ABSTRACT
In the case of the development of an ‘OKness racket’, the neophyte transactional analyst in their zeal to ‘be OK’ may begin to significantly discount the existence of emotional data that feel unpleasant or uncomfortable in some way, or emotional reactions towards their clients which are not 100 per cent positive. Projective identification is a particular transferential phenomenon that can induce a range of unpleasant feelings and thoughts within the therapist. For clients who experience themselves as being inherently bad, being with a therapist who is in a racket OKness position can feel profoundly lonely and isolating, and can reinforce on an unconscious level the client's script beliefs of being intrinsically bad or unworthy. Accepting negative feelings and welcoming them as a source of useful information are both a challenge and an important developmental step in the process of becoming an effective transactional analyst.
