ABSTRACT
To begin this brief summary of the schools of TA, and approaches to TA, I present here Martha Stark's (2000) model for understanding the nature of therapeutic action, and the focus of the therapeutic work. Stark's work is based on an analysis of streams within psychoanalysis. However, her model provides a useful framework to think about the differences within the schools and approaches to TA and where each approach focuses the attention of the therapist and how they consider the process of change, and the important ingredients in facilitating change. Stark's position is that effective therapists need to be ¯uent in all three approaches, and tailor their therapy to suit the individual client, using a combination of approaches as appropriate.
