ABSTRACT
Contaminated beliefs are scrutinized and challenged in the process of decontamination (Berne, 1961). A cognitive therapist will invite clients to be aware of the implicit `oughts' and `shoulds' they are living by and systematically challenge them (Harper and Ellis, 1969), in the same way a transactional analyst would challenge similar Parent contaminations (James and Jongeward, 1971). Child contaminations are also held up for reality testing, and the validity of the beliefs and experiences which act as `supporting evidence' for the maintenance of the contamination is examined. `The great pro®t that a transactional analyst can derive from the explanations of Ellis and Beck is a method for decontamination' (Schlegel, 1998: 273).
