What is Transactional Analysis?
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
Transactional Analysis (TA) is a psychotherapy and counselling approach that helps us understand how people relate, communicate, and change – both with others and with themselves.
One of TA’s strengths is that it’s clear and practical. The ideas are accessible early on, yet deep enough to support a lifetime of learning and clinical work. Many people find it immediately useful – in their work, relationships, and personal development – while also discovering layers of depth as their training progresses.
At its heart, TA helps us explore questions like:
Why do certain patterns keep repeating?
What happens between people when communication breaks down?
How do early experiences shape adult relationships and choices?
What supports genuine change, growth, and autonomy?
TA offers clear models for understanding:
communication and miscommunication
emotional patterns and stuck points
learning, development, and change
relational dynamics in families, groups, and therapy
Because the language of TA is grounded and relational, students often find it empowering rather than intimidating – it gives you ways to think clearly about complex human situations without losing sight of the person in front of you.
Why people choose to train in TA
People are often drawn to Transactional Analysis because it:
values relationship and humanity, not just technique
integrates personal development with professional training
supports ethical, reflective practice
can be applied across counselling, psychotherapy, education, organisations, and community work
TA is widely used internationally and forms the core of our counselling and psychotherapy training at Physis Scotland.
Which courses at Physis Scotland include Transactional Analysis
The TA101 is a 2 day officially recognised qualification and the starting point for further training in TA. The TA101 at Physis Scotland is an online course over a weekend.
Foundation Certificate is a 1 year course taking place roughly 1 weekend per month and also leads on to further clinical training in TA.
Find out more about routes and qualifications
