Vol 5, No 2 (2025)

An introductory note from the editor-in-chief of the ”Transactional Analysis in Russia journal”. The article also provides an overview of the contents of Volume 5, Issue 2 (2025).

This article introduces and systematises the concept of digital transference within the framework of transactional analysis (TA). Drawing on classic TA sources (Berne, 1961; Schiff & Schiff, 1975; Steiner, 1974) and recent tele-psychology research, it describes eight phenomena that arise when client and therapist interact through social-media platforms: asynchronous elongation of transactions, the “online” indicator as a control trigger, like-stroke deprivation, the therapist’s success showcase, split online/offline images, mirror counter-transference, the algorithm as an “all-seeing Parent”, and involuntary self-disclosure. Each phenomenon is illustrated by a clinical vignette and linked to TA constructs — ego states, script decisions and the stroke economy.

The paper proposes an additional “Social-Media Contract” (rules for follows, likes and direct messages) and a digital-debrief protocol for supervision. A three-position self-disclosure test (Parent / Adult / Child) is offered as an ethical self-check tool. Future research directions include a taxonomy of digital transactions, platform-specific response patterns and algorithm-mediated therapeutic alliances. The framework aims to help TA practitioners maintain an Adult stance in a permanently online world and to minimise script-driven pitfalls of the digital environment.

The article explores the possible relationship between Eric Bern’s life story, his script, and the development of transactional analysis. Hereby the nature of narcissism is briefly revealed, and how the meaningful losses as losing father, anti-Semitism, rejection the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute (SFPI) could have affected Eric Berne’s life. The losses of Eric Bern certainly had some impact on how it appeared and how the transactional analysis developed in the professional community. The article examines how unresolved trauma could fix personality in a certain game, and calls on the professional community to think about whether the choice of therapeutic direction could be due not only to professional, but also deeply personal foundations of the specialist; and also encourages each psychotherapist to think about what he knows about the nature of his own narcissistic part and what influence his open narcissistic deficits could have on him.

Neural networks open new opportunities for psychologists, aiding in session analysis, material preparation, education, and service promotion. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in psychology, particularly in transactional analysis (TA), is associated with ethical risks: data breaches, algorithmic bias, lack of transparency in decision-making, and diminished trust from clients and therapists. This paper explores how neural networks can assist in TA practice while maintaining therapeutic presence and adhering to ethical principles. Special attention is given to confidentiality, responsibility, bias, and legal issues. The risks related to AI’s lack of empathy and its potential impact on trust in the therapeutic alliance are examined. Recommendations for the safe use of AI include data anonymization, employing local systems, supervision, and limiting AI to routine tasks. The importance of preserving the human factor in psychotherapy, where empathy, intuition, and professionalism remain irreplaceable, is emphasized. The study highlights the need to comply with SOTA and EATA ethical codes and data protection legislation. AI is viewed as a tool that enhances practice but does not replace the therapist, underscoring the balance between automation and human interaction in TA.

In this interview with transactional analyst Elena Rechkina, the challenges of conducting therapy groups in Russia are discussed. Why does individual therapy now prevail over group therapy in the transactional analysis community, originally developed as a modality for group work? Elena Rechkina reflects on the historical roots of group psychotherapy in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet space, recalling her training with Baltic teachers Rimantas Kočiūnas and Alexander Alekseychik. She explores how group dynamics in Russian psychotherapy differ from those in the West. Elena says that in the current historical moment, when so many changes are taking place in the world and in our country, it is group therapy that is capable of meeting deep human needs and hungers in the most holistic way.

The interview covers different types of group work and how they differ from one another: what therapeutic, corrective, and personal growth groups are. What skills and competences are essential for psychologists and psychotherapists for conducting group work. Who should not conduct groups and why. What is the difference between online and offline group for the therapist. What qualities should a psychologist possess and develop to begin conducting groups. Elena shares her own experience of working with groups and offers recommendations to novice group psychotherapists and consultants.

This article is dedicated to the phenomenon of the classic ”Club 27” — a group of seven musicians who died at the age of 27. Among them are legendary figures such as Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and others. All of them left behind an unforgettable legacy, yet their lives were tragically cut short. What unites these individuals beyond their musical talent? Why did their destinies end so dramatically?

The article presents an in-depth analysis of these musicians’ lives using the tools of transactional analysis (TA). It explores the «Club 27» as both a cultural and psychological phenomenon, connecting the tragic fates of young musicians through the lens of ego states, life positions, parental injunctions, mirroring relationships, impasses, and life scripts — all shaped by early childhood and adolescent experiences under the influence of parental messages and traumatic events.

The study identifies recurring patterns and biographical parallels: parental divorce, teenage rebellion, illness, alcoholism, and emotional coldness within families. These insights offer a deeper understanding of the psychological mechanisms behind the tragedies of these outstanding artists and allow for a new perspective on the inner world of iconic figures of the 20th and 21st centuries, highlighting the lasting impact of early psychological trauma on life scripts.

An interview with Irina Pingareva, a trainer certified by the International Transactional Analysis Association, about how she chose the modality of transactional analysis and the particularities of her teaching.

On April 6, 2025, as part of the Transactional Analysis Festival organized by the MIR-TA Institute in St. Petersburg, a live video conversation was held with Terry Berne – writer, translator, and the son of Eric Berne, founder of transactional analysis. This dialogue connected two locations – St. Petersburg and Spain, where Terry now lives, and offered a rare chance to see Eric Berne not only as the author of a theory but as a living person, a father, and an explorer.

Terry shared personal memories of growing up with his father, the atmosphere in which transactional analysis took shape, and the people Eric Berne worked and built friendships with.

The conversation is full of warm recollections and vivid personal details. Through Terry’s voice, Eric Berne comes alive as a man of his time, beyond the boundaries of his theory. The format of the meeting – moderated by Yulia Gradova, Director of the MIR-TA Institute, and interpreted by Ekaterina Ermishina-Martyukova, member of the editorial board of the journal ”Transactional Analysis in Russia” – gave the conversation an open and relaxed tone, while the attention to Russian culture and the memories of Terry’s first visit to St. Petersburg added a special note to the dialogue.

In June 2025, a group of TA psychologists organized a conference titled ”Transactional Analysis after Eric Berne: Stories in Faces”. Each participant chose a figure significant to the TA community and spoke about them, their concepts, and the intertwining of the personal and professional. Thus, the spotlight was placed on Jacqui Lee Schiff, Fanita English, Tony White, Ken Mellor, Ray Little and Karen Minikin. In the lead-up to the conference, three meetings were held. During the first one, the importance of understanding the history of TA’s development was discussed. The focus of the second meeting was on the mutual influence between the personal and professional aspects of a psychologist’s work. The third meeting addressed the specifics of the script of the TA community in Russia. Recordings of all meetings, conference talks, and announcements are available at: https://tatoday.tilda.ws/.