Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses some of the many different ways in which transactional analysis (TA) practitioners work. It first covers the philosophy, theory, methods and some critique of the main approaches and schools of TA in practice. The book then deals with the therapeutic relationship. Psychotherapy research has consistently shown that the therapeutic relationship is critical to the outcome of the therapy, and is a precondition for effective therapy work. It includes material on the effective ‘ingredients’ of the therapeutic relationship including empathy, transference and countertransference and also alliance rupture and repair. The book explores the process of diagnosis, contracting and treatment planning from a TA perspective. It also deals with common pitfalls in TA practice, suggesting ways of avoiding them.