Transactional Analysis
Finding and Using your
Adult Ego State
All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Transactional Analysis
While it can be used
for psychotherapy, we
will focus on its use as
a communication tool.
Useful whenever
people have to deal
with people.
Eric Berne the
psychologist.
All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Transactional Analysis
Do you know anyone who points an
accusing finger at others when something
goes wrong? Does it remind you of your
father or some other parental figure?
Do you know anyone who works hard
taking care of others when things go wrong?
Does it remind you of your mom or some
other parental figure?
All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Transactional Analysis
Do you know anyone who throws a temper
tantrum when things go wrong?
Do you know anyone who acts like they
learned “it’s better for children to be seen
but not heard”?
Do you know anyone who when things go
wrong they collect facts, think things
through, and then act rationally?
All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Transactional Analysis
Everyone has three
P
ego states that are
based on childhood
experiences and role
models. A
Each ego state is a
separate and distinct
source of behavior.
C
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Transactional Analysis
Parent Ego State:
Parental values and P
opinions are stored in this
ego state.
May be expressed towards
others as prejudicial, A
critical, and nurturing
behavior.
Parental messages
continue to influence the C
inner child.
“The Should Ego State”
All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Transactional Analysis
Adult Ego State:
Not related to a person’s P
age.
Oriented toward current
reality and the objective
gathering of information. A
Organized, adaptable,
intelligent, and tests
reality, estimating
probabilities. C
“Computes Dispassionately”
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Transactional Analysis
Child Ego State:
All the impulses that P
come naturally to an
infant.
How you responded to
early experiences and the A
positions you took about
yourself and others.
Feelings of happiness,
anxiety, fear, withdrawal, C
etc.
“Feeling like you did when you were a child”
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Parent Ego State: Expressed
”
Outwardly
i ng
ag “J
r ud
cou P P gm
En en
“ g ” tal
rin “C ”
rtu rit
N u ica
“ A A l”
C C
Transacting with the ego states of others as they saw their
parents do it.
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Parent Ego State: Expressed
Inwardly
” “C
i n g on
ag de
u r P “M mn
nco ” or in g
“E iv
e ali ”
rt sti
p o c”
up
“S A
We all hear parental tapes playing in our heads.
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Child Ego State: Three parts
Adapted child:
experience and P P
influence on behavior. Responding as you did
in childhood:
Little Professor: A selfish
Emerging adult, mean
creative, intuitive. playful
Natural child: AD affectionate
Uncensored, basic LP whining
drives are stored manipulative
here. NC curious
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Adult Ego State
Used to reason,
evaluate stimuli, to
gather information,
and to store this
information for future
reference.
Enables a person to
use data to make
decisions and
implement these
decisions.
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Adult Ego State
The adult ego state
P gives a person a
measure of
objectivity.
The adult can
A
evaluate parental
and child
programming and
C decide what is all
right and what needs
to be changed.
R34
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Analyzing Ego State & Body
Language
Each ego state has its “You should
own words, phases, have done...”
and truisms that are
used in conversation.
“I’m not sure,
These may be let me think...”
accompanied by
postures, gestures,
voice tones, facial “I’m not sure
expressions, etc. what to tell you!”
All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Finding and controlling your
ego states, hints:
If you are being
critical, or nurturing
P and using alot of
shoulds, must, etc.,
you are coming from
A
your parent.
Say you SS# to access
your adult.
If you are emotional,
C
scared, etc., you are in
you child.
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Getting to Know Your Ego
States: Exercise - 5 minutes
Think of three
P
decisions you recently
made, e.g.:
– To take this class
– To look for a new job A
– Come here today
Which ego state
contributed the most to
C
your decisions?
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Handout Exercise - Take a
Break!
R38,39
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Transactions: Unit of Measure in
Interpersonal Relationships
Between two or more
people there is various P P
stimuli and responses.
These form the core of
transactions between A A
people.
E.G. Adult to Adult
C C
complementary
communication.
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Transactions: Three basic types
Complementary: P P
– When a transaction
gets the expected
1.
response from a A A
specific ego state in the 2.
other person..
The lines of C C
communication are
kept open between the 1. Do you know where the x - ray is?
