Transactional analysis as a way of life has to do with truth

When Eric Berne made Transactional Analysis popular, he presented, among a host of theoretical and practical novelties, the possibility of accelerating voluntary processes of change. That is, given a position of OK for the client and OK for the analyst, making real the intentions of improvement. A few days ago, I heard from a mentor: “you will never regret being kind.” Or, from a supervisor: “in the end, what remains is the relationship between two people, between two human beings.”

Despite that, Transactional Analysis sessions can, and probably will, mess things up a bit before helping to solve them. My perspective on this subject is that the simple action of ordering thought and action; the very simple movement of repositioning what is more or less important; looking at the division of a day as a portrait of how one is dividing life; these elements already take a lot of work. Moving the order of things is like bombing clouds and causing rain. The truth, the one that drives us to be the best version of people, is a force of nature, just like rain.

One cannot dialogue with floods and landslides, ask the volcano to wait a little longer because we have not finished building the barrier. One cannot arrange with the gale to take a bit longer so that we can take the clothes off the line. One cannot hold back tears before the Yanomami child with hungry ribs showing. Truth has the character of natural tragedies. It does not ask permission to be truth. It shows us life as it is, the world as it is, shows you and me as we are when we are alone on our paths. All that darkness that is the fears of abandonment, of aggression, of vile words, all that darkness that makes us less divine in our relationship with our neighbor, all that darkness is dispelled by truth.

Over my life, I have known a few criminals (from the legal point of view). Once, I asked one of them: “why did you decide to go to jail?” He grew attentive, answered that he needed to find that answer. Our friendship began at that moment. They do not lie to me, and I do not lie to them either. That way, we are protected from one another. The truth, a force of nature, changes the landscape, cleans up the “slimy, dirty trail left by the impure sowers of hatred” (Escrivá de Balaguer, 2019, p. 25; our translation).

When truth manifests, one can expect from it an impressive amount of acid rain and thunder, like a violent eruption, or a most serene breeze alongside the flight of a dandelion seed. But, whichever it is, it will occupy the appropriate space and change the landscape definitively. Improving is facing that force, loving it, saying a novena asking it to come soon.

Want to know more about how Transactional Analysis sessions can help you, your family and your business finally find what they are looking for? If this is truly your moment of courage, book a time for us to talk about it.