Summary
Contents
Transactional Analysis (TA) refers to a wide-ranging set of theories about the human personality. It provides an unambiguous and logical framework within which we can understand and analyze ourselves—our motives, our behavior, and our interactions with others. The principles of TA can be applied universally—at home, in the workplace, at clubs and restaurants, at sporting events, in social occasions, and so on. TA was originally developed by the American psychoanalyst Dr Eric Berne in the 1950s. After his untimely death in 1970, the existing TA theory was substantially enlarged and added to by a host of other illustrious contributors.
How to Stop Hurting others … and Myself
How to Stop Hurting others … and Myself
From the moment of my birth, to the instant of my death,
There are patterns I must follow, just as I must breathe each breath.
—Simon and Garfunkel, Patterns
Settling for Negative Strokes
We had earlier discussed one of the stroking myths: Don't Reject (unwanted) strokes. The origins of this, as in case of the other stroking myths, lies in our childhood, when we craved the attention of our parents (or parent figures). When we were ignored, we did something naughty to attract attention and received negative strokes in the form of criticism, condemnation, and maybe even punishment. The more often we were ignored, the more often we indulged in behavior which would ...