`An important book that deserves reading by both trainees and experienced therapists of all approaches and models' - Counsellingbooks.com Skills in Transactional Analysis Counselling & Psychotherapy is a practical introduction to a uniquely comprehensive therapeutic approach, which combines theories of the mind, emotions, behaviour and bodily experience. Following the typical pattern of working with a client, the book describes the key features of Transactional Analysis (TA) and its basic building blocks - ego states, transactions, games and scripts. Each concept or technique is introduced at the stage in the counselling process at which it is required. Backed up by exercises, this enables readers to build their knowledge and skills base in tandem with their understanding of the counselling process itself. Part One focuses on the development of the therapeutic alliance between therapist and client and gives guidance on how to create structures in which the work can begin. Part Two explains how to build the client's awareness with the aim of strengthening their capacity to think more clearly and solve problems. Part Three looks at deepening the work with the client by helping them to discover the history behind the problems and make contact with their inner child. Part Four explores how to enable the client to move toward personal autonomy through integrating and synthesizing the work undertaken with the counsellor. This book vividly demonstrates the art of TA practice, considering fully the experience of both the counsellor and the client. For all those training in TA, this will be essential reading.

`An important book that deserves reading by both trainees and experienced therapists of all approaches and models′ - Counsellingbooks.com Skills in Transactional Analysis Counselling & Psychotherapy is a practical introduction to a uniquely comprehensive therapeutic approach, which combines theories of the mind, emotions, behaviour and bodily experience. Following the typical pattern of working with a client, the book describes the key features of Transactional Analysis (TA) and its basic building blocks - ego states, transactions, games and scripts. Each concept or technique is introduced at the stage in the counselling process at which it is required. Backed up by exercises, this enables readers to build their knowledge and skills base in tandem with their understanding of the counselling process itself. Part One focuses on the development of the therapeutic alliance between therapist and client and gives guidance on how to create structures in which the work can begin. Part Two explains how to build the client′s awareness with the aim of strengthening their capacity to think more clearly and solve problems. Part Three looks at deepening the work with the client by helping them to discover the history behind the problems and make contact with their inner child. Part Four explores how to enable the client to move toward personal autonomy through integrating and synthesizing the work undertaken with the counsellor. This book vividly demonstrates the art of TA practice, considering fully the experience of both the counsellor and the client. For all those training in TA, this will be essential reading.

SAGE celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the Counselling in Action in November 2008. To view the video - click here ----------------------------------------------------- Praise for the First Edition: `Ian Stewart has made the difficult link between theory and practice clear without being patronizing. This is valuable for everyone interested in TA since many concepts can only be fully assimilated when linked to actual examples. Even if you are not in clinical practice, this book would be a useful addition to your library and, for anyone in training or beginning practice, this is required reading' - Group Relations Transactional Analysis Counselling in Action, Third Edition meets a demand for a clearly-written step-by-step account of the process and practice of using transactional analysis to promote personal change. --------------------------------------------------------- This book retains the successful overall structure and organisation of the popular earlier editions, but has been fully revised. Key features of this new edition include: " concise, "hands-on" descriptions of current techniques and concepts in transactional analysis, presented in an accessible style that is immediately useful to the practitioner " the sequence of chapters ordered to reflect successive stages in the typical process of therapeutic change using transactional analysis. This assists in building understanding and application of transactional analysis step by step, in the order that is likely to arise during actual psychotherapy or counselling " expanded discussion of the protective procedure known as "closing the escape hatches" (no-suicide, no-homicide, no-go-crazy decision), including possible contra-indications " a single extended case history that runs through the book to illustrate practice and theory " "Key Ideas" panels which provide summaries of the main ideas that are described in each section or chapter " "Self-supervision sequences" offering suggested checklists of questions that readers can use in appraising their own work with clients. In this revised Third Edition of his bestselling guide, Ian Stewart offers trainee and practising psychotherapists and counsellors an introduction to the core concepts and basic techniques of transactional analysis. Ian Stewart is Co-Director of The Berne Institute, Nottingham. He is accredited by the ITAA and the EATA as a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst.

Selling over 25,000 copies across three editions, this book provides an unrivalled introduction to the core concepts and basic techniques of Transactional Analysis (TA). Ian Stewart guides the reader step-by-step through the successive stages in using TA to create therapeutic change, building understanding of the way the approach works in real-life practice. Key features of this new edition include: -a single extended case study running through the book -'Key ideas' panels to summarize the main ideas in each section -Detailed discussion of 'closing the escape hatches': TA's distinctive approach to resolving the issues of suicide, self-harm or violence -Practice Checklists offering suggested questions readers can use to appraise their own work with clients at strategic points in the text - Space for Reflection sections and Further Reading lists to conclude each chapter. This bestselling textbook offers trainee and practising psychotherapists and counsellors a concise, hands-on exploration of current concepts and techniques in Transactional Analysis. Ian Stewart is Co-Director of The Berne Institute, Nottingham. He is the author of Eric Berne (SAGE, 1992) and Developing Transactional Analysis Counselling (SAGE, 1996), and co-author of TA Today (2nd edn, Lifespace, 2012).

`This is an excellent book. Whilst specifically aimed at the "newer counsellor", this book contains much that will be of interest to experienced practitioners both within and outside of TA... this book is an excellent guide to implementing TA techniques and treatment planning particularly from a process model perspective. It incorporates many new ideas which will make it refreshing and inspiring for both new and experienced counsellors and psychotherapists′ - ITA News This concise workbook provides 30 practical suggestions to help practising counsellors develop and enhance their Transactional Analysis (TA) counselling skills. After a brief introductory section that summarizes the essentials of TA theory and technique, the book covers crucial aspects of best practice in current TA, many of them unavailable in book form until now. Presenting new and wide-ranging material, each of the 30 suggestions - which are supported by useful case examples - encourages both experienced and trainee counsellors to think carefully about their work and how it can be made even more effective. Ian Stewart provides much-needed practical guidance to such key areas as contract-making, time-frames and the Process Model.

Co-creative transactional analysis is an approach to a particular branch of psychology which, as the phrase suggests, emphasises the "co-" (mutual, joint) aspect of professional relationships, whether therapeutic, educative and/or consultative - and, by implication, of personal relationships. The "co-" of co-creative acknowledges the transactional, inter-relational, mutual, joint, and co-operative, as well as partnership. Developed by the authors over some fifteen years, the co-creative approach has found a resonance not only amongst psychotherapists, but also educationalists, consultants and coaches. The book itself represents and reflects the co-creative approach in that it is based on a critical dialogue between the authors themselves about their collaborative and independent work, as well as between invited contributors and the authors.