Drivers
Content
DRIVERS: The Key to the Process of Scripts Taibi Kahler, Ph.D.
Eric Berne has dened a script Thus Thus,, a scri script pt #ay #ay be repe repeat ated ed as an uncons unconscio cious us life life plan, plan, a o!er and o!er in the course of a blueprint for eis eiste tenc nce, e, that that is lifeti lifeti#e #e """ """ the the *hol e scr ipt #ay adopted in the pre!erbal years" be repeate d e!ery yea earr """ """"" )nd )nd man Lovi ng Berne beyon d th at , i t # ay a lso be In Se x and Huma repeat ated ed e!er e!ery y day day in a s#al s#alle lerr discusse discussed d si life ti#e$struc ti#e$structure ture repe !ersion" E!en #ore scripts: %&e!er,% '( %)l*ays,% +( !ersion" #icros osco copi pica call lly y, it #ay #ay be run run %)fter,% ( %-ntil,% .( %/!er and #icr o!er o!er 0)l# 0)l#os ost( t(,% ,% and 1 ( %/ p e n throu2h in an hour: for ea#ple, hole scri cript """ """ #ay #ay occu occurr in end"% end"% Berne Berne hi#self hi#self has in!ited the *hol the cour course se of the the *ee4 *ee4ly ly 2rou 2roup p s o # e c o n f u s i o n b y l a b e l i n 2 the ' yt he !arious !ari ous fairy fair y tales tale s %scripts %scr ipts"" % #eetin2, *ee4 after afte r *ee4, if onl he r ap i s tk no wswh whe r et olook. So#eti#es I#precise I#prec ise lan2ua lan2ua2e 2e has hindered hindered t our understandin2 of script a #ere fe* seconds of acti!it acti!ity y theorists3 theorists3 *or4" The follo*in2 is a # a y r e ! e a l t h e s t o r y o f t h e list list of epre epress ssion ions s *hich *hich are patient3s life"% . used collo collo5u 5uia ially lly and and ther theref efor ore e Dri!er Dri!ers s are are beha!i beha!iors ors that that last last contribute to confusion, to2ether fro# a split second to no #ore *ith their technical counterparts: than se!en seconds" There are no feelin2s related to the#" There Col l oqui al T ec hni c al is no *ay to feel a rac4et or play ) %Be perfect% perf ect% script scri pt ) dri!er a st op pe r ta pe * i th o u t rs rs t ) %Don3 %Do n3tt be% be % scrip scr iptt ) stop stopper per 2oin2 2oin2 thro throu2 u2h h dri! dri!er er beha beha!i !ior or ) %Resc %R escuer uer%% scrip sc riptt ) role 0t h i s is de #o n s t r at e d ) %Dep % Depres ressio sion% n% script scr ipt ) beha!i beha!iora orally lly(" (" ;ust ;ust as the stop$ rac4et )n %I3# &ot$/K $ pin2 of the dri!er beha!ior 6ou3re 6ou3re /K% script scri pt ) pre! pre!en ents ts the the stop topper per tape tape fro# fro# position position ) %7ittle Red Ridin2 bein2 played and the rac4et bein2 8ood% script ) fai ry t al e fel felt, the stopp oppin2 in2 of the dri! ri!er ) %7on %7 one e R an2er an2 er%% ) hero beha!ior also pre!ents the concur$ script rent rent script script senten sentence ce 0thou2 0thou2ht( ht( ) %Kic4 %Kic 4 #e% #e % script scri pt ) 2a#e patterns" ) %Pasti# %Pas ti#es% es% script scri pt ) ti#e ) char2ed up not$/K battery structure 0%lo* st ro 4 e r e s e r !e % ( 9inner, non$*inner 0banal( and loser 0ha#art 0ha#artic( ic( + are are cont conten entt *One possible exception is endogenous depression. di#ensions of scripts .4 T r ans .An.J . ,5:3, July 1975
