Learning Objectives and Sample Outline for the TAP Modules
TA Practitioner Program Sample Outline
The Transactional Analysis Practitioner (TAP) Program is an educational opportunity for professionals to integrate basic knowledge of transactional analysis into their work. It is a foundation for continuing to the TA Advanced Practitioner (TAAP) level where they gain experience using TA in the field in which they are qualified to practice. Should they decide to go further, they can become TA Practitioner Instructors and provide this training to others.
This outline is a sample of how the TAP course can be taught. Each TAP Instructor can modify the sequence and activities to suit the area of application of their students and their preferred way of teaching. The TAP Instructor evaluates course completion according to the Learning Outcomes before endorsing a student to apply for TAP Certificate.
The TAP Certificate represents completion of the TA Practitioner Course, approximately 50 hours of study and course meetings. TAAP and TAPI include further study as well as application and teaching of TA, as specified in their requirements.
The course combines didactic and experiential learning processes, which can be conducted online or in person, and can use a variety of materials to deliver content. The TAP Program is interactive and not simply an academic exercise.
Sample TA Practitioner Outline
TA Basics
Approximately 6-8 hours. Depending on the format, discussion, self-reflection, and appropriate learning activities are included to bring each of the following topics to life.
This section can be offered as a standalone, after which students can decide whether to continue with the rest of the certificate program.
- Warm-Up Exercise, Introductions, Agreements for the Course
- History and Development of Transactional Analysis
- Eric Berne and the San Francisco Social Psychiatry Seminars
- Schools of TA, then and now
- Four fields of application (Psychotherapy, Organizations, Education, and Counseling)
- TA Associations worldwide
- Peer Reviewed TA Journal
- Philosophy
- I’m OK – You’re OK
- Everyone has dignity and worth and can think
- Everyone has a natural drive for health known as physis
- Contracts for Change
- Goal of TA is to increase Awareness, Spontaneity, and Intimacy
- Major Areas of TA
- Structural Analysis of the Personality
- Transactional Analysis Proper
- Game Analysis
- Life Script Analysis
- Structural Analysis
- Concept of Ego States
- Functional Ego States
- Four methods of identifying Ego States
- Transactional Analysis Proper
- Definition of Transactions
- Types of Transactions
- Diagramming Transactions
- Giving and Receiving Strokes, The Stroke Economy
- Game Analysis
- Definition of Games
- Common Games
- Drama Triangle
- Why do we play games?
- “Rackets” and Authentic Feelings
- Life Script Analysis
- Life Scripts, defined
- Winner, Nonwinner, and Loser Scripts
- Releasing or Changing Your Script
- How transactions, strokes, games, and rackets advance the life script.
- Review of TA Basics, Invitation to continue through TA Practitioner Course.
Module 1. Structural Analysis
At the end of this module, participants will be able to:
| Outcomes |
| Describe how introjected parent messages shape personal patterns and responses. |
| Apply four ways of diagnosing ego states in real-life situations. |
| Trace how ego states develop and influence behavior over time. |
| Create an egogram that reflects current ego state patterns. |
| Choose one meaningful shift you want to make in your egogram and begin planning that change. |
| Name strengths in all ego states rather than seeing them only as problems. |
| Accurately map Berne’s second-order model of Child and Parent. |
| Accurately map the functional subdivisions of Child and Parent. |
| Identify practical strengths in Nurturing Parent, Controlling Parent, Adapted Child, and Free Child. |
- Warm-up activity, Introductions and Goals for the Course
- Course agreements
- Expectations for earning the TAP certificate
- Review of the Origin, Development, and Philosophy of TA
- Ego States: Structure of the Personality
- Development of Ego States (Diagram)
- Identifying Ego States in Self and Others
- Functional Ego States
- Egograms
- Application: Draw egograms for self and others, discuss possible contracts for change
- Mapping Internal Dialogue
- When to use Structural or Functional analysis of Ego States
Module 2. Transactional Analysis Proper
At the end of this module, participants will be able to:
| Differentiate complementary, crossed, and ulterior transactions in everyday communication. |
| Explain two benefits and two limitations of each type of transaction. |
| Use crossed transactions intentionally to interrupt unhelpful communication patterns and redirect a conversation. |
| Give positive unconditional strokes in ways that feel genuine and appropriate. |
| Give positive conditional strokes in ways that reinforce specific behavior or effort. |
| Use healthy negative conditional strokes appropriately to address behavior without attacking the person. |
| Identify at least three ways people structure time in relationship and communication. |
| Describe two ways to invite a shift in how time is structured. |
| Apply one transactional intervention to help resolve a conflict. |
- Warm-Up
- Review of Ego States and course agreements
- Check in on observations about Ego States since last session
- Transactional Analysis Proper
- Transactions Defined
- Types of Transactions and Transactional Diagrams
- Rules of Communication
- Demonstration of Complementary, Crossed, and Ulterior Transactions
- Strokes and Time Structuring
- Basic Hungers (Structure, Stimulus, Recognition)
- Definition of Strokes
- Time Structuring
- Application, such as Stroking Profile, Time Structure Analysis, etc.
