Reflections on Transactional Analysis (TA) World Conference 2014

To be in San Francisco for the World Transactional Analysis (TA) conference meant a lot to me.

Early in the Nineteen fifties it was here in San Francisco that the TA theory originated! Getting to meet in San Francisco many contemporaries of Eric Berne the originator of TA theory was a fabulous experience of being at this conference. I felt honored and privileged to meet in person Fanita English, Claude Steiner, Steve Karpman and Richard Erskine and Muriel James. To hear from the originators of the theory about how they developed the theory was exciting. This conference was the celebration of the 50th year of Berne's best Selling book "Games People Play" and hence the Conference theme was chosen as " TA Now a Game Changer". The presentations were all woven around this theme. Hearing so many perspectives of the same theory helped me to widen and deepen my thought processes.

Another important highlight for me was to meet TA practitioners from all the continents of the world (about 30 countries). That made it truly international!! In spite of the fact that English was mother tongue only for about 25% of the participants at the conference we communicated well. The impact and importance of nonverbal communications was obvious. To hear TA theory spoken in so many languages was tremendous! The voluntary work of the translators who painstakingly spread themselves around for people who needed help with English is remarkable. I sat on a CTA Examination board with examiners from three other countries and examined a candidate from a fifth country with the help of a translator. It was truly an enlightening experience for me. I felt very human and aware of the fact that all people are similar at the core of their being! What a wonderful theory Berne created from his awareness of this human similarity! I realized the power of body language as well as the need for language for humans to communicate internal experiences like thoughts and feelings! I felt honored to do a workshop along with stalwarts in TA like Jean Clarke and July Hay. I realized once more the value and meaning of the concept of Okay-Okay stance that the TA community stands for!

From the 'Child' point of view the pleasant weather of San Francisco sitting in the front yard of the Airport Marriott was very relaxing and invigorating at the same time!! Lucy Freedman and her colleagues chose a beautiful location and took care of the physical arrangements exquisitely.

On a personal note, I enjoyed spending a week with my son and had the privilege of being chauffeured by him to and fro for all the days of the conference. I swelled with pride to see him grown up to be on his own and even take care of me . I felt happy and thankful to be his mother!

Sister Annie Maria

My first trainer, supervisor and mentor in transactional analysis passed away today morning. I dedicate this post to her memory. 

A Pioneer & Entrepreneur

Sr. Annie Maria, a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), was one of the first and few TSTAs from India and was probably the first nun to become a TA professional. She was trained by Fr. George Kandathil, who was trained by Muriel James, and was the pioneer who brought TA theory to India. She organized the first International TA conference in India in 1992 at Cochin. She passed her TSTA examination in the year 1995. She was a Master trainer in NLP, and teacher of theology as well.

She will perhaps be remembered most fondly by the people, including myself, whom she worked with and who's lives she touched at the Avila School of Counseling and Indian Institute of Transactional Analysis which she started in 1997 at Palai, Kottayam. Supported initially by a small group of local educators and professionals, the institute still continues it's work in counseling and healing, carrying on Sr. Annie Maria's legacy.

A Great Organizer & Generous Spirit

Sr. Annie Maria has touched many lives and facilitated the healing of hundreds of broken spirits through her years of TA practice. Initially, she trained many people with Fr. George Kandathil and many passed their CTA examinations, in the early years of TA in India, under her supervision.

She organized a regional process for certification with the help of many TA trainers whom she had contact with. She certified 9 practitioners through this process and organized a board to certify a trainer for her institute. She trained without any reservations and used to do her best to bring her trainees into contact with trainers from around the country and the world.

I was one of her first trainees at Palai and the first to choose to become a trainer (PTSTA Edu). She trained me in counseling and psychotherapy and certified me as a TA trainer. Philosophical differences, particularly regarding training fees, caused Sr. Annie Maria to break away from the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA) early on. However, when I wanted to undergo an international certification, Sr. Annie Maria was extremely supportive and generous enough to reinstate her connections with ITAA to help me. When I chose to get certified by the Training & Certification Council (T&CC) I was able to appreciate the quality of the processes set up by Sr. Annie Maria better!

Books and Publications

Sr. Annie Maria has written many books on subjects such as Counseling, Transactional Analysis, Neurolinguistic Programming and The Enneagram. They are some of the first and most authentic works in Malayalam on these topics. 

2009 - Death

Sr. Annie Maria had about a hundred trainees at the Avila School of Counseling and Indian Institute of Transactional Analysis before she became sick and unable to work in the year 2009. She has been bedridden ever since and losing her health slowly. She has always been an inspiration to me and today, when she has gone to her eternal home, I am grateful and bow down respectfully for all that she has given me and guided me to. I am happy her struggle with illness in this world has come to end but I also feel the pain of loss intensely. May she rest in peace.