:::Becoming a TAnalyst:::
Becoming a TAnalyst is both an easy and a difficult path. It may be too easy for some and too difficult for others. Becoming a TAnalyst is a bit like becoming a jungle explorer. The jungle may seem complex and lawless, but it has laws. If you have a map of the jungle, you can easily explore it. But even if you have a map, it won't help you much if you don't know the laws of the jungle. While it is an important tool for Ⓐ, it is not very helpful for Ⓟ and Ⓒ, because they do not try to learn the rules of the jungle exactly, but use the Little Professor to learn them roughly. The reason for this is based on the ego state of Transactional Analysis (hereafter TA). The degree of self-awareness, voluntariness and communion of the TA analyst's own ego state determines his or her permission, protection and potency with the client.
TA founder Eric Berne puts it simply and clearly:
"Whatever deals with ego states is transactional analysis, and whatever overlooks them is not." (Berne, 1970: 217)
"The ego states of parents, adults and children were first systematically studied by transactional analysis, and they are its cornerstones and its hallmark". (Berne, 1970: 217)
There is some concern about the current overuse of ego state questionnaires in the field. I often wonder if TA is being sold like a cheap commodity. I wonder how many people in this conference know that TA is not treated as a cheap product by the International Association for the Study of Interaction Analysis?
As the saying goes, 'it's too sweet to eat first', but I wonder how many TA's know the true meaning of the self-status test and use it. This is because the self-state is the beginning and the end of TA, and it is not fixed, but fluid, depending on the situation.
I would only use a self-test if it meets the following three criteria
0. the person who created the test is Ⓐ.
1. the client is aware of the structure and function of their ego state,
2. the client is aware of the structure and function of the ego state of a client with unresolved issues,
3. the client is able to demonstrate awareness of their understanding or lack of understanding of their own ego state through the Ego State Inventory.
4. Ⓟ and Ⓒ should be tested about three times to see if the results are the same. In this case the order of the three test sheets should be different so that the client does not get used to the test sheets. If they are different, ask the client to identify the characteristics of their ego state and why they are different.
In cases 3 and 4, people with Ⓟ and Ⓒ often appear different depending on the situation and emotions at the time of the test. This is because people with Ⓟ and Ⓒ may subconsciously think of their Ⓟ and Ⓒ as Ⓐ, and subconsciously think of Ⓐ as CP. So the Ⓟ instinctively tries to get rid of the Ⓐ whenever possible. This is true everywhere in politics, society and culture. Nowhere is this more evident than in contemporary Korean politics.
So when Ⓟ and Ⓒ students choose a director, they often do so unconsciously, because it's easy for them to fall into the unconscious act of showing their nakedness as they go through the process of self-awareness, voluntarism and community.
The ⓅⒶⒸ is not something that is easily crossed. The three personalities don't overlap, nor are they absent. In an interaction analysis, Ⓟ and Ⓒ cannot be transformed into Ⓐ without the pain of transformation, and it is impossible to know what the pleasure of Ⓐ is. Just as a high school student cannot understand the joy of a college freshman.
ⓅⒶⒸ trainees have different interests (Ⓟ is TA certification, Ⓐ is studying TA, Ⓒ is relationships) and ⓅⒶⒸ supervisors have different interests (Ⓟ is power, Ⓐ is potency, Ⓒ is relationships).
It is important for trainees to remember that they should avoid asking questions of Ⓟ or Ⓒ supervisors in the group if at all possible. Ⓠ asks questions out of a desire for information or knowledge, but does not get answers. If this situation is repeated with Ⓟ or Ⓒ leaders and group members, the atmosphere becomes toxic and it is easy to be bullied and targeted for elimination. It took me about five years to go from knowing TA mechanically to understanding and recognising it contextually.
The Ⓟ is the "be strong" personality, sees ACs as Ⓐs and sees anyone who doesn't conform to them (mostly Ⓐs) as CPs and tries to eliminate them.
Ⓐ is the "be perfect" personality and is feared or eliminated by Ⓟ and Ⓒ.
Ⓒ tries to use "Please others" through "Try hard" to show his presence to Ⓟ and Ⓒ, but "Be perfect" just makes Ⓐ feel like a college freshman watching a high school senior show off his talents. "Do it hard" is also a personality that lives under the illusion that it is "Do it perfectly".
A professional footballer will show how many goals he can score in a game, but will never brag about his achievements.
To become a competent interaction analyst, practitioners should examine their true authentic ego state. What level of autonomy do you live with in terms of consciousness, volition and communion? And recognise the ego state of your superior. Then you will see the path to becoming a competent interactional analyst open up before you.
Nihil intelligere possum quid dicatur! Carpe diem!
*Berne, E. (1970). Sex in Human Loving. New York, NY.
#Transactional Analysis, #Eric Berne, #Ego states, #Parent Ego, #Adult Ego, #Child Ego, #Drivers, #Be strng, #Be perfect, #Please others, #Try hard, #Hurry up,
