PETITJEAN Christophe TSTA-C
Field of audience: All

Language: French (translated English)
Level of audience: All

This workshop puts into perspective the Transactional Analysis ego-state model and Adaptive Information Processing Theory, as well as more recent neuroscience findings.

“Transactional analysis in a changing world”… What would Eric Berne make of today’s knowledge of brain functioning, which describes very specific areas dedicated to emotions, but also the many neural circuits constantly activated to process the information received by our sense organs ?

Eric BERNE was passionate about intuition and non-verbal communication, and would undoubtedly have followed this research with interest, particularly the dysfunctions that appear in the wake of trauma.

“Inheritance, legitimacy”… I propose here an integrative approach, as well as modernized Schemas, derived from those of EDM, neuroscience, and my experience as a Counselor and Psychotherapist.

Berne loved diagrams (“Don’t talk if you can’t diagram”) and Occam’s razor principle: “Of all explanations, the simplest is usually the right one”.

With this heritage in mind, I’m going to start with RIESMAN’s model: the Trilogue.

This model allows us to better visualize the exchanges between EDMs in the image of our brain circuits. We will thus represent the dysfunctional circuits resulting from traumatic events.

I propose to evolve this model to help Transactional Analysts and their clients better understand the impact of Trauma. Using clinical vignettes, we’ll draw square EDMs representing post-traumatic sclerosis and rigidity.

Berne would say, “That’s all well and good, but your patient isn’t getting better!”… This is the legitimate question asked by TA practitioners: “What should I do with my client?

In the third part, I’ll propose a tool for accompanying and treating these post-traumatic symptoms, based on the “Square” model.

The aim of this presentation is to be useful to both Psychotherapists and Counsellors in their support when the Customer presents, for example, an elastic feeling, or a dysfunctional Belief.