Vol 4, No 3 (2024)

An introductory speech from the academic supervisor of the journal ”Transactional Analysis in Russia” Vadim Arturovich Petrovskiy. Vadim Arturovich formulates seven difficult discussion topics (or seven questions) about transactional analysis that are worth thinking about, without pushing them out of consciousness, and invites readers and authors of the journal to share their theoretical considerations.

Dream analysis allows psychologists and their clients to see the life script, to be aware of injunctions, early childhood decisions, to meet feelings that could be so frightening that the psyche displaces them for years, while the unresolved conflict worries unconsciously and comes in the form of nightmares that affect the quality of sleep. Research of the possibilities of working with dreams in transactional analysis expands the skills of a psychologist in understanding the concept of a dialogue of ego states, as well as passing the stage of decontamination by the client. The following article contains information about differences in dreamwork approach in transactional analysis through decades between TA-psychotherapists, which gives an extensive theoretical understanding of the topic. The practical experience described in this article could be useful for understanding how to build dreamwork, to accompany the client in his or her research of the world of dreams. Some recurring dreams create a feeling of confusion and a lack of understanding of how incoming images could relate to the real problems that clients seek solutions to in therapeutic work. The article also reveals the phenomenon of “the emigrant’s dream” which is quite common among those who have changed their usual place of residence.

This article is devoted to the metaphorical description of the subjective world of a person experiencing an intrapsychic or interpersonal impasse. Based on the work “Impasse and Intimacy: Applying Berne’s Concept of Script Protocol” by W.F. Cornell and M.N. Landaiche (2006) the author of the article gives a brief overview of the phenomenon of an impasse, which can occur both in the client’s inner world and in the interaction between the psychologist and the client. In the latter case, the impasse acts as an interpersonal process that disrupts the work of a psychotherapeutic alliance. The uniqueness of living both an individual impasse and an impasse arising in a therapeutic relationship depends on individual unconscious relational patterns (primal protocols).

In the article, the author’s attention is more focused on the subjective experiences of a person who is in a state of impasse, including the examples of mythology. Throughout its development, humanity has had many experiences of being in the impasses and getting out of them, and has captured these experiences, along with other products of the collective unconscious, in myths, legends, and fairy tales.

Understanding the subjective experience of an impasse is very important from the point of view that the primal protocol is not verbalized by the client, therefore images, metaphors, metaphorical stories can help bring the living of this experience into a verbal plan, allowing us to discuss what is happening.

The statements of clients describing the inner experience of impasses are given with their consent.

This section of the journal is dedicated to the memory of Mark Widdowson, a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst in the field of Psychotherapy (TSTA-P), senior lecturer in counseling and psychotherapy at the University of Salford, Associate Director of The Berne Institute and Director of Manchester Psychotherapy Foundation. Mark Widdowson has made a great contribution to the development of transactional analysis, in particular to the development of research in the field of TA. He was an ambassador for scientific research, primarily on the effectiveness of using transactional analysis to treat depression. He encouraged and motivated many to invest their energy in popularizing scientific research on psychotherapeutic methods. In this section, we have collected the memories of Russian colleagues about Mark, as well as some of his works and recommendations.

This paper contains a review of Mark Widdowson’s article “Avoidance, Vicious Cycles, and Experiential Disconfirmation of Script: Two New Theoretical Concepts and One Mechanism of Change in the Psychotherapy of Depression and Anxiety” published in “Transactional Analysis Journal” in 2014. The article defines the avoidance process, points out the connections between anxiety, depression and the avoidance process, provides comments on how avoidance is handled in various psychotherapeutic approaches, as well as practical recommendations for confrontation with the avoidance process and a step-by-step plan for working with avoidance in psychotherapy. The interrelationships between the script process and avoidance are also investigated, and a comparison is made between avoidance in transactional analysis and the theory of passivity proposed by Schiffs.

This article is the acceptance speech of Mark Widdowson for the ITAA Research Award, which was presented to him at the World TA Conference in Berlin in July 2017. Widdowson argues that research is essential to the wider acceptance of transactional analysis and that research will support the expansion of TA and will act as a powerful marketing force for TA-practitioners and training institutes. Therefore, it is in the interests of every member of the TA community to conduct research or actively support further TA research. Widdowson summarizes his research into the effectiveness of TA and presents a brief synopsis of current TA psychotherapy effectiveness research. The article also includes a summary of Mark Widdowson’s research findings regarding the distinctive features of effective TA-psychotherapy and effective TA-therapists. He concludes by expressing his gratitude and thanks to a number of people who have supported him on his research journey.

On September 17, 2024, Ian Stewart, an internationally renowned trainer, teacher, theorist and practitioner of transactional analysis, co-author of the book ”TA Today”, passed away. In memory of Ian Stewart, we publish excerpts from the obituary written by Mary Cox.

Interview with certified teacher, psychologist-psychoanalyst Elena Yurievna Lazarenko, PTSTA in the field of psychotherapy (EATA) and EMDR therapist. Elena Yurievna talks about her experience of learning psychoanalysis and transactional analysis, and how she became a teacher, although she never intended to be one.

This article continues the cycle of materials on personality adaptations. The author examines the definitions and symptoms of paranoid personality disorder according to DSM-V and ICD-10 in order to differentiate the disorder itself and paranoid personality adaptation. Further, based on the work of Nancy McWilliams “Psychoanalytic Diagnostics” and the theory of personality adaptations by Joines and Stewart, the paranoid personality structure, paranoid adaptation and the processes that occur in therapy with clients who have this adaptation are described. The author gives recommendations on working with such clients and emphasizes that the most important thing in working with them is to create a safe psychotherapeutic alliance, since the issue of trust is a priority for a client with paranoid adaptation.

This article presents an interview with V.A. Petrovsky and A.S. Ognev, in which they share their memories about the seminar of the American psychotherapist Ronald Baker, held in Moscow in 1991. The interview discusses the stories of V.A. Petrovsky and A.S. Ognev’s acquaintance with transactional analysis and books by Eric Berne, as well as their experience of studying with Dr. Ronald Baker. Interviewees talk about how TA affects their lives, helps them understand themselves and others, and how it can serve as a tool for self-development and changing relationships. Special attention is paid to the integrative approach to TA, which includes elements of other psychological methods, as well as the practical application of TA in various spheres of life: from personal relationships to professional activities.

The review of the practicing psychologist Daria Mamchits on the book by V.V. Makarov and G.A. Makarova “A New Woman, Playing and Winning”. The author of the review shares her personal impressions of reading this book, dedicated to the implementation of life scripts in relations between men and women from the point of view of the peculiarities of life in modern Russia. The reviewer believes that the book will be useful for both practitioners of helping professions and the general public, and explains why.