International Transactional Analysis Association

04/10/2026

“The United Kingdom maintained its position as the primary driver of growth with seven new inductees, a figure identical to its January performance.” This continued momentum highlights another strong month for the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA), which welcomed 34 new members in February 2026 to further solidify its reach across 14 nations.

In the latest membership breakdown penned by The Script Newsroom, the ITAA experienced a notable surge in representation from India and Italy, which contributed five and four members, respectively. The demographic profile of this cohort remains predominantly female, perfectly consistent with the patterns observed throughout late 2025 and early 2026.

With additional representation arriving from Eastern Europe, alongside new members in Hong Kong and Austria, the association continues to build a robust, borderless professional network. Read the full update to explore this trend of increasing global engagement.

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04/09/2026

"In 2026, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the professional landscape has shifted from the realm of early adoption to a pressing reality of daily life — whether consciously acknowledged or not." This technological shift presents significant challenges and unique opportunities for growth within the Transactional Analysis (TA) community.

Exploring this new frontier, the latest update authored by James Longwell details the progress of the joint European Association for Transactional Analysis (EATA) and International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA) AI Working Group. The author states that the committee's clear mandate is to review existing examination systems for the integration, rather than the prohibition, of AI while maintaining the humanistic orientation at the heart of their approach.

As the group transitions from groundwork to an action plan featuring global surveys and internal experimentation, they are drafting formal guidelines for everyone from prospective Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) candidates to evaluators. These upcoming recommendations favor transparency and disclosure of AI use, aiming to honor traditional standards while responsibly embracing the tools of the future.

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04/08/2026

“When a system is far from equilibrium, small islands of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to lift the entire system to a higher order.” This metaphor framed a recent webinar from the Social Engagement Committee (SEC) of the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA), which explored the role of the transactional analysis community in a time of global upheaval and fragmentation.

In his new article, Luca Fornari summarizes insights from speakers Diane Salters and Valerie Batts. They discussed the duty of care within the community and the responsibility practitioners have to engage more explicitly in public life to counter forces threatening democracy and social cohesion, from the United States and South Africa to the United Kingdom.

The author’s summary highlights key themes from the discussion, including silence as complicity and the importance of confronting systemic racism. The session reaffirmed the need for collective strategies to uphold dignity, with Salters stating, “Hope is not about optimism, it’s about knowing there’s work to be done, and being ready to do it.”

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04/07/2026

The International Transactional Analysis Association Ethics Committee held its monthly meeting on March 19, enriched by the presence of our Director of Operations, Anne Tucker. Her insights and collaboration continue to strengthen our commitment to the ITAA ethical principles.

03/30/2026

“Physis—the innate life force described by Eric Berne—has always been foundational to transactional analysis.” Yet, a review of the Transactional Analysis Journal (TAJ) archive shows it has received limited attention compared to concepts like games or script. This historical imbalance suggests a need to explore this growth-oriented theory more explicitly.

In their call for papers, authors Karen Pratt and Suriyaprakash C seek to foreground physis as a central lens within developmental transactional analysis (DTA). They pose generative questions for exploration, such as how physis manifests in teams, organizations or communities, and what frameworks are needed to support systemic growth.

The theme issue invites contributions that move beyond pathology-centered approaches to focus on vitality and developmental potential. According to the authors, the goal is to rebalance the discourse by placing growth, not just survival, at the center of inquiry in fields from psychotherapy and counseling to education and organizational development.

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03/27/2026

"There is a profound existential irony in the contemporary pursuit of mental health: Adults spend years, and small fortunes, reclining on therapists' couches only to relearn what they already knew when they were four years old." This observation, which psychiatrist Eric Berne noted with clinical precision, forms the basis of a fascinating new article. Author Vinícius Sgarbe explores how the principles of transactional analysis are being used to reclaim the remarkable intuitive wisdom that children naturally possess.

The article showcases two pioneering international efforts. In Brazil, teaching transactional analysts Maku Almeida and Carolina Schmitz da Silva created a course for children at the Mentoria Integrativa Relacional (MIR) Institute, using games and contracts to foster self-regulation. Meanwhile, in Austria, psychotherapist Werner Himmelbauer and psychology student Leonardo Grundauer authored a children's book that externalizes negative internal messages as "Goblins," providing a narrative tool for building resilience.

According to Sgarbe, these initiatives do more than translate complex theory; they offer a vital psychological lifeline in a world that often suppresses a child's intuition. By empowering children with the tools to understand their own minds and the dynamics around them, these methods aim to return to the simple, powerful truth of our original innocence, proving that the existential position of "I'm OK, you're OK" is a lesson we can all relearn.

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03/26/2026

"To our delight, the number of candidates seeking accreditation and taking their exams is rising." This positive trend signifies a growing worldwide transactional analysis (TA) community. As a result, the organizations responsible for certification are adapting to meet the increased demand and ensure the process remains robust.

