Mark Widdowson is a UKCP registered psychotherapist, based in Manchester. He is a senior lecturer in counselling and psychotherapy at the University of Salford, Associate Director of The Berne Institute and Director of Manchester Psychotherapy Foundation.

Preface to the second edition

Introduction

Part 1: Approaches in Transactional Analysis Practice

1. Schools and Approaches in TA

2. The Classical School: Foundations

3. The Classical School: Methods

4. The Redecision School: Foundations

5. The Redecision School: Methods

6. The Cathexis School: Foundations

7. The Cathexis School: Methods

8. Radical Psychiatry

9. Eco-TA

10. Integrative TA: Foundations

11. Integrative TA: Methods

12. Psychodynamic TA 1

13. Psychodyanamic TA 2: Intensive Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy

14. Psychodynamic TA 3: Interpretive Dynamic Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy

15. Relational TA: Foundations

16. Relational TA: Methods

17. Co-Creative TA

Part 2: The Therapeutic Relationship

18. The Initial Sessions

19. Therapeutic Enquiry

20. The Centrality of Empathy

21. Accounting for the Impact of Diversity in the Therapeutic Relationship

22. Conceptualizing the Therapeutic Relationship

23. Strengthening the Working Alliance by Attention to Tasks, Goals and Bonds

24. Considering Adapted Child Responses as Indicators of Alliance Rupture

25. The Therapeutic Alliance: Rupture and Repair

26. Understanding Transference and Countertransference

27. The Drama Triangle as a Tool to Explore Countertransference

28. Transference and Countertransference: An Aide-Mémoir of TA Models

29. Ending TA therapy

Part 3: Assessment, Diagnosis and Case Formulation in TA

30. The Importance of Observation

31. Conducting a Structured Intake Assessment

32. Assessing Suitability for TA Therapy

33. Using Berne's Four Methods of Diagnosis

34. Developing a Conversational Interviewing Technique

35. Using Pro-forma's for Rapid Script Diagnosis

36. Using Functional and Structural Analysis of Ego States

37. Accounting for Internal Ego State Dialogue

38. Accounting for Cultural and Religious Parent

39. Accounting for Intersectionality and Oppression

40. Accounting for Neurodiversity

41. Building up the Script System

42. Exploring Drivers

43. Analysing Games

44. Escape Hatches as a Framework for Understanding Client Safety

45. Suicidal Ideation: A Brief Introduction

46. Diagnosis Checklist

Part 4: Contracting

47. Contracting for the Tasks and Goals of Therapy

48. Doing Goal-oriented and Process-oriented TA Therapy

49. Using a Standard Written Business Contract

50. Contracting with the Unsure Client

51. Using Homework and Behavioural Contracts

52. Dealing with Resistance or Non-compliance with Homework and Behavioural Contracts

53. The 'Good Enough' Contract

54. Contracting: Preparing for Conflict and Negative Transference

Part 5: Treatment Planning

55. Comparative Treatment Sequences

56. Formulating Individualized Treatment Plans

57. Monitoring and Revising Treatment Planning

58. Accounting for the Impact of Trauma

59. Treatment Planning for Experiential Disconfirmation

60. Tackling 'the Splinter' and 'the Bent Penny'

61. Awareness, Spontaneity, Intimacy, Autonomy and Homonomy

Part 6: Avoiding Common Pitfalls

62. Being Realistic about Treatment Length

63. Directionality and Avoiding Therapy Drift

64. Reducing the Risk of Iatrogenic Shaming

65. Avoiding 'Racket OKness'

66. Avoiding Marshmallowing

Part 7: Refining Therapeutic Skills

67. Balancing Challenge and Support

68. Developing Emotional Awareness and Granulation

69. Soothing the Child Ego State with Emotion Regulation Techniques

70. Deepening Affect

71. Promoting Healthy Expression of Emotion

72. Tracking where the Client is Open, and where they are Defended on a Moment-by-Moment Basis

73. Encouraging Journaling to Promote Self-awareness and Self-reflection

74. Differences between Decontamination and Deconfusion

75. Disconfirming Script Beliefs

76. Using Alliance Rupture and Repair for Deconfusion

77. Using Metacommunicative Transactions

78. Therapy of Games

79. Therapy of Injunctions

80. Interventions and Approaches to Therapy of Injunctions and Injunctive Messages

81. Escape-hatch Closure Revisited

82. Client Protection

83. Potency and Permission

84. Impasse Theory Revisited

85. Using Chair Work in TA: Some Guidelines

86. Using Visualization and Mental Imagery in TA

87. Working with the Child Ego State to Resolve Trauma

88. Revisiting Discounting: Incorporating Cognitive Biases into TA Theory

89. Confrontation

90. Evaluating your Clinical Effectiveness

91. Using Deliberate Practice to Enhance Therapeutic Skills

92. Writing Clinical Notes in TA Therapy

93. Strengthening the Adult by Cultivating Mindfulness

94. Script Development: an Ongoing Process

95. Helping Clients Identify and Build on their Strengths

96. Exploring the Therapist's Motivations

97. Using Self-disclosure and Authenticity

98. The Adult Ego State Revisited

99. TA as an Existential Psychotherapy

100. Analysing Transactions