Eric Berne (Key Figures in Counselling and Psychotherapy series) - Softcover

Stewart, Ian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0803984677 ISBN 13: 9780803984677

Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd, 1992

Synopsis

Eric Berne is probably still best known as the author of the bestselling Games People Play, yet his professional writings on transactional analysis fill several books and his practice of psychotherapy was distilled from more than thirty years' experience of work with clients. Ian Stewart draws Berne's ideas together in a unique and easily accessible form and concludes that Berne emerges not only as a skilled communicator but also as a profound thinker who offers a major contribution to counselling and psychotherapy this century. An overview of Berne's life, his relationships with others and the intellectual climate in which he worked also provide a background against which Berne's practical and theoretical work can be clearly understood. Written in a clear, readable style, this book will not only be invaluable to counsellors and psychotherapists, both established and in training, but will also be of interest to the non-specialist reader.

About this title

About the Author:

Ian Stewart was born in Glasgow in 1940. He received his secondary education at Glasgow Academy and went on to study at Pembroke College, Oxford. Graduating in 1961, he worked for five years in the scientific Civil Service in Edinburgh. In 1966 he emigrated to England to take up a Research Fellowship at Nottingham University. On conclusion of his research contract he stayed on at Nottingham as a lecturer, gaining his PhD degree in 1970.

Ian′s first contact with psychotherapy was as a client. While continuing his own personal therapy, he developed a growing interest in the theory and method of psychotherapy generally and transactional analysis in particular. He entered formal TA training in 1979, and gained accreditation as a TA practitioner in 1984. For several years Ian followed two parallel careers, as lecturer and as psychotherapist. In the end, psychotherapy won the day: in 1989 Ian resigned his university lectureship to pursue a full-time career as a TA psychotherapist, writer and trainer.

Ian is the author, with co-author Vann Joines, of the basic text on transactional analysis, TA Today. First published in 1987, the book has been translated into fifteen languages and is widely regarded as the world-standard introduction to its subject. Its second edition appeared in 2012. Ian is Co-Director of The Berne Institute, a TA training centre which celebrates its twentieth anniversary in 2013.

Ian lives in a small village in the backwoods of Leicestershire, together with his wife and three cats. His leisure interests include Morris dancing, cycling, fitness activities generally, and the appreciation of real ale.

Review:

`Stewart′s report of people′s reactions to Berne I found fascinating... the accounts of the complex theoretical ideas are masterful. I welcomed Stewart′s clear statements about structure and his own main ideas... important studies for practising counsellors and psychotherapists and for scholars and others interested in the field of counselling... rewarding reading′ - Counselling, The Journal of the British Association for Counselling

`Ian Stewart has done an outstanding job of presenting a comprehensive overview of Eric Berne, his life, his philosophy and his significant contributions to the fields of personality and psychotherapy... Stewart has made a significant and unique contribution to the literature of transactional analysis. This book deserves reading by all transactional analysts′ - Transactional Analysis Journal

`a clear summary of Berne′s work, both theory and practice′ - British Journal of Medical Psychology

`The book is well documented and its major contribution is its warning to not take Berne′s theory simplistically, to not be misled by `pop-culture′ transactional analysis, but to turn to all of Berne′s original writings and fuller sources of Berne′s theories′ - Choice

`An interesting and informative book′ - Contemporary Psychology

About this edition

• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0803984677
• ISBN 13: 9780803984677
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 175