Two Ways of Doing Regressive Therapy: Using Transactional Analysis Proper and Using Expressive Techniques

Abstract

Regressive transactional analysis therapy has, until now, primarily been associated with highly emotional work in which various expressive techniques are used in group settings. This article highlights how the therapist-client relationship can be used directly for understanding and doing a more basic form of regressive therapy. It is argued that transactional analysis proper—which is based on the author's understanding of Berne's original ego state model as a phenomenological model—is a powerful but underestimated theory for dealing with the regressive nature of transference manifestations. The author suggests that the term “regressive therapy” be used for both approaches.