famous throughout the world of psychotherapy and psychology due to his theory of people's communication with each other and their attitude towards themselves and others. Eric Berne's transactional analysis has been studied by many psychologists who agreed that a person lives life really according to the script that was laid down in childhood. Many words of parents lay the stereotypical behavior of a person, this determines the quality of his life and communication. What is transactional analysis as a method of psychotherapy? What is its essence and benefit for a person?

What is Eric Berne's Transactional Analysis Theory?

It is considered to be a psychological model that reflects the analysis of behavior and interaction of a person in a group and within himself. This theory has gained great popularity due to the availability of concepts and the explanation of human behavioral responses.

The main postulate here is that in certain circumstances a person can act depending on which of the three I-positions heaccepts. Bern Erik was the first to draw attention to these positions. Transactional analysis originates from psychoanalysis, therefore it considers and studies the deep aspects of the human psyche.

For psychotherapy, an important point in the application of this theory is the assertion that each person can learn to think and be responsible for their actions, trust, first of all, feelings and needs, make decisions and build personal relationships. From this position, Eric Berne's theory is a very effective method of helping a person solve life's problems.

Positions in transactions

In this theory, the easy-to-understand personality structure is the three ego states: Parent, Child, Adult. Each of them is significantly different from the other, having a set of behavioral characteristics, thinking and feeling.

It is very important for a psychotherapist to understand the state in which a person acts in one way or another, and what can be changed in his behavior so that he can be a harmonious person, about which Bern Erik spoke. Transactional Analysis suggests three basic rules regarding these ego states:

• Any age person was once small, so they can do something under the influence of the Child ego state.
• Everyone (with a normally developed brain) is endowed with the ability to make adequate decisions and assess reality, which indicates the presence of an Adult ego state.
• We all had parents or persons replacing them, therefore we have this beginning, expressed in ego-Parent state.

Psychotherapy using transactional analysis is based on helping a person to realize unproductive stereotypical behavior. The analysis of transactions, which takes place with the help of a specialist, helps a person become more productive in finding solutions, in understanding reality, in setting further goals.

Types of transactions in psychotherapy

Any interactions between people, verbal or non-verbal, are called transactions in the theory that Berne Eric brought out. Transactional analysis within psychotherapy involves the study of human relationships, as well as the search for solutions to emerging problems.

It is important for the specialist to determine which schemes led to difficulties in the relationship. There are two types of verbal and non-verbal interactions:

• parallel;
• cross.

Parallel modes of interaction

The therapist, working with the client, determines what type of transaction was used. Parallel is a constructive type of relationship. In this case, the ego positions must match. For example, a transaction asking "How are you?" and the answer "All is well!" produced from the perspective of an adult. In this case, there are no problems with interaction.

Cross transactions

Cross-links can provoke conflicts. This is such an interaction in which an unexpected reaction occurs to a stimulus (question or appeal) from the position of another ego state. For example, the question "Where is my watch?" and the answer "Where you left it, get it there!" - transaction from positions of the Adult and the Parent. In this case, a conflict may develop.

There are also hidden transactions (at the psychological and social levels). In this case, it is important to analyze the incentives of people communicating with each other.

Incentives in communication

Approval is important for personal development. This is one of the basic human needs. In transactional analysis theory, this approval or stimulus is called "stroking." Such moments in communication can carry a positive or negative connotation. "Strokes" are unconditional (just for the fact that a person exists) and conditional (given for actions). The latter are just colored by emotions with a "+" or "-" sign.

In therapeutic practice, the specialist teaches the person to accept such stimuli or not to do so, especially when they are negative. Positive conditional "stroking" is also not always appropriate to accept, as a person learns to be "good", that is, he tries to please everyone, while infringing on himself.

It is also important to teach the client to refuse the conditions that are put forward with a positive stimulus, if they do not correspond to the internal positions of the person, which Berne Erik especially emphasized. Transactional analysis helps the client to focus on creating the necessary conditions for him, where he can discover new powers for decision-making and so on. In therapeutic contact, the psychologist mustteach a person to accept himself, then the consultation will be successful.

Fair and dishonest transactions

The next point in the study of transactions as a method of therapy is the analysis of the interactions that determine the pastime of the individual. This phenomenon was called the structuring of time by Eric Berne. Psychoanalysis tends to look at it a little differently: from the standpoint of defense mechanisms.

There are six ways to structure time:

• care (manipulative way of influencing a person);
• games (a series of hidden transactions that also "dishonestly" manipulate people);
• intimacy (sexual interactions);
• rituals (transactions conditioned by stereotypes and external factors);
• entertainment (achieving certain goals for yourself);
• activity (getting influence from others and achieving your goals).

The last three are called "honest" because they don't manipulate others. The therapist during the conversation helps to build positive transactions without manipulative behavior. Games are an influence on people's behavior. We will talk about them below.

Life scenarios of people

Each person lives according to a script given in childhood, Eric Berne claimed. The psychology of people's life scenarios directly depends on the positions taken in childhood.

1. The winner is a person who has achieved goals, involving others in the struggle. ATIn the course of therapy, such people reconsider their life positions and manipulative games, trying to build productive transactions without negatively affecting others.
2. The loser is a person who constantly experiences failures, involving others in his troubles. Psychotherapy is very important for such people. In the process of conversation and analysis of transactions, such people understand the reasons for their failures in life. Clients are trained to respond to problems correctly, not to involve others in them, to try to get out of constant problems.
3. A "non-winner" is a loyal person who fulfills all his duties, trying not to strain the people around him. Understanding his life scenario in the process of psychotherapy, such a person makes certain decisions depending on needs and goals.

All scripts (read more about them in the book written by Eric Berne - "The Psychology of Human Relations, or the Games People Play") are the result of parental programming in early childhood. First, adopting them non-verbally, then with the help of verbal messages. They are forced out of consciousness over the course of life, so a person may not even guess what dictates his behavior. Therefore, with problems relating to life scenarios or conflict interactions, it is important to consult a psychotherapist who knows the theory of transactional analysis thoroughly.