What is Transactional Analysis—and How Can It Help in Therapy?

When you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, it can be hard to make sense of why you keep repeating the same patterns, or why certain feelings or reactions seem to take over. That’s where Transactional Analysis (TA) can offer something powerful and practical.

It’s a model I often draw from in my work as a counsellor because it gives us a simple, respectful way to understand what’s going on—and more importantly, how change can begin.

What is Transactional Analysis?

Transactional Analysis (TA) is a form of psychotherapy that helps us explore how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. It was developed by psychiatrist Eric Berne in the 1950s and has since become a widely respected framework used in counselling, coaching, education, and organisational work.

The central idea behind TA is that we all operate from different internal “states” of being. These are called the Parent, Adult, and Child ego states. Each state carries its own voice, tone, beliefs, and emotional energy.

• The Parent might be critical, nurturing, protective, or controlling.

• The Child might be playful, anxious, rebellious, or overwhelmed.

• The Adult is the grounded part of us that can think clearly, respond in the moment, and make choices based on what’s true now.
  

In therapy, we explore which of these states tend to dominate in your thoughts, feelings, or relationships—and why. It’s not about labelling or diagnosing, but about increasing awareness and making space for new responses.

Why It Helps

When you’ve experienced emotional pain, trauma, or longstanding stress, you may find yourself reacting in ways that feel automatic. TA helps us slow things down and gently ask:

• Where is this reaction coming from?

• Is it serving me—or is it based in something old?

• Can I make a different choice here, from a more adult part of myself?
  

This approach can be especially helpful if:

• You struggle with boundaries or people-pleasing

• You feel stuck in patterns of self-criticism

• You flip between emotional shutdown and overwhelm

• You find yourself repeating the same dynamics in relationships
  

TA gives us a language for these experiences—and tools to change them.

TA is Practical, Not Just Theoretical

What I appreciate most about TA is how practical and respectful it is. It is built on three simple but powerful philosophies:

– Everyone is OK

– Everyone has the capacity to think

– Everyone can change

You won’t be flooded with jargon or forced to dig into things you’re not ready for. Instead, we move at your pace, using the framework to bring insight, choice, and clarity into areas that once felt confusing.

It can help you:

• Reconnect with your own needs, limits, and values

• Understand your emotional reactions more clearly

• Build inner self-trust and reduce internal conflict

• Respond rather than react - even in difficult moments
  

Therapy That Helps You Come Home to Yourself

You don’t need to know anything about TA before we begin. You don’t need to be “good at therapy.” You just need to bring yourself, and a little willingness to explore.

If this way of working resonates with you, you’re welcome to book a free 30-minute consultation to see whether it feels like the right fit.