DR!"R#: $%e &ey to t%e 'rocess o( #cripts
force#ent" If I %&e!er% nish #y sentences by %Tryin2 hard,% and I do that t*o hundred ti#es a day unconsciously, in a #onth I *ould ha!e reinforced a %&e!er% script 1,<<< ti#es, in a year =',<<< ti#es, in t*enty years >,<,<<< ti#es $ no *onder I belie!e that I3ll ne!er #a4e it" These sentence patterns *ere a result of a dri!er" THE "NEVER" SCRIPT Thesis: As a child I *as forbidden by #y parents to do thin2s that I #ost *anted to do" L i f e p a t t e r n : A person *hen in a %&e!er% script #ay set hi#self up daily, #onthly, and yearly ne!er to #a4e it in %i#portan t *ays" % 9o#en *ith %&e!er% scripts ne!er ha!e or2as#s" Sen te nc e pattern : A person *hen in his %&e!er% script #ay, by enterin2 a %Try hard% dri!er, ne!er nish his sentence" Ea#ple: Therapist: %9hat are you feelin2?% Pa tient: "I don3t, oh, I *as feelin2, u#, it3s @ust *hen #y husband, oh, last ni2ht *hen I, ah, it3s li4e #y aunt """"% Drivers: %Try hard% is the predo#inant dri!er of a %&e!er% script" /thers, ecept, %Please #e,% are seldo# seen" Case illustration: Tany3s t*o life 2oals *ere to nd a #an *ho *ould lo!e her and share inti#acy, and to ha!e childrenA but she had set herself up ne!er to 2et *hat she #ost *anted" She #arried a #an *ho had stron2 %Don 3t trust% and %Don3t be close% script in@unctions, and *ho had an %)l#ost% 0/!er and
*ith *o#en *ho ha!e %&e!er% scripts that there *as so#e deep co#petition *ith a sister or brother, so#eti#es seually based" She thus found a #an *hose script interloc4ed *ith hers" Thus, she could %ne!er% #a4e it *ith hi# 0%&e!er% script(" 8e al#ost #ade it *ith her 0%)l#ost%(, rationaliCin2 that he *as %@ust that *ay *hen it ca#e to yin2, his rst lo!e"%3 Before they *ere #arried she had told her husband of ho* she adored and *anted children" 8e a2reed" /nce they *ere #arried he disclosed that he had only said that, and that he actually hated 4ids and certainly did not *ant any" Tany beca#e pre2nant $ %I so#eho* for2ot to ta4e #y birth control pills% $ and out of a %Forner% 2a#e 0%I3# da#ned if I tell hi# and I3# da#ned if I don3t%( *ent to a charleton 0%9ell, I didn3t *ant to as4 hi# for #oney%( and 2ot an abortion" Script pao! &o* Tany can3t ha!e a ny 4 id s $ s he3 s t* en ty $ ei2ht" The content is ha#artic" THE "AL#A$S" SCRIPT Th es is: %9ell, if that3s *hat you *ant to do, then you can @ust spend the rest of your life doin2 it" 6ou3!e #ade your bed, no* lie in it"% Life pa tte rn : /ften a person *ith the %)l*ays% script *ill describe his or her life as %blah,% ha!in2 neither #any hi2hs nor #any lo*s" S en te nc e p at te rn s: )lthou2h the person *i th th is s cri pt repeats his %Forner% a2ain and a2ain, there does not appear to be a *ell$dened sentence
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di vor cehe' d" be l osi ng t he bestmot herhe coul d possi bl y find" and i f he st ays marr i edhe" doesn' twantsexwi t hher" sohe f e el s "f r us t r at e d.