In the new article by Nicole Lenner, she explains upcoming changes to oral exams developed by the European Association for Transactional Analysis's Commission of Certification (COC) and the International Transactional Analysis Association's International Board of Certification (IBOC). The update outlines a new structure for exam capacity and candidate prioritization that will take effect in the coming years.

The author states that these collaborative decisions will help manage the high volume of candidates and maintain the integrity of the accreditation process. The full article details the timeline for these changes, including new guidelines for Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) and Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (TSTA) candidates starting in 2027.

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03/25/2026

It's not hierarchies that guide her, it's relationships." This observation describes Sailaja "Sai" Manacha, the 2026 winner of the Muriel James Living Principles Award. The International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA) honored Manacha for her practical integration of transactional analysis into corporate environments, gender equity initiatives and grassroots community work.

The ITAA also recognized Thorsten Geck with the 2026 Service Award for his administrative resilience and structural leadership. A past president of the association, Geck is celebrated for his unwavering leadership during the organization’s complex legal and administrative transition and for his diplomatic engagements over a nearly 15-year tenure.

In the new article by The Script Newsroom, the laureates' distinct but equally vital contributions are detailed. The authors state that while Geck provided the institutional fortitude to sustain the global association, Manacha demonstrated how its psychological principles can be actively deployed to drive social and organizational change.

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03/05/2026

A wave of deceptive correspondence has recently targeted the ITAA community, employing a technique known as digital masking. Perpetrators are impersonating trusted leadership to solicit funds or sensitive data, exploiting publicly available information rather than breaching internal security systems. This sophisticated form of spoofing mirrors a handwritten letter in a falsely labeled envelope, designed solely to manipulate trust without actual hacking.

Defense against these incursions requires vigilance regarding the sender’s technical details rather than the display name. Scammers often fabricate urgency—demanding immediate financial transfers or gift cards—while utilizing obscure email domains that differ from official channels. Verification through secondary communication lines, such as a direct phone call or text, remains the most effective method to authenticate any suspicious request.

The protocol for handling these anomalies is straightforward: do not engage, do not click embedded links, and delete the message immediately. Silence serves as the primary deterrent against these actors. While security measures are being reinforced, the collective skepticism and informed caution of the membership base constitute the organization's strongest firewall.

03/02/2026

A recent announcement from the association confirms the addition of professionals from 15 different nations, significantly strengthening our global community.

The new member list, led by a strong cohort of seven inductees from the United Kingdom, continues a trend of significant female representation. According to the data released by the organization, this cohort strengthens the association’s network in territories from Western Europe to Asia and Oceania.

The report also highlights exceptional regional performance, with India and Italy each recording a 200% increase in new registrations. Growth was also seen in Croatia with a 33.3% rise, and the ITAA welcomed its first 2026 members from Brazil, Germany, France and New Zealand.

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https://platform.itaaworld.com/news/global-community-grows-with-diverse-new-voices-from-15-countries

The ITAA welcomes 34 new members in January 2026. This diverse group from 14 nations strengthens our global network. See the full list of inductees.

02/27/2026

“Ethics often confronts us with tensions between competing duties, where every available course of action violates some core principle.” In a new article, International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA) President Marguerite Sacco uses this statement to frame a profound dilemma: Should the organization comment on global atrocities and political crises?

According to the author, speaking out aligns with the value to resist oppression, but it also risks alienating members with differing views on complex conflicts. Sacco explains that remaining silent can feel like tacit acceptance, yet issuing general condemnations of violence can seem shallow and morally inadequate.

This is not a dilemma for the board to solve alone. The article’s author has issued a direct call to the community for guidance on how the ITAA can navigate this ethical challenge transparently and with integrity. Read her full analysis and share your perspective on a way forward.

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https://platform.itaaworld.com/news/to-speak-out-or-remain-silent-the-ethical-dilemma-facing-the-itaa

An analysis of the ITAA's challenge: how to respond to global atrocities without fracturing the community. Explore the tension between moral duty and survival.

02/24/2026

“It often begins with a pause.” These moments of hesitation—a flinch, a tight jaw, a shrinking in the chair—are not idiosyncratic. They are the body telling the story of a wider cultural script that organizes who is allowed to feel, who must endure and who is permitted to hold power.

According to authors Jazz Rehal and Laura McCarthy, such gendered trauma is the imprint of cultural norms on safety and power. Using a Transactional Analysis (TA) framework, they argue that when therapy focuses on communication without analyzing power, fear and control, it risks colluding with harm.

The article by Rehal and McCarthy introduces a new Feminist Liberation Model to make these patriarchal dynamics visible. This model presents concepts like the Political Parent and the Liberation Triangle as therapeutic tools to challenge scripts that normalize domination and create the conditions for genuine safety and self-advocacy.

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Explore a new Feminist Liberation Model in Transactional Analysis. Learn how the Political Parent and Liberation Triangle address coercive control and trauma.