2. It seems to be temporarily
transactors. misplaced, I have a tracer on it.
R42 All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Transactions: Three basic types
Crossed: P P
– When a transaction
gets an unexpected
A 1.
response from a A
unexpected ego state in
the other person..
Crossed transactions C C
are a frequent source
of resentment between 1. Do you know where the x - ray is?
2. It’s right where you left it, can’t
people(transactors). you remember anything!
R44 All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Transactions: Three basic types
Ulterior:
– When a transaction has P P
a hidden message and 3.
it hooks the ego state 1.
the hidden message A A
was going for not the 2.
one the overt message
C C
was aimed at.
The ulterior message 1.Do you know where the x - ray is?
is more important to 2.I can’t find anything when I need it!
the sender than the (Looks sad and helpless, flirts a little)
overt message. 3.Don’t worry I’ll find it for you.
(Gives affectionate look & touch)
R46 All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Summary on Ego States:
We all have three
P different ego states
programmed with
different behavior.
Become aware of
A
when you are coming
from your parent,
adult or child.
C Awareness gives you
more choices in your
communication
R34 patterns.
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Summary on Ego States, Parent:
P We all have parental
models in our heads
that cause us to act,
speak, think and gesture
A as the parental figures in
our childhood did.
We are also influenced
C by the parental tapes we
hear as inner messages.
R34
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Summary on Ego States, Child:
We all have had
P unique social,
economic, ethnic,
religious and
A emotional
experiences.
These events and
how we reacted form
C
the basis for our
child ego state.
R34
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Summary on Ego States,
Adult: We all have an adult
ego state to help us
P deal objectively with
reality.
Not related to age.
A Not accurate if data
is lacking.
Can help to minimize
C regrettable actions
and increase a
person’s potential for
R34 success.
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Summary on Transactions:
By analyzing
transactions and
knowing your own P P
ego states, people gain
a conscious control
over how they interact
or “transact” with A A
others.
They can determine if
transactions are
C C
complementary,
crossed or ulterior.
All Rights reserved Louis M. Sinopoli, RRT,FAARC,EdD
Summary on Transactions:
In healthy professional M.D. RCP
relationships people
transact directly, P P
straightforwardly, and,
on occasion, intensely.
These transactions A A
tend to be
complementary and
free from ulterior C C
motives.
Health Care Professionals should always try
to come from their adult ego state.
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Other helpful mental health tips:
Depression is anger repressed.
Anger is a natural reaction to “being hurt”.
Chronic depression could be a sign of a
serious condition.
Balance and moderation are the key.
Everything in moderation, even moderation.
Professionals suspend the imagination…
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Groups share common goals
Leaders meet the needs of the group
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IT’s Video-Tape Time!
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Roles:
Therapist: received an order on Mrs. Jones
for nasal cannula, she is impeding RF,
COPD.
Situation: Therapist most convince Dr. to
change order.
– What ego state should you start in?
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Roles:
Doctor: Knows Mrs. Jones is not a chronic
CO2 retainer, she is a pink puffer.
Situation: Therapist is trying to get you to
change order.
– What ego state should you start in?
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Roles:
Therapist: enters ICU to find nursing
student moving ventilator settings.
Situation: Therapist is surprised, nursing
students do not usually chang ventilator
ciruits.
– What ego state should you start in?
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Roles:
Nursing student: the last therapist on duty
taught you to “sigh” the patient and she
thought she would try it.
Situation: You must defend your actions.
– What ego state should you start in?
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Roles:
Therapist: returns to ICU from restroom.
There are 5 respiratory patient and it takes
half/hour to treat all of them in sequence.
You timed your break to be back at the hour
so you could be on time.
Situation: Nurse asks where you have been,
before you can answer she tells you that the
trach patient has been gurgling for an hour.
– What ego state should you start in?
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Roles:
Nurse: Has a full patient load herself, and
the trach patient has been gurgling and the
RT has been no where to be found. When
therapist comes walking back in ICU, she
demands to know where he/she was and
informs the RT about the gurgling trach
patient.
Situation: Therapist acts upset we you.
– What ego state should you start in?
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