memberoft hegr oup one ni ght ,satdown, and i mmedi at e l ys l ouched and appear ed sad." If el tsogood,butt hen It houghtof t he t i meIwas t aki ng away f r om t heot her gr oupmember s.Now If eelgui l t yandsad. "
THE "AFTER" SCRIPT UNTI L"SCRI PT Thesis: " Thi ngscan be goi ng wel lnow, THE" Thesi s: " You c an' t have f un unt i l. . . . butaf t er war ds some t hi ng wi l lhappen.I f you' ve got your wor k done, or you' ve y ou hav eahi gh,y ou' l lhav et ohav eal ow t o [ a c hi e v e d. . .] . "He r c ul e sha dt oc l e a n outt he payf ori t . "Damocl es'sword. Aegean st abl es and do ot her l abor s bef or ehec oul dbef r ee . Li f e pat t ern:Pe o pl ewi t h" Unt i l "s cr i pt s , col l ect i vel y see t hemsel ves as " mor e OK" t han peopl e wi t h ot her s cr i pt s.The y ar e ev ementand goalor i ent ed,havi ng been Aper s onwheni nan" Af t er "s cr i ptwi l lf ee l achi i v e nc ondi t i o nalpo si t i v es t r oke s . OK, "t hense thi m orher sel fupi n someway g Se nt e nc ep at t e r n : pe A r s on r e i nf or c es an nott omakei tandf eelnot OK. Unt i l " scr i pt by st art i ng a sent ence, Se nt e nc epat t e r n s :y T pi c al l y ,ape r s onwi t h " ns e r t i ngaphr a s e" s ot ha tp e o pl eunde r s t a nd an " Af t er" scri pt wi l l express posi t i ve i m j ustri ght "[ Be per f ect ] ,t hen fini shi ng f ee l i ngs, i nse r ta " but , " and end wi t h hi t heori gi nalsent ence.Exampl e:" I n TA t here ne gat i v ef e e l i ng s. aret hreeegost at es:t hePar ent ,t heAdul t Dr i v er s:" Pl easeme"i snumberone -and r ecal lt hi si st hepartt hatcomput es r a nki ngi nt hi ssc r i pt . pr obabi l i t i es and me di at e s be t we e n t he Cas ei l l us t r at i o n:" Af t e r "sc r i p t s ,l i ke al l t he rt wo-andt heChi l d. s cr i pt s ,ar er e pe t i t i v e .Sc r i pt sar el i kemot i f s o
ofapl aywhi chcanbesee ni nan act , a sc ene, a sc enari o, a st r ophe, or a phrase. Mr . McAl does' l i f e pat t ern reflect s an acti ve " Af t er" scri pt . At ni ne t e e n her e c e i v e dna t i o na la c c l a i mf o rhi s a r t i s t i c t a l e nt . No w, a t t hi r t y e i g ht , he r eport s, " I seem t o have l ost al l my abi l i t y . "" The fir st f our year s of our mar r i age wer e gr eat , but t hen some t hi ng happened, and now we' r e di v or ce d. "" I n Sept emberand Oct oberIg e tso depr esse d. " McAl doesi sanar tt eac herwhohass umme r v ac at i ons i n Jul y and Aug us t .I saw Mr . McAl does on a Wednesday ni ght .The ni ghtbef orehewassui ci dal l ydepr essed.My que s t i on was , " What di d y ou do l as t weekend?"" Oh, "r e pl i e d Mr . McAl does ," I went t o New Or l eans and had t he t i me ofmy l i f e. "He t hen f el t d e p r e s s e d . I n an ev en shor t er per i od of t i me Mr . McAl doesevi denced hi s" Af t er"scri pt.He rose,andst r oked ri t ual l yeach ))
Dr i v er s:" Beper f ect "i snumberone.
Of t en" Best r ong"i sr ankedhi gh. Cas ei l l us t r at i o n:Dr .Li t un,a physi ci an, " Can' tst artt hedayunt i lhehast wocupsof coffee, "" Can' tt ake a vacat i on unt i lhe haswor kedfivemor eyear s, " " Can' tmakel oveunt i lher eadst he pa pe r , "" Ca n' tr e t i r eunt i lheha se ar ne d anot herfif t yt housand, "et c.Fr ee mas onr yi sac ommong ame-" Ican s uc c e e d,butIc an' tbec ont e ntwi t hi t . " THE" ALMOST"( OVER ANDOVER* )SCRI PT: Thesi s:" Ia l mo s tma kei t ,butno tq ui t e
* see t%is script +s (ocusing ore on -lost+/ing it. lso, e+c% script is cyclic+l. T r a ns .An.J . ,5:3, July 1975
DR!"R#: $%e &ey to t%e 'rocess o( #cripts