Module 3. Games and Rackets
At the end of this module, participants will be able to:
| Use two approaches to invite change in beliefs that contribute to painful feelings. |
| Explain how early patterns of thinking and feeling continue to shape current emotional responses. |
| Identify two common destructive interaction patterns that tend to create painful feelings. |
| Describe two ways to intervene when psychological game patterns begin to emerge. |
| Show two ways to illustrate the interaction patterns involved in psychological games. |
| Identify the three positions in the Karpman Drama Triangle and explain how they function in conflict. |
| Describe alternative responses that replace each of the three Drama Triangle positions. |
| Explain the existential life positions and how they influence self-perception and relationships. |
| Describe at least two psychological games in relation to life positions. |
Warm-Up
- Review of Ego States, Transactions, Time Structure and Strokes
- Observations, Updates to Egograms, Use of material so far. (Allow more time for discussions and application as the course goes on)
Game Analysis
- Definition of Games
- Examples of Common Games
- The Game Plan
- Berne’s Formula G
- Karpman’s Drama Triangle
- Degrees of Games
- Options for Responding to Games
- Self-assessment: Familiar Games
Rackets and Authentic Feelings
- Definition of Rackets
- Racket System (Erskine and Zalcman)
- Authentic Feelings
- Substitute Feelings (Fanita English)
Module 4. Life Script Analysis
At the end of this module, participants will be able to:
| Explain how habitual painful feeling patterns and destructive interaction patterns can reinforce limiting or self-destructive life patterns. |
| Distinguish between an injunction and a counterinjunction. |
| Identify two ways that early life decisions influence adult behavior and relationships. |
| Explain how positive and negative script decisions develop. |
| Use script analysis to recognize patterns in their own life story and current behavior. |
| Describe three ways to support change in script decisions that are experienced as negative. |
| Identify two ways that Transactional Analysis can help clients understand their thoughts, feelings, and behavior. |
| Explain how to facilitate script change using Redecision Therapy. |
| Explain how to facilitate script change using Stroke Theory. |
Warm-Up
- Review Quiz or discussion of concepts covered so far
- Questions, observations, examples
- What stories or characters attracted you as a child?
Coherence of TA Model
- Relationship of ego state development, transactions, strokes, time structuring, games and rackets: all reinforce the life script.
- I’m OK – You’re OK: Life Positions and the OK Corral
Life Script Analysis
- Definition of Life Script, emphasis on early decisions and the possibility of change
- Types of Life Scripts
- Winner, Nonwinner, Loser
- Banal or Hamartic
- Script Time Structures
- Script Development
- Script Matrix
- Developmental Stages
- Counterscript and Injunctions / Injunctive Messages
- Miniscript Drivers
- What is a miniscript?
- Five Drivers
- Self-assessment
- Allowers
- Major Approaches to Script change (Schools of TA)
- Classical
- Reparenting (Cathexis)
- Redecision
- Integrative
- Relational
- Co-Creative
TA Professional Communities and Certification
- North America TA Association
- TA Practitioner, TA Advanced Practitioner, TA Instructor
- All certified members of NATAA are encouraged to review the NATAA Bylaws and Structure and Function Policy
- International TA Association
- Certified Transactional Analyst, Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst. Fields of application: Psychotherapy, Counseling, Organizations, Education.
- Recognizes significant contributions to TA Theory via the Eric Berne Memorial Award.
- ITAA Foundation
- Publishes the peer-reviewed Transactional Analysis Journal with an independent editorial board.
- Manages the Eric Berne Fund for the Future and the Scholarship Grant Fund Endowments
Legal Disclaimer
This program is intended for educational purposes only and is designed for learning and professional development.
It does not constitute licensed psychological, medical, or clinical training and does not grant the right to practice as a licensed psychologist, therapist, or medical professional in the United States.
The certification obtained through this program confirms completion of training in Transactional Analysis, but does not replace any state or governmental licensing requirements that may be necessary for professional practice.
All materials and instructions are provided for educational purposes only.
Prepared in June 2026 by Gauri Rao Sharma, Lucy Freedman, and the Curriculum Subcommittee of the NATAA Education Committee.
Note: In order to use transactional analysis in practice, individuals should have completed the necessary training in their field or discipline and have the appropriate legal authorization to practice in that field.