Is TA psychotherapy for me?

Within the NHS you will find professionals who use psychotherapy, some of whom are qualified psychotherapists..... and some who are qualified in their profession but are not qualified psychotherapists.

Within the NHS psychotherapists often work with people who we cannot work with in private practice.

YES:

1. If you have any kind of psychological / emotional or behavioural problems effecting your life.

2. You do want to make changes in your life.

3. The more specific the problem, the easier to deal with.

4. For general problems such as low self esteem or generally being depressed, or generalised anxiety expect the therapy to last longer.

5. Specific problems usually are sitting on top of underlying and often unconscious problems.

6. It is a good idea to consider the level of therapy you wish to go through.

NOT in Private practice:

1. If you want or need to use medication or hospitalisation as a means of treatment. (For example to withdraw from drug or alcohol addiction.)

2. If you are dealing with problems which are commonly described as psychotic.

3. If you have a history of being violent either physically or sexually.

4. If you don't want to change your life!

What questions should I ask before seeing a TA therapist?

• Do I think I can work with this therapist?

• What qualifications does the therapist have.... is their training recognised by a reputable body? (UKCP)

• How much training have they had?

• Does the therapist have their own therapist or have they been through their own extensive therapy?

• Does the therapist continue their own professional development?

Do not see any therapist who has not been in regular therapy themselves. Most therapists will have a therapist they can turn to for their own needs even when they are not in ongoing therapy.

• Does the therapist receive regular supervision? (Only see them if they say yes!)

• Is the therapist registered or in training with a recognised psychotherapy registering body for example the Institute of Transactional Analysis, (ITA) and the United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapists. (UKCP) and the European Association of Psychotherapy.

All therapists work in their own way, however there will be similarities.

• An intake interview, giving all your personal details.

• An exploration of how your past is influencing how you are experiencing the present problems.

• An exploration of what you are wanting to achieve in the therapy.

• Use of the relationship between yourself and the therapist as a means of understanding how to make the changes you wish to make in your life.

• Use of specific psychological techniques to deal with specific problems.

• The four stages of therapy are often described as outlined below. These four stages describe both the overall process as well as each session.

1. Contact: developing your relationship with the therapist.

2. Contract: deciding what you are wanting to change.

3. Content: Dealing with the issues.

4. Concluding: dealing with the ending of the relationship.

Transactional Analysis, a model which describes an understanding of how people think, feel and behave in relation to themselves and others. Ta also provides various models which can be used to make changes, both in brief therapy and long term therapy.

The analysis of transactions, socially between individuals and internally different parts of the self.

TA therapy is used to promote understanding, change, and growth in individuals, organisations and within educational settings.

TA was developed BY Eric Berne in the late 1950's and 1960's. Berne was interested in psychoanalysis and in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, he developed TA as a method of 'curing' clients. He described cure as developing intimacy, awareness autonomy and spontaneity. Cure is also seen as achieving the specifically contracted for changes the client wishes to make.

Since Berne's original and at the time revolutionary approach TA has become established as one of the major schools of psychotherapy and counselling as well as being used in organisational and educational settings. There are well over 6,000 members of the European Association of Transactional Analysis, and over a thousand members of the institute of Transactional Analysis in the UK.

The best known terms from TA, as described originally by Berne are now in common every day use...

• Games: a repeated pattern of relating to others, which ends in dissatisfaction.

• Strokes: giving and receiving recognition , either positive or negative.

• Life Script: the unconscious life plan which a person lives his / her life by.

With Dave or Uta, or with one of the associates of the centre... You will normally be seen for an hour session. The frequency and number of the sessions will be decided between your self and your therapist.

Individual therapy can last from one or two sessions to ongoing therapy over years depending on the issues you are bringing and the purpose of your therapy.

Couples:

You will normally be seen for one and a half hours in each session. both partners need to be wanting to attend and will be asked what they are wanting to achieve by attending the therapy.

Groups:

Monthly Thursday Evening group, 6 - 9pm. This group is run by Dave.

Monthly Monday evenings, 6 - 9pm. this is run by Uta and is open to only women.

Alternate months: Over a weekend, this group is intended for longer term work and is run by Dave.

How much does TA therapy cost?

£60 per hour for individual and couples work. (€80 / hour in Germany)

Groups: Monthly - £45 per month. Weekend groups - £145

Contact Dave regarding the availability of the groups. dave@ta-psychotherapy.co.uk