eistential position of %I3# /K """ if only, if only"% Life pattern: ) person *ith an if,% *hich is sho*n by this %)l#ost% script is li4e Sisyphus thic4 line on Ernst3s /K Forral 6 *ho al#ost #a4es it to the top of the #ountain, ine!itably falterin2" 8e #ay repeat this %/!er and o!er%: #arria2e $ di!orce, #arria2e$di!orce, etc" Sentene pattern: ) person reects Dri!ers be2in functionally in the an %)l#ost% script by #a4in2 a Parent 0$&P, Rescuin2( and can state#ent or presentin2 a also be obser!ed in the Fhild 0$ 5uestion, yet endin2 *ith so#e )F( 7 The be2innin2 internal 4ind of ne2ati!e" Ea#ples: discount of any se5uence of %I3!e rea ll y #a de cha n2e s, not$/Kness 0discountin2(, 4ind of"% %The color of your TV then, *ill be that of the dri!er is 2reat" The screen3s a little in the $&P" Dri!ers start 2a#es, for#in2 the dirty thou2h"% GE!en thou2h con each state#ent #ay *ell be a and the 2i##ic4 .8 fact, the order #a4es it scripty" If a person chan2es dri!er !riers: %Try hard% and %Please for#ed sentences, he #ay #e% are the rst t*o dri!ers, in chan2e his *hole life 0process( either order" Case Ill#stration: )l Host has yet to script pattern" nd a @ob that he is co#fortable In treat&ent: If a therapist is in *ith" )s a result, )l has a dri!er beha!ior, he in!ites pattern of @ob$5uit@ob$red" si#ilar beha!ior" )l 3s be en #a rr ied t*ic e" ) #an *ith a ha#artic 0content( %)fter% script, Typically, )l al#ost #a4es it" 8e replete *ith a %Please #e% al#ost 2ot the raise" 8e #ade dri!er 0process(, co#es to an ecellent nancial report to therapy" If the therapist is in the Board of Directors, yet left %Please #e% beha!ior, he in!ites out one !ariable that in!alidated this patient into his o*n %Please the *hole presentation" In #e% dri!er" )n unsophisticated colle2e, he once had a tie$brea4er obser!er #ay thin4 that %2ood% free thro* *ith no ti#e left on the therapy is bein2 done because 2a#e cloc4 for a chance to of the %rapport% e!ident by capture the conference title" 8e the s#iles and nods" The #ade the shot but stepped o!er therapist #i2ht also belie!e the line" The 2a#e and title *ere that he is doin2 2ood therapy" lost" In hundreds of *ays each But, the #ore the patient 2ets day )l reected this life pattern" %hi2h% by pleasin2 the therapist, the #ore he is settin2 hi#self up to pay for the %hi2h% *ith a THE "$PE% E%!" SCRIPT Thesis: %I3!e #ade no plans *hen %lo*% to co#ply *ith his %)fter% the 4ids 2ro* up, I reach script" 8is ha#artic payo that ni2ht #i2ht *ell be suicide" The #enopause, I retire, etc"% therapist, then, not only did not Life patte rn: The person *ith an help the patient, but actually %/pen end% script is pro2ra##ed in!ited hi# into the suicide by duty" )lthou2h this is a payo of his %)fter% script" The relati!ely easy script to therapist3s choice of techni5ues
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cata2oriCin2 of each transaction" This, then, is not so #uch a ne* techni5ue, as it is an instru#ent to help us focus on us, usin2 *hate!er techni5ue *e are e#ployin2" )s a techni5ue, the #iniscript can be used to treat a
R""R""# 1. 0erne, ". Sex In H#&an Loin'. #ion +nd #c%uster, e6 or/, 1978, pp. 13171. ). 0erne, ". (hat !o )o# Say After )o# Say Hello? ;ro<e 'ress, e6 or/, 197). 3. #teiner, . *a&es Aloholis Play. ;ro<e 'ress, e6 or/, 1971. 4. &+%ler, $. -#cripts: 'rocess +nd ontent,Trans. An. +., 5:3, July 1975.
5. 0erne, ". (hat !o )o# Say ... op. cit., p. 344.
"rnst, . -$%e O& orr+l: $%e ;rid (or ;etOn
. =it%,- Trans. An. +., 1:4, October 1971, p. )31.
Taii -ahler, Ph.!., is a Proisional Teahin' e&er of the ITAA an/ !iretor of the Transational Analysis Instit#te for So#thern California in San !ie'o.
)4
&+%ler, $. -#tructur+l n+lysis: ocus on #tro/e R+tion+le, '+rent ontinuu, +nd "gogr+s,- Trans. An. +., 5:3, July 1975. &+%ler, 7. $. -;+e n+lysis: e6 #6itc% on 2e<els,unpublis%ed +nuscript. &+%ler, $. -#cripts . . .. op. cit. 9.
