Reflections from Jamaica: Returning With Care, Learning With Intention, and Seeing What Matters
Three of us attended the Jamaica Gathering this year: Alyson, Jarvis, and me. For all of us, the decision to go was not automatic. In the months before the gathering, we engaged in thoughtful, ongoing debate about whether to attend or wait another year, considering the hurricane’s significant impact on Jamaica. We talked together about timing, readiness, and responsibility, and we took those questions seriously.
In the end, we decided to return together, guided by the belief that showing up thoughtfully, relationally, and with economic care could be supportive rather than intrusive. What followed confirmed for each of us that this choice was both ethical and welcomed.
Jarvis: Returning Relationships and Embodied Practice
For Jarvis and me, this was our second time attending the gathering in Jamaica, and that sense of continuity mattered. Jarvis experienced the week as a return to familiar relationships rather than a first visit. He especially valued reconnecting with local Jamaican people he had previously met, including Dean and Anthony. Seeing familiar faces reinforced a sense of mutual recognition and warmth that went beyond surface hospitality.
Professionally, Jarvis was particularly engaged with learning about mini scripts and time structuring. These concepts strongly resonated with his work as a massage therapist, where clarity of roles, pacing, and relational boundaries are vital to ethical practice. During his presentation for us, Jarvis provided a role-play demonstrating time structuring in massage therapy, working with Brendan, a local participant from Kingston. This demonstration grounded Transactional Analysis theory in real, physical experience and showed how relational frameworks remain relevant across different disciplines, not just within traditional counselling settings.
Dawn: Ethical Deliberation, Sensory Learning, Safety, and Place
For me, the most meaningful insight started even before we arrived. The ongoing debate about whether to attend lingered throughout the week. Once there, it became clearer that our presence was appreciated. We felt very safe, warmly welcomed, and treated with kindness and consideration. It was also obvious that local residents were benefiting from visitors returning and spending money in their community.
We made deliberate choices to support the local economy. We ate at local establishments, relied on local transportation, and enjoyed a great deal of jerk chicken along the way. One particularly memorable experience was our drive from Port Antonio to Kingston airport with local Ras Rad. Instead of a hurried transfer, he offered us a very relaxed, scenic drive, pointing out landmarks and taking us to a local food spot where we ate the best food of the entire trip. The drive itself felt personal and unhurried, reflecting the hospitality we experienced throughout the week.
It is also important to name the beauty of Port Antonio and the surrounding area. The landscape is stunning, lush, coastal, and vibrantly alive. The food culture stood out just as much. While we certainly enjoyed jerk chicken, the week offered a reminder that Jamaican cuisine goes far beyond what many visitors expect. We ate breadfruit, ackee—which, when cooked, resembles eggs—sweet potato cake, festivals, and richly spiced vegetable stews. These meals reflected care, history, and creativity, reinforcing that food itself is a form of cultural sharing and connection.
Learning was also profoundly influenced by location. Due to rainy weather, many sessions were held at one of the Frenchman’s Cove villas (where Lori stayed), offering stunning ocean views. Waves crashed forcefully against the rocks below, creating a steady, thunderous sound. Engaging with Transactional Analysis concepts while immersed in that sensory environment was unexpectedly powerful. The sounds, movement, and visual surroundings supported focus rather than distracting from it, reinforcing that learning is embodied and shaped by nervous system state, not just cognition.
Alyson: Perspective, Place, and Relational Value
Alyson’s main takeaway was the chance to meet and learn from a variety of perspectives within Transactional Analysis. Hearing how others understand and apply TA across different professional, cultural, and personal settings reinforced for her that TA remains a relational and evolving framework, shaped by those who use it rather than fixed by doctrine.
She was also deeply impacted by the venue itself. Frenchman’s Cove beach was experienced as spectacular in its natural beauty and atmosphere. At the same time, the facilities reflected what could be described as a faded glory, offering visible reminders of what once was. Rather than experiencing this as a limitation, Alyson experienced it as an important lesson. Gathering together with a shared purpose made it easier to focus on the place’s beauty and, more importantly, the beauty of the people. For her, the setting offered a quiet but powerful reminder to orient toward relational value rather than material polish, and to notice what is present rather than what is missing.
Alyson’s TA presentation reflected this relational focus. She presented on how tapping can strengthen the Adult ego state, offering conceptual clarity and practical tools that aligned well with the overall tone of the gathering.
Shared Learning, Giving, and Gratitude
The range of presentations reflected the depth and humanity of the week. Martha offered a presentation on Havening, which many of us found deeply nourishing and well aligned with Alyson’s work on strengthening the Adult ego state. Martha also extended her care beyond the conference room by bringing many brown dolls for Jamaican children, a gesture that carried cultural sensitivity and warmth.
Other sessions included my presentation on ethical charting of therapy sessions from a Transactional Analysis perspective; Lucy Freedman’s introduction to TA, followed by a detailed overview of scripts and time structuring; and Lori’s presentation on Integral Theory (drawing on Ken Wilber’s work) supported by colourful, hand-drawn flipchart posters. Together, these offerings balanced theory, practice, and creativity, illustrating how Transactional Analysis speaks to a wide and diverse audience.
As a group, we also arrived with large suitcases filled with clothing, donations, and solar lights, which we left behind to support local families. These gestures were modest in scale yet aligned with our intention to show up responsibly and relationally.
We were also honoured to be treated to guest appearances by local Jamaicans. Mama G joined us, bringing warmth and presence, and Akin offered a sound bathing experience that added a grounding, embodied dimension to the week.
During one of the group lunches, we were delighted by a visit from Galvin Weston, whose father was the original developer of Frenchman’s Cove and is now its owner. He stopped by to say hello and to share reflections on the long-standing friendship his father had with the Transactional Analysis community, a connection that helped shape TA gatherings being held at Frenchman’s Cove. His visit offered a quiet reminder of the relational history that underpins this work and this place.
We also want to thank locals Pauline and Brendan for attending again; Ulla, who has attended 13 times; and Carol, whose presence reminded us of the importance of welcoming new voices into this learning community. Most importantly, we thank Lucy Freedman, who poured countless hours into making this gathering happen. From preparation to on-site coordination, she managed the many moving parts with care, steadiness, and grace. Thank you, Lucy, for your time, dedication, and ongoing commitment to NATAA.
Closing Reflections
Returning to Jamaica this year reaffirmed that thoughtful presence matters. Our shared debate about whether to attend ultimately deepened our understanding of how we present ourselves as learners, guests, and professionals. We left feeling revitalized, welcomed, and assured that our presence made a positive impact. Once again, this TA gathering showed that learning about TA is grounded in relationship, responsibility, and place – all of which can be personally enriching, professionally meaningful, and ethically sound.
