Living History of Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy

Steff Oates is a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst in Psychotherapy, living and working in Wales. She is former Vice President of the International Transactional Analysis Association and is the author of many articles in the Transactional Analysis Journal.Diana Deaconu is a Certified Transactional Analyst in Psychotherapy, living and working in Romania. She complemented her studies with a specialization in Anthropology and served as a co-editor of the Transactional Analysis Journal for many years.

• 1. A historical perspective on the evolution of transactional analysis theory 2. Growth, challenge, and expansion of the theory 3. Bringing transactional analysis theory into practice: Complexities generated by the emergence of special fields of application 4. Development of the cathexis and redecision schools 5. Room for a diversity of thinking and approach: The development of constructivist, constructionist, and co-creative approaches in transactional analysis 6. The development of relational transactional analysis 7. Evolutions at the intersections of transactional analysis: The delicate edge between theory and mythology 8. An appreciation of a dynamic, sustainable robust theory and those who ensure it 9. Evolution and innovation: Some ways forward. Honoring the legacy and welcoming mutative change Index

“Oates and Deaconu grapple with a dilemma affecting nearly every framework of human meaning. Once we learn something that seems to work, it can be extremely difficult to consider alternative views or practices. They challenge this understandable reluctance—even fierce refusal—in relation to the traditions, rich histories, and complex community dynamics of transactional analysis. In so doing, they offer a model of inquiry, re-evaluation, and re-integration that can be applied to many of our other precious constructs of meaning that may well be overdue for an overhaul.”N. Michel Landaiche III, psychotherapist, consultant, and trainer“In a timely and singular work, Oates and Deaconu deliver an astute critical reflection on the development of transactional analysis that blends care, attention, and deep respect for its history and values. This outstanding book offers a comprehensive philosophical overview, making it an essential read for both students and advanced practitioners in the field. By contextualizing the history and development of TA, this volume fills a crucial gap, providing the go-to resource that readers have long been awaiting. A groundbreaking contribution to the study and practice of TA."Helen Rowland is a transactional analysis psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor in private practice and a co-editor of the Transactional Analysis Journal“I was enthralled by this book. I recommend it not only because I found it the richest and most complete history of the evolution of Eric Berne's thought and of TA that I have ever seen, but also because it opens the doors to the future, stimulating new ideas. I believe that TA encountered resistance for years because it was too far ahead of its time; now its key concepts have been confirmed by subsequent research. This book should be read with the awareness of how revolutionary those ideas were at the time, and how much they still stimulate our creativity today.”Marco Mazzetti, M.D., is a psychiatrist, a teaching and supervising transactional analyst (psychotherapy) and a university lecturer. He was the recipient of the Eric Berne Memorial Award in 2012 and is a co-founder of the Eric Berne Archive Project.