Trans. An. +., 5:3, July 1975
Eric Berne has dened a script Thus Thus,, a scri script pt #ay #ay be repe repeat ated ed as an uncons unconscio cious us life life plan, plan, a o!er and o!er in the course of a blueprint for eis eiste tenc nce, e, that that is lifeti lifeti#e #e """ """ the the *hol e scr ipt #ay adopted in the pre!erbal years" be repeate d e!ery yea earr """ """"" )nd )nd man Lovi ng Berne beyon d th at , i t # ay a lso be In Se x and Huma repeat ated ed e!er e!ery y day day in a s#al s#alle lerr discusse discussed d si life ti#e$struc ti#e$structure ture repe !ersion" E!en #ore scripts: %&e!er,% '( %)l*ays,% +( !ersion" #icros osco copi pica call lly y, it #ay #ay be run run %)fter,% ( %-ntil,% .( %/!er and #icr o!er o!er 0)l# 0)l#os ost( t(,% ,% and 1 ( %/ p e n throu2h in an hour: for ea#ple, hole scri cript """ """ #ay #ay occu occurr in end"% end"% Berne Berne hi#self hi#self has in!ited the *hol the cour course se of the the *ee4 *ee4ly ly 2rou 2roup p s o # e c o n f u s i o n b y l a b e l i n 2 the ' yt he !arious !ari ous fairy fair y tales tale s %scripts %scr ipts"" % #eetin2, *ee4 after afte r *ee4, if onl he r ap i s tk no wswh whe r et olook. So#eti#es I#precise I#prec ise lan2ua lan2ua2e 2e has hindered hindered t our understandin2 of script a #ere fe* seconds of acti!it acti!ity y theorists3 theorists3 *or4" The follo*in2 is a # a y r e ! e a l t h e s t o r y o f t h e list list of epre epress ssion ions s *hich *hich are patient3s life"% . used collo collo5u 5uia ially lly and and ther theref efor ore e Dri!er Dri!ers s are are beha!i beha!iors ors that that last last contribute to confusion, to2ether fro# a split second to no #ore *ith their technical counterparts: than se!en seconds" There are no feelin2s related to the#" There Col l oqui al T ec hni c al is no *ay to feel a rac4et or play ) %Be perfect% perf ect% script scri pt ) dri!er a st op pe r ta pe * i th o u t rs rs t ) %Don3 %Do n3tt be% be % scrip scr iptt ) stop stopper per 2oin2 2oin2 thro throu2 u2h h dri! dri!er er beha beha!i !ior or ) %Resc %R escuer uer%% scrip sc riptt ) role 0t h i s is de #o n s t r at e d ) %Dep % Depres ressio sion% n% script scr ipt ) beha!i beha!iora orally lly(" (" ;ust ;ust as the stop$ rac4et )n %I3# &ot$/K $ pin2 of the dri!er beha!ior 6ou3re 6ou3re /K% script scri pt ) pre! pre!en ents ts the the stop topper per tape tape fro# fro# position position ) %7ittle Red Ridin2 bein2 played and the rac4et bein2 8ood% script ) fai ry t al e fel felt, the stopp oppin2 in2 of the dri! ri!er ) %7on %7 one e R an2er an2 er%% ) hero beha!ior also pre!ents the concur$ script rent rent script script senten sentence ce 0thou2 0thou2ht( ht( ) %Kic4 %Kic 4 #e% #e % script scri pt ) 2a#e patterns" ) %Pasti# %Pas ti#es% es% script scri pt ) ti#e ) char2ed up not$/K battery structure 0%lo* st ro 4 e r e s e r !e % ( 9inner, non$*inner 0banal( and loser 0ha#art 0ha#artic( ic( + are are cont conten entt *One possible exception is endogenous depression. di#ensions of scripts .4 T r ans .An.J . ,5:3, July 1975
