Eric Berne the Therapist: One Patient's Perspective

Abstract

The author describes elements of her past therapy with Eric Berne to provide readers with a view of what he actually did in his individual and group sessions with a real patient. Elements of contracts, permission, protection, and potency, as well as uses of ego states, games, and scripts, are illuminated. In addition, Eric Berne's emphasis on intuition, positive stroking, and the use of a positive transference are shown. Readers will gain a sense of how Eric Berne actually used his own theory in his work with his patients.