Using Transactional Analysis in Work With Immigrant Families

Abstract

The authors describe their experiences over the last 15 years working with immigrant families at Terrenuove, a social cooperative in Milan, Italy. They consider theory and interventions from transactional analysis as well as innovations developed at Terrenuove based on transactional analysis. The story of an African immigrant family that was assisted at the Psychological and Ethnopsychiatric Counselling Service for Immigrants is used to illustrate the work at Terrenuove. Building on Eric Berne’s emphasis on social psychiatry, a method of interprofessional care tied to the local area has been developed as a way to prevent social marginalization and to increase social responsibility.

Case Study: A Transactional Analysis Model for a Single Mother and Her Adult Child With Bipolar Disorder

“…Step 5: Transactional restructuring. The behavior between two people, like Jack and Betty, is best understood if examined in terms of transactions (Bestazza & Ranci, 2015). This will help carve out new pathways from the Parent, Adult, and Child and explore with the client and his mother their life events as well as educate and modify decontaminated ego states to a more effective and efficient ego state.…”