Thomas A. Harris

Transactional Analysis delineates three observable ego-states (Parent, Adult, and Child) as the basis for the content and quality of interpersonal communication. "Happy childhood" notwithstanding, says Harris, most of us are living out the Not ok feelings of a defenseless child, dependent on ok others (parents) for stroking and caring. At some stage early in our lives we adopt a "position" about ourselves and others that determines how we feel about everything we do. And for a huge portion of the population, that position is "I'm Not OK -- You're OK." This negative "life position," shared by successful and unsuccessful people alike, contaminates our rational Adult capabilities, leaving us vulnerable to inappropriate emotional reactions of our Child and uncritically learned behavior programmed into our Parent. By exploring the structure of our personalities and understanding old decisions, Harris believes we can find the freedom to change our lives.

I'm OK--You're OK

Agu Holzapfel

"There are times", said Somerset Maugham "when I look over the various parts of my character with perplexity. I recognize that I am made up of several persons and that the person at that moment has the upper hand will inevitably give place to another. But which is the real one? All of them or none?"

I'm OK--You're OK quotes

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