Meeting the Little Professor of the Psychotic Client

The author describes a state of heightened perception and intuition observed on initial contact with many psychotic clients. She attributes this to a poorly established sense of trust which interferes with a shift from the Little Professor, or A1 ego state, to the Adult or Parent ego state when reacting to people at first meeting. Suggestions are given for using this ego state behavior to the therapist's and client's mutual advantage.

Intimacy and Autonomy are Not Enough (Is TA a Middle-Class Tranquilizer?)

Intimacy and autonomy are considered insufficient and too self-oriented to encourage people to deal with inequality and the conditions producing alienation and oppression. As long as TA is a belief system that does not recognize its own loopholes, it functions as a middle-class tranquillizer and an endorsement of the status-quo. The writer asks whether we in TA are part of the problem or part of the solution?

“The Obesity Alternative”

Continuous exposure to invalidation (negation or distortion of reality) can bring about feelings of being crazy or fear of becoming crazy. It is hypothesized that as a defense, some people overeat to the point of obesity. A pilot study with twenty-eight subjects was carried out to investigate this hypothesis, and provided support for it.

Suicide: Being Killed, Killing, and Dying

To help suicidal people stay alive one must be aware of the three aspects of the act of self-destruction. These aspects are: being killed, killing and dying. The degrees to which each suicidal person is motivated and/or committed to each facet of their own deaths need to be identified. Their motivations and commitments are then dealt with in the process of making “no suicide,” “no homicide-of self” and “life” decisions. A four step process helps ensure that all points are covered and a final integration achieved. Contracts with each ego state may need to be negotiated as part of the process until corresponding redecisions are made.

First Yes…Now No (F.Y.N.N.)

This is an intimacy-preventing game that can be played in pairs, between an individual and a group, between groups, and between institutions. The conjugal version typifies the barrier to intimacy.