DR!"R#: $%e &ey to t%e 'rocess o( #cripts
force#ent" If I %&e!er% nish #y sentences by %Tryin2 hard,% and I do that t*o hundred ti#es a day unconsciously, in a #onth I *ould ha!e reinforced a %&e!er% script 1,<<< ti#es, in a year =',<<< ti#es, in t*enty years >,<,<<< ti#es $ no *onder I belie!e that I3ll ne!er #a4e it" These sentence patterns *ere a result of a dri!er" THE "NEVER" SCRIPT Thesis: As a child I *as forbidden by #y parents to do thin2s that I #ost *anted to do" L i f e p a t t e r n : A person *hen in a %&e!er% script #ay set hi#self up daily, #onthly, and yearly ne!er to #a4e it in %i#portan t *ays" % 9o#en *ith %&e!er% scripts ne!er ha!e or2as#s" Sen te nc e pattern : A person *hen in his %&e!er% script #ay, by enterin2 a %Try hard% dri!er, ne!er nish his sentence" Ea#ple: Therapist: %9hat are you feelin2?% Pa tient: "I don3t, oh, I *as feelin2, u#, it3s @ust *hen #y husband, oh, last ni2ht *hen I, ah, it3s li4e #y aunt """"% Drivers: %Try hard% is the predo#inant dri!er of a %&e!er% script" /thers, ecept, %Please #e,% are seldo# seen" Case illustration: Tany3s t*o life 2oals *ere to nd a #an *ho *ould lo!e her and share inti#acy, and to ha!e childrenA but she had set herself up ne!er to 2et *hat she #ost *anted" She #arried a #an *ho had stron2 %Don 3t trust% and %Don3t be close% script in@unctions, and *ho had an %)l#ost% 0/!er and
*ith *o#en *ho ha!e %&e!er% scripts that there *as so#e deep co#petition *ith a sister or brother, so#eti#es seually based" She thus found a #an *hose script interloc4ed *ith hers" Thus, she could %ne!er% #a4e it *ith hi# 0%&e!er% script(" 8e al#ost #ade it *ith her 0%)l#ost%(, rationaliCin2 that he *as %@ust that *ay *hen it ca#e to yin2, his rst lo!e"%3 Before they *ere #arried she had told her husband of ho* she adored and *anted children" 8e a2reed" /nce they *ere #arried he disclosed that he had only said that, and that he actually hated 4ids and certainly did not *ant any" Tany beca#e pre2nant $ %I so#eho* for2ot to ta4e #y birth control pills% $ and out of a %Forner% 2a#e 0%I3# da#ned if I tell hi# and I3# da#ned if I don3t%( *ent to a charleton 0%9ell, I didn3t *ant to as4 hi# for #oney%( and 2ot an abortion" Script pao! &o* Tany can3t ha!e a ny 4 id s $ s he3 s t* en ty $ ei2ht" The content is ha#artic" THE "AL#A$S" SCRIPT Th es is: %9ell, if that3s *hat you *ant to do, then you can @ust spend the rest of your life doin2 it" 6ou3!e #ade your bed, no* lie in it"% Life pa tte rn : /ften a person *ith the %)l*ays% script *ill describe his or her life as %blah,% ha!in2 neither #any hi2hs nor #any lo*s" S en te nc e p at te rn s: )lthou2h the person *i th th is s cri pt repeats his %Forner% a2ain and a2ain, there does not appear to be a *ell$dened sentence
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di vor cehe' d" be l osi ng t he bestmot herhe coul d possi bl y find" and i f he st ays marr i edhe" doesn' twantsexwi t hher" sohe f e el s "f r us t r at e d.
memberoft hegr oup one ni ght ,satdown, and i mmedi at e l ys l ouched and appear ed sad." If el tsogood,butt hen It houghtof t he t i meIwas t aki ng away f r om t heot her gr oupmember s.Now If eelgui l t yandsad. "
THE "AFTER" SCRIPT UNTI L"SCRI PT Thesis: " Thi ngscan be goi ng wel lnow, THE" Thesi s: " You c an' t have f un unt i l. . . . butaf t er war ds some t hi ng wi l lhappen.I f you' ve got your wor k done, or you' ve y ou hav eahi gh,y ou' l lhav et ohav eal ow t o [ a c hi e v e d. . .] . "He r c ul e sha dt oc l e a n outt he payf ori t . "Damocl es'sword. Aegean st abl es and do ot her l abor s bef or ehec oul dbef r ee . Li f e pat t ern:Pe o pl ewi t h" Unt i l "s cr i pt s , col l ect i vel y see t hemsel ves as " mor e OK" t han peopl e wi t h ot her s cr i pt s.The y ar e ev ementand goalor i ent ed,havi ng been Aper s onwheni nan" Af t er "s cr i ptwi l lf ee l achi i v e nc ondi t i o nalpo si t i v es t r oke s . OK, "t hense thi m orher sel fupi n someway g Se nt e nc ep at t e r n : pe A r s on r e i nf or c es an nott omakei tandf eelnot OK. Unt i l " scr i pt by st art i ng a sent ence, Se nt e nc epat t e r n s :y T pi c al l y ,ape r s onwi t h " ns e r t i ngaphr a s e" s ot ha tp e o pl eunde r s t a nd an " Af t er" scri pt wi l l express posi t i ve i m j ustri ght "[ Be per f ect ] ,t hen fini shi ng f ee l i ngs, i nse r ta " but , " and end wi t h hi t heori gi nalsent ence.Exampl e:" I n TA t here ne gat i v ef e e l i ng s. aret hreeegost at es:t hePar ent ,t heAdul t Dr i v er s:" Pl easeme"i snumberone -and r ecal lt hi si st hepartt hatcomput es r a nki ngi nt hi ssc r i pt . pr obabi l i t i es and me di at e s be t we e n t he Cas ei l l us t r at i o n:" Af t e r "sc r i p t s ,l i ke al l t he rt wo-andt heChi l d. s cr i pt s ,ar er e pe t i t i v e .Sc r i pt sar el i kemot i f s o
ofapl aywhi chcanbesee ni nan act , a sc ene, a sc enari o, a st r ophe, or a phrase. Mr . McAl does' l i f e pat t ern reflect s an acti ve " Af t er" scri pt . At ni ne t e e n her e c e i v e dna t i o na la c c l a i mf o rhi s a r t i s t i c t a l e nt . No w, a t t hi r t y e i g ht , he r eport s, " I seem t o have l ost al l my abi l i t y . "" The fir st f our year s of our mar r i age wer e gr eat , but t hen some t hi ng happened, and now we' r e di v or ce d. "" I n Sept emberand Oct oberIg e tso depr esse d. " McAl doesi sanar tt eac herwhohass umme r v ac at i ons i n Jul y and Aug us t .I saw Mr . McAl does on a Wednesday ni ght .The ni ghtbef orehewassui ci dal l ydepr essed.My que s t i on was , " What di d y ou do l as t weekend?"" Oh, "r e pl i e d Mr . McAl does ," I went t o New Or l eans and had t he t i me ofmy l i f e. "He t hen f el t d e p r e s s e d . I n an ev en shor t er per i od of t i me Mr . McAl doesevi denced hi s" Af t er"scri pt.He rose,andst r oked ri t ual l yeach ))
Dr i v er s:" Beper f ect "i snumberone.
Of t en" Best r ong"i sr ankedhi gh. Cas ei l l us t r at i o n:Dr .Li t un,a physi ci an, " Can' tst artt hedayunt i lhehast wocupsof coffee, "" Can' tt ake a vacat i on unt i lhe haswor kedfivemor eyear s, " " Can' tmakel oveunt i lher eadst he pa pe r , "" Ca n' tr e t i r eunt i lheha se ar ne d anot herfif t yt housand, "et c.Fr ee mas onr yi sac ommong ame-" Ican s uc c e e d,butIc an' tbec ont e ntwi t hi t . " THE" ALMOST"( OVER ANDOVER* )SCRI PT: Thesi s:" Ia l mo s tma kei t ,butno tq ui t e
* see t%is script +s (ocusing ore on -lost+/ing it. lso, e+c% script is cyclic+l. T r a ns .An.J . ,5:3, July 1975
DR!"R#: $%e &ey to t%e 'rocess o( #cripts
eistential position of %I3# /K """ if only, if only"% Life pattern: ) person *ith an if,% *hich is sho*n by this %)l#ost% script is li4e Sisyphus thic4 line on Ernst3s /K Forral 6 *ho al#ost #a4es it to the top of the #ountain, ine!itably falterin2" 8e #ay repeat this %/!er and o!er%: #arria2e $ di!orce, #arria2e$di!orce, etc" Sentene pattern: ) person reects Dri!ers be2in functionally in the an %)l#ost% script by #a4in2 a Parent 0$&P, Rescuin2( and can state#ent or presentin2 a also be obser!ed in the Fhild 0$ 5uestion, yet endin2 *ith so#e )F( 7 The be2innin2 internal 4ind of ne2ati!e" Ea#ples: discount of any se5uence of %I3!e rea ll y #a de cha n2e s, not$/Kness 0discountin2(, 4ind of"% %The color of your TV then, *ill be that of the dri!er is 2reat" The screen3s a little in the $&P" Dri!ers start 2a#es, for#in2 the dirty thou2h"% GE!en thou2h con each state#ent #ay *ell be a and the 2i##ic4 .8 fact, the order #a4es it scripty" If a person chan2es dri!er !riers: %Try hard% and %Please for#ed sentences, he #ay #e% are the rst t*o dri!ers, in chan2e his *hole life 0process( either order" Case Ill#stration: )l Host has yet to script pattern" nd a @ob that he is co#fortable In treat&ent: If a therapist is in *ith" )s a result, )l has a dri!er beha!ior, he in!ites pattern of @ob$5uit@ob$red" si#ilar beha!ior" )l 3s be en #a rr ied t*ic e" ) #an *ith a ha#artic 0content( %)fter% script, Typically, )l al#ost #a4es it" 8e replete *ith a %Please #e% al#ost 2ot the raise" 8e #ade dri!er 0process(, co#es to an ecellent nancial report to therapy" If the therapist is in the Board of Directors, yet left %Please #e% beha!ior, he in!ites out one !ariable that in!alidated this patient into his o*n %Please the *hole presentation" In #e% dri!er" )n unsophisticated colle2e, he once had a tie$brea4er obser!er #ay thin4 that %2ood% free thro* *ith no ti#e left on the therapy is bein2 done because 2a#e cloc4 for a chance to of the %rapport% e!ident by capture the conference title" 8e the s#iles and nods" The #ade the shot but stepped o!er therapist #i2ht also belie!e the line" The 2a#e and title *ere that he is doin2 2ood therapy" lost" In hundreds of *ays each But, the #ore the patient 2ets day )l reected this life pattern" %hi2h% by pleasin2 the therapist, the #ore he is settin2 hi#self up to pay for the %hi2h% *ith a THE "$PE% E%!" SCRIPT Thesis: %I3!e #ade no plans *hen %lo*% to co#ply *ith his %)fter% the 4ids 2ro* up, I reach script" 8is ha#artic payo that ni2ht #i2ht *ell be suicide" The #enopause, I retire, etc"% therapist, then, not only did not Life patte rn: The person *ith an help the patient, but actually %/pen end% script is pro2ra##ed in!ited hi# into the suicide by duty" )lthou2h this is a payo of his %)fter% script" The relati!ely easy script to therapist3s choice of techni5ues
$0 &2"R, '%.D.
cata2oriCin2 of each transaction" This, then, is not so #uch a ne* techni5ue, as it is an instru#ent to help us focus on us, usin2 *hate!er techni5ue *e are e#ployin2" )s a techni5ue, the #iniscript can be used to treat a
R""R""# 1. 0erne, ". Sex In H#&an Loin'. #ion +nd #c%uster, e6 or/, 1978, pp. 13171. ). 0erne, ". (hat !o )o# Say After )o# Say Hello? ;ro<e 'ress, e6 or/, 197). 3. #teiner, . *a&es Aloholis Play. ;ro<e 'ress, e6 or/, 1971. 4. &+%ler, $. -#cripts: 'rocess +nd ontent,Trans. An. +., 5:3, July 1975.
5. 0erne, ". (hat !o )o# Say ... op. cit., p. 344.
"rnst, . -$%e O& orr+l: $%e ;rid (or ;etOn
. =it%,- Trans. An. +., 1:4, October 1971, p. )31.
Taii -ahler, Ph.!., is a Proisional Teahin' e&er of the ITAA an/ !iretor of the Transational Analysis Instit#te for So#thern California in San !ie'o.
)4
&+%ler, $. -#tructur+l n+lysis: ocus on #tro/e R+tion+le, '+rent ontinuu, +nd "gogr+s,- Trans. An. +., 5:3, July 1975. &+%ler, 7. $. -;+e n+lysis: e6 #6itc% on 2e<els,unpublis%ed +nuscript. &+%ler, $. -#cripts . . .. op. cit. 9.
Trans. An. +., 5:3, July 1975
